Cranberry-Pear Wild Rice Stuffing

Wild rice adds a wonderful texture to this Cranberry-Pear Wild Rice Stuffing; the sweetness of dried cranberries in the recipe lends a delicious flavor. This is an ideal stuffing for winter squashes which stands as a dazzling holiday main dish. Photos by Hannah Kaminsky.

Cranberry-Pear Wild Rice Stuffing

Wild rice adds a wonderful texture to this stuffing, and the slight sweetness of dried cranberries lends a delicious flavor.

5 from 2 votes

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Course: Bread stuffing / Thanksgiving

Cuisine: Vegan / Healthy

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Servings: 8 to 10

Author: Veg Kitchen

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups prepared vegetable broth or 2 1/2 cups water with 1 vegetable bouillon cube
• 2/3 cup raw wild rice
• 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium red onion chopped
• 1 large celery stalk diced
• 2 medium firm pears such as bosc, cored and diced
• 4 cups whole grain bread finely diced
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup pecans or walnuts finely chopped
• 1 tbsp salt-free seasoning blend like Frontier or Mrs. Dash
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp dried thyme to taste
• salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup apple or pear juice or as needed

Instructions

• Bring the broth to a simmer in a small saucepan. Stir in the wild rice, then cover and simmer gently until the water is absorbed, about 35 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• Heat the oil in a medium-sized skillet. Add the onion and sauté until translucent. Add the celery and sauté over medium heat until both are golden.
• Combine the onion-celery mixture with the cooked wild rice and all the remaining ingredients except the apple juice in a mixing bowl. Stir well to combine.
• Drizzle the apple juice in slowly, stirring all the while, until the mixture is evenly moistened.
• Transfer the mixture to a lightly oiled large shallow baking dish. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the top begins to get slightly crusty.

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