Autumn’s Bounty Wild Rice

Autumn’s Bounty Wild Rice elevates a simple side to an exceptional dish that takes center stage! Sweet apples, tart cranberries, and savory pork sausage bring out a new array of flavors as varied as the colors of fall leaves. This side goes well with any protein, but I especially love it with Maple Pork Chops or Roast Chicken. With its nutty flavor, satisfying texture, and rich nutritional profile, this dish transforms ordinary wild rice into a warming, sophisticated autumn experience.

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What is Wild Rice?

Despite its name, wild rice isn’t actually rice at all. It’s the seed of an aquatic grass native to North America, traditionally harvested by Indigenous peoples in the Great Lakes region. This ancient grain has a distinctive appearance — long, dark grains that split open when cooked to reveal a tender interior with a slightly chewy texture. The flavor is complex and earthy, with nutty undertones that pair beautifully with comforting autumnal ingredients.

The nutritional benefits of wild rice make it even more appealing during the season of sweater weather and comfort food. Wild rice is packed with protein, fiber, and essential minerals like manganese and phosphorus, making it far more nutritious than many refined grains. Its neutral-yet-complex flavor profile means it can adapt to both savory preparations with herbs and vegetables, or slightly sweet combinations like this recipe, featuring dried fruit and robust sausage.

Do You Have Tips or Tricks?

Toast the rice for deeper flavor. Before adding liquid, toast the raw wild rice in a dry pan for 3-4 minutes, until it’s fragrant. This extra step intensifies the nutty flavor and adds complexity to your finished dish.

Cook the rice in broth instead of water. Cook wild rice in well-seasoned broth or stock instead of plain water. Vegetable, chicken, or mushroom broth all work beautifully and infuse the grains with additional flavor from the get-go.

Use Autumn’s Bounty Wild Rice as a stuffing. Enjoy your rice as a filling meal by using it as stuffing in roasted butternut squash or hollowed out roasted eggplant. For a special treat, slice a chicken breast almost all the way through and stuff it with a pat of butter and a scoop of this rice dish. Bake as usual for a delicious stuffed chicken breast.

Can I Make This Ahead?

Yes!

Autumn’s Bounty Wild Rice keeps exceptionally well, making it perfect for meal prep! You can store it in the refrigerator for up to five days, or freeze for up to three months. The texture holds up beautifully to reheating, and the flavors often improve after a day or two of melding. Make a batch on the weekend, and it’ll be perfect when you pull it out for dinner during the week!

Autumn’s Bounty Wild Rice

Recipe by Chicken Soup with DumplingsCourse: All Recipes, SidesDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Total time

30

minutes

Sweet apples, tart cranberries, and savory pork sausage bring out flavors as varied as fall trees in this delicious Autumn’s Bounty Wild Rice!

Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked wild rice

• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

• 1 lb sage pork sausage

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 1 apple, peeled and chopped

• 1 green onion, sliced (optional)

Directions

• Make wild rice according to package directions, adding the dried cranberries to the water when you add the uncooked rice.
• Meanwhile, in a large skillet, brown the onion and pork sausage.
• Add the apple when the sausage is almost cooked through. Cook until sausage is fully browned and apple is softened.
• Combine sausage and apple mixture with wild rice. Garnish with green onion slices, if desired. Serve warm.

Looking for More Autumn Recipes?

• Make fall mornings a little cozier with Pumpkin Spice Pancakes
• Our Maple Walnut Banana Bread is perfect with a cup of tea
• Going apple picking? Be sure to make a batch of Easy Homemade Cinnamon Applesauce

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