PilafAmericanEasy

Mushroom Wild Rice Pilaf

Name: Mushroom Wild Rice Pilaf
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1½ cups (270 g) wild rice blend (long-grain brown and wild rice, not quick-cook), rinsed under cold water in a fine-mesh sieve and drained well; 3½ cups (840 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth, heated until steaming hot (about 180°F/80°C); 3 tablespoons (43 g) unsalted butter, divided: 2 tablespoons for the mushrooms and 1 tablespoon for the shallots; 12 ounces (340 g) cremini (baby bella) mushrooms, wiped clean, stems trimmed, sliced ¼ inch (6 mm) thick; 3 medium (about 4 oz / 115 g) (115 g) medium shallots, peeled and finely diced; 3 cloves (9 g) garlic cloves, minced; 2 teaspoons (3 g) fresh thyme leaves, stripped from the stems (about 6 sprigs); 1 teaspoon (3 g) kosher salt (Diamond Crystal), divided: ¼ teaspoon for the mushrooms and ¾ teaspoon for the rice; ½ teaspoon (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 2 teaspoons (10 ml) fresh lemon juice, from about ½ lemon; 2 tablespoons (8 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Nutty wild rice blend bakes in savory vegetable broth with browned cremini mushrooms, sweet shallots, garlic, and fresh thyme. It cooks hands-off in the oven, and the grains come out tender and separate, never mushy.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 1 hr 15 min
Wait: 10 min
Total: 1 hr 40 min
Makes: About 5 cups (6 side-dish servings)

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Ingredients

6 servings

1½ cups (270 g) wild rice blend (long-grain brown and wild rice, not quick-cook), rinsed under cold water in a fine-mesh sieve and drained well
3½ cups (840 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth, heated until steaming hot (about 180°F/80°C)
3 tablespoons (43 g) unsalted butter, divided: 2 tablespoons for the mushrooms and 1 tablespoon for the shallots
12 ounces (340 g) cremini (baby bella) mushrooms, wiped clean, stems trimmed, sliced ¼ inch (6 mm) thick
3 medium (about 4 oz / 115 g) (115 g) medium shallots, peeled and finely diced
3 cloves (9 g) garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons (3 g) fresh thyme leaves, stripped from the stems (about 6 sprigs)
1 teaspoon (3 g) kosher salt (Diamond Crystal), divided: ¼ teaspoon for the mushrooms and ¾ teaspoon for the rice
½ teaspoon (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
2 teaspoons (10 ml) fresh lemon juice, from about ½ lemon
2 tablespoons (8 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Equipment (6)

12-inch (30 cm) heavy skillet, preferably stainless steel or cast iron
9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish, at least 2 inches (5 cm) deep
Heavy-duty aluminum foil
Small saucepan or microwave-safe measuring cup for heating the broth
Fine-mesh sieve
Fork for fluffing

Steps

Before you start

Use a regular (not quick-cook or instant) wild rice blend. Quick-cook blends will turn mushy in this time. Check the package: it should call for about 45 to 60 minutes of simmering.
Position an oven rack in the center and preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) before you start cooking.
Have your foil ready. The baking dish must be sealed tightly so the steam stays in and the rice cooks evenly.
Total time is about 1 hour 40 minutes, but about 60 minutes of that is unattended baking.

1
Preheat and heat brothOven 375°F / 190°C
- Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375°F (190°C).
- Pour the vegetable broth into a small saucepan and warm over medium heat, or microwave it for 3 to 4 minutes, until steaming hot.
- Keep it hot while you cook the vegetables.
- Rinse the wild rice blend in a fine-mesh sieve under cold running water for 30 seconds and shake off the excess water.
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Ready when: Broth is steaming with small bubbles at the edges but not at a hard boil.
Tip: Hot broth keeps the cooking temperature steady, so the rice finishes on time in the oven.
2
Brown the mushrooms
- Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat for 1 minute.
- Add 2 tablespoons of the butter and let it melt and foam.
- Add the sliced mushrooms in an even layer and let them cook undisturbed for 3 minutes, then stir and cook for 5 to 6 minutes more.
- Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon of the salt.
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Ready when: The mushrooms have released their liquid, the liquid has evaporated, and the slices are deep golden brown at the edges.
Tip: Don't crowd the pan or stir too early. Mushrooms steam instead of browning if they're packed together or moved too often.
3
Soften shallots and garlic
- Reduce the heat to medium.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and the diced shallots to the mushrooms.
- Cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes, until the shallots are soft and translucent.
- Stir in the garlic and thyme leaves and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
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Ready when: Shallots are translucent and soft, and the garlic smells fragrant but hasn't browned.
Tip: Scrape up the browned bits from the pan bottom as you stir. They add a lot of flavor.
4
Toast the rice
- Add the rinsed, drained rice to the skillet.
- Stir constantly for 2 minutes so every grain is coated in butter and the rice smells nutty and toasty.
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Ready when: The grains look dry and glossy and smell nutty.
5
Combine in baking dish
- Scrape the rice and vegetable mixture into a 9×13-inch baking dish and spread it evenly.
- Pour the hot broth over it and add the remaining ¾ teaspoon salt and the pepper.
- Stir once to distribute everything evenly and make sure the rice is fully submerged.
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Ready when: The rice is level and covered by the broth.
Tip: If your broth is regular (not low-sodium), cut the ¾ teaspoon salt to ¼ teaspoon.
6
Seal and bakeOven 375°F / 190°C
- Cover the dish with a double layer of heavy-duty foil and crimp it tightly around the rim so no steam can escape.
- Carefully set the dish on the center rack and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 60 minutes without opening the oven.
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Ready when: After 60 minutes, carefully peek under the foil: the liquid should be absorbed and many grains should have split open to show their pale interior.
Tip: Open the foil away from your face. The steam is very hot.
7
Check and extend if neededOven 375°F / 190°C
- Pull back a corner of the foil and tilt the dish slightly.
- If you still see liquid pooling, or if the rice is chewy at the center, reseal the foil and bake 10 more minutes at 375°F (190°C).
- Some wild rice blends need up to 70 minutes in total.
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Ready when: No liquid pools when the dish is tilted, and the grains are tender with a slight chew.
Tip: Wild rice stays pleasantly chewy even when fully cooked, so judge by the absence of liquid and by the split grains.
8
Rest covered
- Remove the dish from the oven and leave the foil on.
- Let it stand on a heatproof surface for 10 minutes so the remaining steam is absorbed and the grains firm up.
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Ready when: The rice looks dry on top and no liquid remains.
9
Fluff and finish
- Remove the foil.
- Add the lemon juice and chopped parsley, then fluff the pilaf with a fork, lifting the grains from the bottom rather than stirring.
- Taste and add a pinch more salt or pepper if needed.
- Serve hot.
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Ready when: The grains are separate and fluffy, and the pilaf smells bright and earthy.
Tip: The lemon juice is small but wakes up the earthy flavors. Don't skip it.

Good to know

Tips

Rinse the rice, but don't soak it. Rinsing removes dust and loose starch, and the broth quantity here is sized for unsoaked rice.
Seal the foil tightly. A loose cover lets steam escape, which leaves the rice undercooked and dry on top.
Brands vary. Blends with more wild rice need longer than those with mostly brown rice, so check the package and add 10 minutes if needed.
For extra crunch and richness, top the pilaf with toasted pecans or sliced almonds just before serving.

Make ahead

Cook the mushrooms, shallots, garlic, and thyme (steps 2 to 3) up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate in a covered container. Rewarm briefly in the skillet before toasting the rice. You can also bake the whole pilaf up to 2 days ahead, cool it, refrigerate it, and reheat it as described under storage.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: airtight container up to 4 days. Freezer: up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container. Reheat: sprinkle with 1 to 2 tablespoons water or broth per cup, cover, and microwave 1 to 2 minutes, stirring halfway, or warm in a covered skillet over medium-low heat for 5 to 8 minutes. Thaw frozen pilaf in the refrigerator overnight first.

Substitutions

unsalted butter → olive oil or vegan butter. Use the same amount for a dairy-free or vegan pilaf. The flavor will be slightly less rich.
cremini (baby bella) mushrooms → white button, shiitake (stems removed), or a mix. Use the same weight. Shiitake gives a deeper flavor, and button mushrooms are milder.
medium shallots → 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 cup / 150 g). Cook 1 to 2 minutes longer, until fully soft.
fresh thyme leaves → ¾ teaspoon dried thyme. Add it with the garlic. Dried thyme is stronger, so don't use more.