Vegan Wild Rice Recipe: Pilaf with Cauliflower

A beautiful, lively, and light combination of five different varieties of rice, this vegan wild rice recipe is all fancy without the trouble. What I love in this spiced wild rice mix with cauliflower -- besides the lovely flavor -- is that it includes two varieties of rice, fresh herbs in the most flavorful black rice you've tried.

Why I ❤️ it • Recipe • Ingredients • Preparation

Vegan wild rice pilaf.

Why I ❤️ it

I have to say that I approached this dish with a bit of caution. I don't have that much experience with "exotic" rice. Each rice has its cooking tricks: different cooking times, methods, and rice-to-water ratios. I love that the cauliflower remained firm, instead of turning into the kind of vegetable mush I despise.

The addition of dry spices takes this dish to a new level of strong flavors that stick to the tongue. You'll love the amazing nutty flavor in this Basmati and wild rice blend, a great dish for those on a gluten-free diet.

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Utensils and tools

• Large pot with lid or dutch oven with lid

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons olive oil or vegan butter
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder
• 1 medium onion (white or red), minced
• 2 large carrots, cut into very thin strips
• 1 large cauliflower head, cut into large florets
• 1 cup of wild rice (black or red rice)
• 2 cups of Basmati rice
• 4 cup boiling-hot vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon of salt (or to taste)
• 2 tablespoons of minced fresh parsley

Preparation

Before starting, please make sure you have all the ingredients and utensils ready.

Step 1: Heat

Heat the oil in the pot over medium-low heat. Add garlic, cumin powder, turmeric and onion. Sauté, stirring until the onion turns translucent.

Stir in the carrot and cauliflower. Sauté stirring until they are heated through (about a minute).

Step 2: Add rice

Add the rices and stir to mix well.

Season the vegetable broth with salt to taste and pour into the pot. Stir.

Simmer over until almost all the liquid has evaporated, stirring frequently.

Step 3: Simmer

Lower the heat and simmer covered for 20 minutes.

Uncover, stir well, and cook for another 10 minutes. Taste the rice, it should be firm but cooked through. If it's still uncooked, drizzle with 3 tablespoons of water, cover, and cook for another 10 minutes.

Step 4: Serving

Sprinkle with the parsley, and mix.

Remove the pot from the stovetop. Scoop the rice into the serving bowl, and serve.

Variations

This is a dish that lends itself to a lot of experimentation. You can top with some chopped pecans (I loved it), or add a handful of dry cranberries while cooking for a subtly sweet touch.

Top tips

If you don't have vegetable broth at hand, you can dissolve 2 bouillon cubes in 4 cups of boiling-hot water.

Don't throw away the crispy rice stuck to the bottom! Remove it from the pot and serve it alongside your rice.

Freeze any leftovers in an airtight container, and make a soup with it. Just boil it in the instant pot with it. To make a vegan wild rice soup add some of these vegetables: minced bell pepper, chopped celery, minced spinach, blanched peas, diced potatoes, diced butternut squash, sweet potato, minced kale, or minced mushrooms.

Serving suggestions

It's hard to call this a side dish, it's not the kind of dish meant to play second string to another one. I suggest you serve it with a mild-flavored dish, like steamed chicken or fish, or a nice plate of warm lentils, or some mushrooms if you go the vegetarian route.

Nutritional information

Calories: 607kcal - Carbohydrates: 101g - Protein: 21g - Fat: 16g - Saturated Fat: 2g - Sodium: 1818mg - Potassium: 1084mg - Fiber: 12g - Sugar: 7g - Vitamin A: 5120IU - Vitamin C: 71.5mg - Calcium: 70mg - Iron: 3.9mg

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