Slow Cooker Wild Rice Pilaf

overhead view of finished pilaf in large serving bowl sprinkled with sliced almonds

This slow-cooker wild rice pilaf is packed with veggies like Brussels sprouts and mushrooms and is full of flavor. It is an easy and healthy dish that’s perfect for the holidays, or any time of year.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Slow Cooking Time On High 4

Total Time 4 10

Servings side servings

Calories 174kcal

Author Sara

Ingredients

2 cups wild rice
5 cups vegetable broth
2 cups Brussels sprouts, sliced in half lengthwise
2 cups button or cremini mushrooms, cut into ¼" slices
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 cup chopped celery
3 cloves fresh garlic, chopped (or ½ tsp. garlic powder)
1 ½ tsp. dried thyme
½ tsp. fine sea salt (more to taste)
¼ tsp. pepper
½ cup sliced almonds (or nut of your choice)

Instructions

Place all ingredients in a 6-8 quart slow cooker. Mix all ingredients together.
Cook on high for 3 ½-4 hours, or on low for 7-8 hours.
Wild rice will burst open when it’s done, so you’ll have a good idea of when it's fully cooked by looking at it. Once you see that the rice has burst open, give it a taste. If it’s still a little too crunchy for you, you can continue to cook the rice; checking every 15 minutes or so. Also, a good indicator that the dish is done is that the majority, if not all, of the broth will absorbed. If there is a little extra broth, that’s okay. You can easily strain the rice after its' done cooking so you don’t have leftover broth in your pilaf.
Sprinkle the final rice pilaf with sliced almonds (optional).

Notes

Cooking times can vary greatly based off of size and brand of slow cooker. Start checking your rice pilaf early to ensure you don't overcook it.
This makes about 12 cups total pilaf. You can easily cut the recipe in half if needed.
I use all wild rice, but a wild rice blend would work perfectly too.
Store leftovers in the fridge for up to five days.

Nutrition