Cranberry Pecan Sweet Potato Wild Rice Pilaf

Cranberry Pecan Sweet Potato Wild Rice Pilaf is such an amazing side dish because it is infused with so many incredible flavors and textures. Crunchy pecans, cranberries, sweet potato, wild rice, and herbs come together in this unforgettable dish!

Thanksgiving is my favorite time of the year. Not only is it in my favorite season, I love gathering all together as family and friends showing gratitude for the things that we have. My grandma would always have it at her house and we would look forward going every year and seeing our extended family and cousins. Some of my favorite memories that have been made are from having Thanksgiving there every year. My grandma was an excellent cook and my dad was one of eight kids. Nobody could make a turkey better than she could. It was always perfectly juicy and melt in your mouth. And do you want to know what my favorite part of the day was? When my grandma would go downstairs and bring up her homemade pies. OMG her pies! Cherry pie was my always my first pie to go for, followed by a slice of pumpkin with fresh whipping cream on top. My grandma passed away a couple of years ago but worked so hard bringing us a wonderful Thanksgiving feast, even when we knew it was so hard for her. This year, it is at my house. We finally live in a new house where we can host everyone. I love to create recipes that remind me of the wonderful recipes that she would make us every year. We love having a rice dish at our dinner table, and this includes all of the delicious fall flavors. I included sweet potato, cranberries, and crunchy pecans. I only use McCormick’s high quality dried herbs to bring out the amazing flavor in this dish. Parsley, oregano, and thyme all come together to season the dish. This rice pilaf is a fun and unique dish that can be the star of the table.

How do you cook wild rice?

In a medium-sized saucepan bring 3 cups chicken broth to a boil. Stir in 1 cup uncooked wild rice. Reduce heat and simmer covered for 40-45 minutes. Uncover and fluff with a fork and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. While the rice is cooking in another skillet add the olive oil, sweet potato, and onion and cook until tender. Add cranberries and chopped pecans and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add to the rice mixture and fluff with a fork.

This year you can join us online for McCormick’s Friendsgiving dinner party. Contribute a signature dish found at your dinner table and share it on social with the hashtag #noflavorlikehome. I can’t wait to see the recipes at your dinner table this year. There really is no flavor like home! For more recipe inspiration like Smoked Turkey, Cheesy Potato Casserole, and Thanksgiving Cranberry Deviled Eggs, visit McCormick.com!

This post was sponsored by McCormick®. I love working with brands that I am passionate about and use in the kitchen for myself. All opinions expressed are my own. All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.