Christmas Rice Stuffing Recipe
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure.I love making this delicious Christmas Rice Stuffing recipe that combines a flavorful blend of nutty brown rice medley, toasted pine nuts, and sweet currants. It’s become my family’s go-to festive dish that’s ready in just 30 minutes and is perfect as a side or main meal!
When the festive season kicks off, I get super excited to put a healthier spin on traditional dishes, without telling my crew they’re actually vegan. Ha! It’s always fun to see their surprised faces at the end of the night when I reveal the secret! I came up with this festive stuffing while making my husband’s favorite black bean and rice burritos and brainstorming new ideas for our holiday table.
My family absolutely loves rice dishes, so making a nutritious side dish with brown rice, currants, and pine nuts made complete sense. It’s similar to my Greek recipe Yemitza Greek stuffed tomatoes and peppers I make for our family Greek holiday, but it tastes more like traditional holiday stuffing with a Mediterranean twist.
👩🏽🍳 Why I Love This Recipe
Sometimes, it’s the simplest recipes that turn out to be the most flavorful and nutritious, and that’s why I love this Christmas stuffing recipe. It’s packed with healthy nutrients like fiber, protein, and healthy fats, unlike many traditional stuffing recipes that leave you bloated. My sons love the combination of sweet currants and crunchy pine nuts and always ask for seconds, which is the ultimate seal of approval for moms. 🙂
The secret to my stuffing starts with a little wine bath for the currants (lucky them). While they’re soaking, I cook the rice in veggie broth until it’s just al dente – those grains love drinking up all that flavor! Then, I create the mouthwatering flavors by sauteing the aromatics with my tipsy currants, fresh parsley, and nuts. I add the cooked rice and let everything get friendly with a quick simmer before popping it in the oven. Just keep a close eye on it because between cooking and chasing my boys around the house, I’ve turned a few batches extra crispy.
What really makes this rice stuffing recipe special is how versatile it is! I serve it at family gatherings as both a side dish and a vegetarian main course. The brown rice medley, almonds, and pine nuts create a wonderful nutty base, while those wine-soaked currants add bursts of sweetness. I can make it ahead when the boys are at school. My mother-in-law, usually skeptical of my healthy twists on traditional recipes, not only cleaned her plate but asked for the recipe last Christmas. Give my stuffing recipe a try for your next festive dinner, it’s a crowd-pleaser!
🥘 Ingredients
Here’s everything you’ll need to make this super flavorful Christmas rice stuffing recipe:
Grains and Liquid Base: Brown rice medley is the heart of this dish, but long grain brown rice or a wild rice blend work too. For liquid, I usually go with vegetable broth for the best flavor, but water or even chicken broth (if not vegan) are fine swaps. A splash of white cooking wine gives it a festive edge, though broth works great here too.
Fruits and Nuts: I toss in seedless currants for that pop of sweetness, but you can use any dried fruit you like. For crunch, I love using pine nuts or slivered almonds; though pecans, walnuts, or cashews would work just as well.
Veggies and Herbs: Chopped onion, celery, and garlic build the flavor base, and I always use fresh when I can. I love adding some parsley because it lifts the whole dish.
Seasoning: Just a touch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
🔪 How To Make
My gluten-free rice stuffing has a few steps, but it’s totally worth it for the delicious end result. Here’s how I make it:
Preheat and soak: I start by setting the oven to 350°F and getting my baking dish ready. While that warms up, I let the currants soak in the wine or broth.
Cook the rice: I add the brown rice and broth to a saucepan and let it simmer just until it’s mostly cooked through.
Sauté the veggies: I heat a little olive oil or veggie broth in a big skillet, then toss in the onion, garlic, and celery.
Add flavor and texture: Once everything is simmering nicely, I stir in the parsley, salt, and pepper to bring it all together. Then I add the soaked currants with their liquid, plus the pine nuts and almonds, and let it all simmer for a few more minutes.
Finish and bake: I stir in the partially cooked rice and if it seems dry, I splash in a bit more broth to keep it nice and moist. Then I transfer everything to a baking dish, cover it with foil, and bake for about 5 to 10 minutes, just enough to warm it through without drying it out. Serve!
💭 Expert Tips
My #1 Secret Tip for making this vegan rice stuffing recipe is to soak the currants in warm broth or white wine while I prep everything else. It gives them the juiciest texture and infuses the whole dish with a sweet little pop of flavor that always surprises my guests in the best way.
Other Tips To Keep In Mind:
- Rinse your rice before cooking: I always give the rice a good rinse under cold water to remove excess starch. I like that it helps the grains stay separate and not get sticky.
- Use a mix of rice for the best texture: Sometimes I mix brown rice with wild rice or long grain for extra texture and color.
- Toast the nuts first: I like to toast the pine nuts and almonds in a dry skillet before adding them in.
- Prep the rice the day before: If I’m making this for a big holiday meal, I cook the rice ahead of time and keep it in the fridge. It saves time and actually helps the texture stay firm in the final dish.
📖 Variations
I’ve made this rice stuffing all kinds of ways, and it always turns out tasty. If you want to try something different, these are some fun ideas that work great.
Butternut Squash and Cranberry: I roast about 1 cup of diced butternut squash and stir in ⅓ cup of dried cranberries instead of currants. This version is seriously extra festive and adds a nice sweet taste to it.
Lentil Rice Combination: I mix in 1 cup of cooked lentils to make it more filling. It makes the stuffing into a satisfying main meal for lunch or dinner.
Apple Walnut Herb: I chop up one tart green apple and use ¼ cup of chopped walnuts instead of pine nuts. The crunch from the apple and nuts with fresh herbs is so good together.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
I love creating a festive spread during the holidays, and this flavorful rice stuffing recipe is the perfect dish to start the celebrations off in style! Like every Christmas, I prepare a few light bites from my collection of 50 Delicious Healthy Christmas Appetizers while I get started on the main course which is typically a vegan turkey roast.
And these maple-roasted carrots are always a must on our holiday table along with my son’s favorite healthy mashed potatoes. They pair perfectly with the sweet currants in the stuffing. And no Christmas dinner would be complete without my traditional vegan Christmas pudding, which I usually prepare the day before. The best part? Everything on the table is made with wholesome ingredients. Yay!
🧊 Storage Directions
Refrigeration: I store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freezing: I let it cool completely, then pack it into freezer-safe containers. It keeps well for about 2 months, and I always label the date so I don’t forget.
Reheating: I add a splash of broth and warm it on the stovetop or in the oven at 350°F until it’s heated through.
❓Recipe FAQs
What can I use instead of currants?
If I run out of currants, I just grab whatever dried fruit I have on hand. Dried cranberries are usually my go-to, but golden raisins or chopped dates work really well too. They all give that nice little sweet bite, which my kids really love. It’s a flexible recipe, so use what’s easiest for you.
Do I have to use wine in this recipe?
Nope, you can skip the wine if you prefer. I’ve done this plenty of times, especially when I’m cooking for little ones or don’t want to open a bottle just for cooking. I just use extra vegetable broth instead, and it still turns out super flavorful. The important part is letting the currants soak a little so they plump up.
How do I keep it from drying out in the oven?
What I like to do is cover the baking dish tightly with foil and pour a little splash of broth over the rice before reheating. It keeps everything moist without getting mushy. I check it halfway through baking and add more broth if it looks like it’s drying out. That always does the trick for me.
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📋 Recipe Card
Christmas Rice Stuffing Recipe
I love making this delicious Christmas Rice Stuffing recipe that combines a flavorful blend of nutty brown rice medley, toasted pine nuts, and sweet currants. It's become my family's go-to festive dish that's ready in just 30 minutes and is perfect as a side or main meal!
Servings: 8
Calories: 377kcal
Ingredients
- 2 cups brown rice medley , and wild, brown or mixed rice works
- 3 ½ cups veggie broth to cook rice , you can also use water but won’t be as flavorful (use low sodium if needed)
- 6 tablespoons seedless currants
- 1 cup white cooking wine , you can cub veggie broth
- 1 cup chopped sweet or yellow onion
- 3 garlic cloves , finely chopped
- 1/4 cup finely chopped celery
- drizzle your favorite oil for sautéing , or use about 1/2 cup broth if oil free, may need more if it gets too dry (low sodium if needed)
- 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
- 1/2- 3/4 teaspoon sea salt , adjust for preference
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup pine nuts , you can sub another nut like walnuts
- 1/4 cup slivered almonds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C.
- Soak the currants in the wine (or veggie broth).
- Partially cook the rice in veggie broth or water, you can use a rice cooker but watch it carefully so it doesn’t over cook. If using the stove top method, watch it so it doesn’t burn. Cook for about 2/3 as long as the directions state.
- Sauté onions, garlic and celery with a drizzle of oil or the broth in a pan over medium heat until browned. If using broth, use about half the veggie broth to start then add more as needed.
- Add parsley, salt and pepper and sauté a few more minutes.
- Add currants with the wine/veggie broth, pine nuts and almonds. Simmer for a few minutes.
- Add rice and simmer for a few more minutes. Add more veggie broth if it’s too dry.
- Serve as is or transfer to a baking dish and cover with foil, watching so it doesn’t get too dry. Bake for 5-10 minutes.
Notes
- My #1 Secret Tip for making this vegan rice stuffing recipe is to soak the currants in warm broth or white wine while I prep everything else. It gives them the juiciest texture and infuses the whole dish with a sweet little pop of flavor that always surprises my guests in the best way.
- Rinse your rice before cooking: I always give the rice a good rinse under cold water to remove excess starch. I like that it helps the grains stay separate and not get sticky.
- Use a mix of rice for the best texture: Sometimes I mix brown rice with wild rice or long grain for extra texture and color.
- Toast the nuts first: I like to toast the pine nuts and almonds in a dry skillet before adding them in.
- Prep the rice the day before: If I’m making this for a big holiday meal, I cook the rice ahead of time and keep it in the fridge. It saves time and actually helps the texture stay firm in the final dish.
Nutrition
Calories: 377kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 201mg | Potassium: 420mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 180IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 3mg
