Thanksgiving Rice is a delicious and hearty side dish that combines fluffy, fragrant rice with an array of savory and seasonal ingredients. This dish incorporates ingredients like cranberries, pecans, and fresh herbs capturing the essence of the holiday season in every mouthful.
This blog post and recipe is sponsored by Success Rice. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you so much for supporting brands that make A Paige Of Positivity possible.
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I'm Hyped about this Holiday Rice
Thanksgiving leftovers are so delicious because it’s usually all of the holiday dishes combined together a little less formally onto one plate. You get the flavors from each dish all mixed up and it tastes DELICIOUS.
So why not purposefully combine all of those flavors from the start? That’s where the inspiration for this Thanksgiving Rice recipe came from. You get all sorts of seasonal ingredients that may typically be in a variety of different dishes, but packed into one perfectly balanced food creation for a bundle of fall flavors.
Thanksgiving Rice features hearty veggies like green beans, carrots, onion and celery with savory herbs and spices, but also a little sweet thanks to some dried cranberries and brown sugar. We’re also adding shredded turkey (or chicken) so this is most definitely filling enough to be a full meal all on its own.
If you want to try another seasonal rice recipe, also check out this Butternut Squash Herb Rice or or if you want something similar that is heartier and more of a meal, check out this Harvest Chicken Casserole or for a cold version, reach for this Harvest Thanksgiving Salad instead. I think you'll love this Stove Top Stuffing with Sausage, too!
Recipe Inspiration
Since partnering with Success Rice, I’ve been challenged in the number of ways to make a rice dish truly something special. What I’ve learned though is rice can really be the star of the show! There are so many fun ways to dress it up and this Thanksgiving Rice is no exception.
Ingredients you'll need
- Success Boil-in-Bag Jasmine Rice: perfectly cooked rice in just 10 minutes. It makes this dish incredibly easy to make (not many Thanksgiving recipes can say that now, can they?)
- Seasoning Blend: I've already highlighted this, but the seasoning brings this dish so much flavor and aroma of Thanksgiving.
- Shredded Turkey: An easy recipe to serve with extra turkey. If you are short on time, simple substitute shredded rotisserie chicken instead.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
- Switch up the veggies: Use whatever seasonal veggies you have on hand. Squash (delicata or butternut), chopped brussels sprouts, broccoli or cauliflower, kale, or corn are a few ideas.
- Use whatever meat you'd like. Ground pork, Chinese sausage, roast chicken, etc. I've been loving sausage stuffing lately so I think I'm going to try that next!
- Fruity flavors: If you like a sweet rice, try adding golden raisins, a little orange zest, maybe a little cranberry sauce to the mixture.
- Swap the rice: Try quinoa, couscous, or farro instead. Or make it low carb and user cauliflower rice.
- Make it vegan! Replace the turkey with chickpeas or ground tofu and make sure you find a plan-based gravy.
How to Make This Recipe
1. Start by making the Success Boil-in-Bag Jasmine Rice according to box instructions.
2. While the rice cooks, heat a skillet to medium-high heat. Add the butter and diced white onion. Sauté for 4-6 minutes until onions begin to soften.
3. Add the minced garlic and stir again. Once fragrant, fold in the diced carrots and celery. Cover with a lid for 8-10 minutes, stirring once or twice to avoid burning.
4. Fold in brown sugar. Stir. Add in shredded turkey and stir again. Stir in all seasonings and remove the skillet from heat.
5. Stir in ½ cup of gravy and mix until evenly distributed.
6. Prepare the serving cups. I used small plates from the dollar store (they came in a pack of 12). Layer a spoonful of gravy on each small plate.
7. Use a spoon or tongs to serve Thanksgiving Rice on each small plate. Garnish with fresh thyme springs and option to top with more gravy. This dish is best served warm so plate immediately before serving. Enjoy!
Pro Tip
- Use a vegetable chopper to easily chop your carrots, celery, and onions and a pizza cutter works fabulous to finely dice the herbs.
- Try cooking your rice in chicken broth for extra flavor.
- The seasonings of this dish elevate it and bring it together. Savory, flavorful spices like dried rosemary and fresh thyme pair perfectly with sweet brown sugar. It's brought together by creamy gravy. Be sure to incorporate all spices for the perfect dish!
What's the best way to cook rice?
My go-to choice is Success Boil-in-Bag Rice. It consists of just one ingredient and offers a speedy cooking time, requiring only 10 minutes. You conveniently cook the rice directly in the bag, and you get the best results every single time.
Recipe FAQs
This rice can maintain its quality in the refrigerator for up to five days, which makes it a fantastic choice for meal prepping. The rice remains equally as delicious when reheated the following day. Preparing a single or even a double batch and adding some cooked protein on top can set you up with convenient lunches for the entire week.
You can also freeze portions of this rice in an airtight container or in individual portions in Ziploc bags. Then, when you're ready to savor it, simply thaw and reheat in a skillet to warm and add a bit of crispiness.
To not dry out your cooked rice, I suggest reheating in the microwave with a little extra liquid. A tablespoon or so of chicken stock is perfect to keep the earthy flavor or you could use olive oil for richness. I've also experimented with a touch of apple juice or orange juice and I loved the fruity flavors it brought to the dish.
Rice isn’t a ‘classic’ Thanksgiving menu item, but it does make its way to the holiday table specifically in the midwest portion of the United States - think of it as a sticky rice stuffing! Rice is a perfect side dish to serve for Thanksgiving, especially if you have anyone gluten-free joining as it can be enjoyed in place of the traditional version of stuffing.
Fun idea
This rice has so much flavor as is, but why not have fun with some toppings! Some ideas for garnish:
- Toasted pecans
- Pine nuts
- Green onion
- Grated parmesan cheese
- A little bit of gravy
- Diced basil, parsley, thyme or rosemary
More Recipes You'll Love
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card below & if you really like the recipe consider leaving a comment further down. Thanks for visiting!
Recipe
Thanksgiving Rice
Equipment
- Sauce pot
- skillet
- vegetable chopper or knife and cutting board
- Rubber Spatula
Ingredients
- 1 bag Success Boil-in-Bag Jasmine Rice, ~2 cups cooked rice
- 1 cup shredded turkey, or rotisserie chicken for convenience
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 cups diced carrots
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1 medium white onion
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup gravy
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- ½ tsp pepper
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 6-8 stalks fresh thyme
Instructions
- Start by making the Success Boil-in-Bag Jasmine Rice according to box instructions.
- While the rice cooks, heat a skillet to medium-high heat. Add the butter and diced white onion. Sauté for 4-6 minutes until onions begin to soften.
- Add the minced garlic and stir again. Once fragrant, fold in the diced carrots and celery. Cover with a lid for 8-10 minutes, stirring once or twice to avoid burning.
- Fold in brown sugar. Stir. Add in shredded turkey and stir again. Stir in all seasonings and remove the skillet from heat.
- Stir in ½ cup of gravy and mix until evenly distributed.
- Prepare the serving cups. I used small plates from the dollar store (they came in a pack of 12). Layer a spoonful of gravy on each small plate.
- Use a spoon or tongs to serve Thanksgiving Rice on each small plate. Garnish with fresh thyme springs and option to top with more gravy. This dish is best served warm so plate immediately before serving. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Video
Notes
other recipes that are perfect for Thanksgiving...
- The Best Thanksgiving Sangria
- French Onion Potatoes
- Cranberry Jalapeno Salsa
- Parmesan Carrot Fries with Parmesan Aioli
- Thanksgiving Margarita
- Pear and Pecan Salad
- Cranberry Brie Bread Bowl
- Savory Mashed Potatoes
- Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
- Seasonal Harvest Salad
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I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. It’s my passion to create dishes that can be shared with others. Tell me something you loved or just say hi!
Courtney Paige says
This recipe is amazing! Currently eating a warm bowl of it for lunch and can't get enough.
Katrina McLean says
The definition of comfort food!! I used rotisserie chicken which made it such an easy and quick meal option! All the flavors of thanksgiving in one bowl! Will definitely make again
Sydney Van Acker says
on repeat all november long! This was so simple and so so flavorful