Photo of Millet pilaf with cranberries, sweet potatoes, and thyme by WW

Millet pilaf with cranberries, sweet potatoes, and thyme

5
Points®
Total Time
42 min
Prep
12 min
Cook
30 min
Serves
6
Difficulty
Easy
This fall-flavored pilaf makes for a hearty side dish or a larger serving as a vegetarian lunch option, combining the ancient seed millet with sautéed sweet potato and sweet dried cranberries. If you haven't tried millet yet, give it a go. Toasting it before cooking brings out a delicious, nutty, almost popcorn-like flavor. It has a light texture, and because of its small size, cook relatively quickly in about 20 minutes. Sweet potato skin is edible, tender, and can add texture, but use a vegetable peeler to remove it if you’d like to before dicing. You will need about six scallions to yield enough for this recipe.

Ingredients

Uncooked millet

¾ cup(s)

Water

2 cup(s)

Kosher salt

1½ tsp, divided

Olive oil

4 tsp, divided

Uncooked sweet potato

1 large, fresh, diced into 1/2-inch pieces

Scallions

¾ cup(s), chopped, sliced

Fresh thyme

2 tsp, fresh, chopped

Black pepper

¼ tsp, freshly ground, or to taste

Dried cranberries

¼ cup(s)

Instructions

  1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add millet; cook, stirring frequently, until millet looks and smells toasted, about 4 minutes.
  2. Transfer millet to a medium saucepan. Add water and 1 teaspoon salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, simmer and cook until millet is tender, about 20 to 25 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add potatoes; cook, stirring frequently, until tender and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in scallions, thyme, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; cook, stirring, until scallions soften, about 1 minute.
  4. When millet is finished cooking, remove from heat and stir in cranberries; cover and let stand 5 minutes. Add millet and cranberries to skillet with potato mixture; stir. Add remaining 2 teaspoons oil and toss to mix and coat. Yields about 3/4 cup per serving.