Glorified Rice

Glorified Rice is a vintage Upper Midwestern dessert salad that's perfect for holidays and potlucks! This old-fashioned recipe is made vegan and gluten-free with white rice, coconut whipped cream, crushed pineapple, mini marshmallows, and maraschino cherries! This allergy-friendly version is quick and easy to make, with just 5 ingredients, and 5 minutes of prep!

This sweet, fruity, dessert salad that's a Minnisodian classic needs just a few simple swaps to make it deliciously vegan and allergy-free! Naturally gluten-free with a base of leftover white rice, just swap in some coconut whipped cream, and allergy-free marshmallows, then add the fruity tang of pineapple and colorful marachio cherries! A staple at church potlucks, holidays, and any gathering where an easy make-ahead cold sweet treat is needed!

What Is Glorified Rice?

Glorified rice is a cold dessert salad made with cooked and cooled white rice, whipped cream (heavy whipping cream and sugar), crushed pineapple, mini marshmallows, and maraschino cherries. It's a popular dessert in Minnesota and the Upper Midwest where the rural population leans heavily Lutheran and has a strong Norwegian or Scandinavian heritage.

When immigrants from the Scandinavian countries settled in the Midwest during the mid-1800s, their taste for gelatinous textures and creamy foods like lutefisk and rice pudding spread throughout the region. They were introduced to native foods and crops, by the Ojibwe people, like wild rice, which is thought to be the original type of rice used in the dish. When wild rice is used, you'll often see Jell-O added since wild rice lacks the gelatinous texture of white rice.

What's The Meaning Behind The Name?

The heavily Catholic and Luthern religious population of the area meant that this easy-to-make potluck dish was served at many church gatherings and picnics. The well-established dessert was quipped about in Janet Letnes Martin and Suzann Nelson's 1995 book, They Glorified Mary…We Glorified Rice: A Catholic-Lutheran Lexicon, which explored the cultural and religious traditions of Lutherans and Catholics. The title is a humorous contrast of the Catholic reverence for the Virgin Mary with the Lutheran celebration of simpler, everyday items like "glorified rice."

The dish's name reflects this playful take on Lutheran values, elevating a humble dish to a place of honor in the community, much like religious glorification. Additionally, in 1997, "glorified rice" was featured in Carrie Young's book Prairie Cooks: Glorified Rice, Three-Day Buns, and Other Recipes and Reminiscences, highlighting its significance in regional culinary traditions.

Why You'll Love This Vegan Version

To remove the dairy and any soy or animal-based gelatin found in marshmallows, this vegan version of the original recipe just requires a few simple swaps! Using my homemade coconut whipped cream or store-bought coconut "cool whip", plus allergy-free marshmallows, the recipe is still just as easy and surprisingly delicious (I know you're skeptical, but trust me!) This recipe is:

• Gluten-Free
• Vegan & Vegetarian
• Allergy-free (Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free, Peanut-Free, Wheat-Free, Sesame-Free, Corn-Free)
• Kid-Friendly
• Quick, Easy, 5 Simple Ingredients
• Make-Ahead Friendly with 5 Minutes of Prep
• Simple Dessert for Potlucks, Cookouts, & Holidays

Vegan Glorified Rice Ingredients

• White Rice: Cooked and cooled white rice is the base of this recipe. You can cook and cool long-grain white rice on the stovetop, use instant Minute rice, or even buy microwavable rice pouches. I cooked white rice ahead of time and cooled it, so I could use the leftover rice the next day for this recipe!
• Coconut Whipped Cream: Make of batch of this homemade coconut whipped cream or to make things super easy, you can buy a container of So Delicious brand Cocowhip (i.e. coconut Cool Whip) if you want to go the semi-homemade route.
• Crushed Pineapple: A large can of crushed pineapple will add tropical tang and fruitiness. You'll need to drain the pineapple as you don't want all the excess juice making your creamy salad watery.
• Vegan Mini Marshmallows: Many vegan marshmallows contain soy, so look for Yummallo brand vegan marshmallows, which are soy-free. They make a mini version and regular size. If you can only find the large size, you can cut the marshmallows into smaller pieces!
• Maraschino Cherries: A few sweet maraschino cherries, chopped up and added for an extra pop of color and sweetness, and to garnish the top of your dessert salad!

Ingredient Substitutions

• Pineapple Tidbits: You can swap the crushed pineapple with pineapple tidbits for a large bite of pineapple.
• Use a cup of strained pineapple juice in place of water when cooking your rice for extra flavor!
• Fruit Cocktail: You can swap half the pineapple with a can of fruit cocktail.
• Strawberries: Some versions of the recipe call for chopped fresh strawberries which can be used in addition to the pineapple or as a replacement for half.
• Vanilla: Some versions include a teaspoon of vanilla extract.
• You can leave out the marshmallows altogether if you'd like!

How To Make Glorified Rice

1. If needed, cook and cool the white rice to room temperature and make the coconut whipped cream. Add all the ingredients to a large mixing bowl.
2. Mix the ingredients together so everything is thoroughly combined and thick.

3. Cover and chill the rice salad until ready to serve!
4. Transfer the chilled rice to a serving dish and garnish with whole maraschino cherries or pineapple slices, if desired.

Recipe Tips & Tricks

• If you're using leftover rice, let the rice come to room temperature on the counter for easier mixing.
• You can strain the crushed pineapple with a cheesecloth or sieve (it's okay if you can't get every last drop of juice out!). Save the pineapple juice for a fun mocktail!
• Chill the salad for at least an hour to allow the mixture to thicken up and for the flavors to develop (the rice softens and soaks up all the sweet goodness!)
• They do make vegan heavy whipping cream, so if you use that instead of the coconut whip options, make sure to add ½ cup of sugar or sugar-free sweetener to the whipping cream (and a teaspoon of vanilla extract, if desired)!
• If using "Cool Whip" style whipped cream, make sure it is thawed, not frozen, for easy mixing.

How To Serve Glorified Rice Salad

This potluck dessert is perfect for large gatherings and easy to scale and batch for whatever crowd size you're serving! It's best chilled from the fridge and can be served in small bowls or appetizer-sized cups with a fork or spoon. It's the perfect buffet-style, self-serve, scoopable dish!

Storage Instructions

When storing leftovers or meal prepping the dish ahead of time, transfer it to an airtight storage container or covered bowl to store in the fridge for up to 5 days. I don't recommend freezing the rice as the dish will lose its creamy texture and stability when thawed, making it watery and impacting the taste.

More Vintage Recipes:

• Vegan Ambrosia Salad
• Southern Vegan Banana Pudding
• Vegan Waldorf Salad
• Vegan Grape Salad
• Southern Carrot Raisins Salad
• Gluten-Free Peach Cobbler
• Southern Pineapple Casserole

Print

Easy, sweet, fruity, creamy, the Midwestern take on rice pudding but 100% better in my opinion! This super simple vegan glorified rice recipe is going to be a new favorite dessert at all your gatherings!

So tell me:

+ Do you like rice pudding? I don't, so I was skeptical of this recipe!

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