Instant Pot Wild Rice is a wholesome dish you can set and forget! Enjoy this easy way to cook perfectly tender wild rice for use in side dishes, soups, salads, and more.
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Have you ever tried wild rice?
I live along the Wisconsin/Minnesota border, so wild rice feels a little bit like a local treat. Minnesota is well known for its wild rice that's used in everything from side dishes to soups to burgers.
I love using wild rice in salads and grain bowls (like my Vegetarian Autumn Grain Bowl), but it's also lovely as a simple side dish for something like BBQ Tempeh, Creamy Mushroom Tempeh, or The Best Marinated Tofu.
Instant pot wild rice
While wild rice is delicious and easy to add to a number of recipes, it can be time consuming to cook. The Instant Pot takes a little bit of the guess work out of things because you can set it and walk away while it does it's job.
When you come back you'll have perfectly tender, flavorful rice that's ready for your meal or meal prep. Let me show you how!
Ingredients
- Wild rice
- Water
- Salt (optional)
How to make instant pot wild rice
- Rinse and drain the wild rice, then add it to the instant pot.
- Add the water and give it a little shake to evenly distribute everything.
- Add salt if desired.
- Seal the lid and valve of the instant pot, then set to pressure cook on high pressure for 28-30 minutes.
- Once the cooking cycle is done, allow a natural release of pressure for 10-15 minutes.
- Open the valve to release any remaining pressure, then open the lid and fluff rice with a fork.
Top tips
Rinse your rice
Rinse your rice before cooking to remove any dirt and dust from processing as well as excess starch, creating fluffier rice.
How long to cook wild rice in the instant pot
You can set your rice to cook anywhere between 28-30 minutes, depending on how soft or chewy you prefer your rice. Cooking longer will give you a softer grain while a shorter cooking time will give it more of a bite.
How to store wild rice
Keep uncooked wild rice sealed in its package in a dark place away from heat and moisture. It can also be frozen indefinitely.
Cooked wild rice will stay good in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 6 days. You can freeze cooked rice in an airtight container for up to 6 months. I recommend freezing rice in small quantities to give you more options for reheating.
The best pressure cooker
I like my Instant Pot Duo for pressure cooking. It has a lot of functions that are simple to use. However, any pressure cooker will work for this recipe.
How to make wild rice on the stove top
If you don't have a pressure cooker, it's easy to make wild rice on the stove top.
Rinse and drain the rice, then add to a large pot with twice as much water as there is rice. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 45-60 minutes or until tender. Drain off any remaining water.
Tips for customizing instant pot wild rice
- If you don't want so much rice, cut the recipe in half
- Season cooked rice with your favorite flavors such as Pleasoning, garlic powder, sriracha, and more
- Leave out the salt to reduce sodium
- Mix equal parts cooked rice with cooked quinoa for a protein boost
- Toss cooked rice with melted butter and salt to taste
FAQ
Wild rice isn't actually rice at all, it's a semi-aquatic grass with an edible grain. It is frequently grown in the Great Lakes region of North America.
It is loaded with nutrients like protein and fiber, which are important for a vegetarian diet.
Wild rice is earthy and nutty in flavor. It tastes similar to regular white rice but has a little more of a bite and flavor to it.
Choose long grain wild rice for side dishes and recipes, or soup grade if using it in soup. I highly recommend you choose a wild rice grown in Minnesota.
While the actual cooking time is less for wild rice in the instant pot, you still need to wait for the pressure cooker to come up to pressure, and then allow a natural release of that pressure after cooking. After all this, cooking wild rice on the stovetop and cooking it in the pressure cooker take approximately the same amount of time.
More instant pot recipes
- Instant Pot Quinoa
- Instant Pot Apple Butter
- Instant Pot Scalloped Potatoes
- Instant Pot Breakfast Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
- Instant Pot Corn on the Cob
If you make this recipe, be sure to rate it, leave a comment, or tag #theliveinkitchen on Instagram!
Recipe
Instant Pot Wild Rice
Ingredients
- 2 cups wild rice
- 3 ⅔ cup water
- Pinch of salt, optional
Instructions
- Rinse and drain the wild rice, then add it to the instant pot.
- Add the water and give it a little shake to evenly distribute everything.
- Add salt if desired.
- Seal the lid and valve of the instant pot, then set to pressure cook on high pressure for 28-30 minutes.
- Once the cooking cycle is done, allow a natural release of pressure for 10-15 minutes.
- Open the valve to release any remaining pressure, then open the lid and fluff rice with a fork. Season or use for other recipes as desired.
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