Learn 4 ways to cook wild rice. You will learn how to cook it on the stove, in an Instant Pot, in a rice cooker and how to cook a wild rice blend.
You might have cooked rice several times but do you know how to cook wild rice? Wild rice is a great addition to so many meals. Not only does it taste good, but it is also relatively high in protein, amino acid lysine, and dietary fiber. Wild rice is second only to oats when it comes to protein content and it is also low in fat. Due to its long cooking time, I always put the idea of cooking wild rice aside until I came across its nutritious value.
The cooking time of wild rice is generally between 45 minutes to an hour. It is a tough grain that absorbs water slowly, so the cooking time can be considerably long. I don’t like to be tied to the stove for such a long time. That’s why I boil it with plenty of water.
What is Wild Rice?
Before you learn how to cook wild rice, it’s important for you to know what makes it different. Wild rice, also known as Indian rice and water oats, is the seed of four species of aquatic grass. Its scientific name is Zizania and it grows wild in the lakes and streams of Minnesota, Wisconsin and on the outskirts of some Canadian cities.
Most of the wild rice in the U.S comes from the paddies in Central California. It has a unique nutty flavor and you can eat it plain with butter and salt. I mostly pair it up with salads and casseroles. Unfortunately, wild rice is difficult to cultivate and harvest, which is why it is more expensive than white rice.
Preparation
Wild rice needs some prepping before you can cook it. The cooking time of wild rice varies due to many reasons. Keep an eye on the texture of the rice while it cooks to have an idea of how long you need to cook it.
Before you begin, rinse the rice thoroughly with cold water. If you have the time, you can soak the rice in water for a while before cooking. Soaking wild rice in a container decreases the cooking time.
You should also know that 1 cup of uncooked wild rice gives 3-4 cups of cooked rice. You can use any of the following methods to cook wild rice:
What You Will Need for Cooking Wild Rice on the Stove:
Ingredients
Cooking wild rice on the stovetop is the simplest method. After you have rinsed and soaked the wild rice, follow these instructions:
What You Will Need for Cooking Wild Rice in an Instant Pot
Ingredients
Cooking wild rice in instant pot is easy and hassle-free. Here’s how to make wild rice in an instant pot:
What You Will Need for Cooking Wild Rice in a Rice Cooker
Ingredients
Here’s how to cook wild rice in a rice cooker:
Check out our rice cooker reviews:
Cooking Wild Rice Blend
Wild rice blend is a combination of wild rice, brown rice, and red rice. You can find wild rice blend under different brand names, but you can create the blend yourself as well.
Take the following ingredients, mix them together, and store in an air-tight container:
You can also use long-grain white rice in the blend to decrease the cooking time to 35-40 minutes.
Method
Once you have your home-made blend, follow this simple method to cook a bowl of wild rice mix to perfection:
Conclusion
The best thing about cooking wild rice is that it is so versatile. You can incorporate it into various dishes or eat it plain with butter. Either way, it is delicious and healthy. The versatility of wild rice has made it a favorite and I now enjoy making it on most days.
