4 Methods of Cooking Wild Rice That You Will Love

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.

You can also cook a big batch of wild rice at once and freeze it for later. You can reheat the rice in the microwave and eat it with any meal you want.

Read on to find out how to cook wild rice in four different ways:

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:

• • Cooking pan
  • Wooden spoon
  • Colander or fine mesh strainer

Ingredients

• • 1 cup wild rice
  • 4 cups of water, chicken stock or a combination of both
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Cooking wild rice on the stovetop is the simplest method. After you have rinsed and soaked the wild rice, follow these instructions:

1. 1. Pour 4 cups of water or stock in a cooking pan. Add 1 cup of rice and ½ teaspoon of salt in it. Bring the ingredients to boil over high heat.
   2. Once the water starts boiling, reduce the heat and cover the pan. Let it simmer for 45 minutes.
   3. Keep checking the rice every few minutes to note the texture of the grain. If the grain looks chewy while some of the grains have burst open, cook for another 10-15 minutes.
   4. Turn off the heat when the grain is tender yet not mushy. Now, strain the wild rice in a colander or fine mesh strainer.
   5. Serve the rice in a bowl or plate as per the pairing dish.

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What You Will Need for Cooking Wild Rice in an Instant Pot

• • Instant pot
  • A fork

Ingredients

• • 1 cup wild rice
  • 4 cups of water, chicken stock or a combination of both
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Cooking wild rice in instant pot is easy and hassle-free.

Here’s how to make wild rice in an instant pot:

1. 1. Pour 4 cups of water or stock in an instant pot. Add wild rice and salt and stir until the rice is submerged.
   2. Plugin the instant pot, close the lid and lock it securely. Press the manual setting and set the timer for 30 minutes.
   3. After 30 minutes, allow the steam to release naturally for 10 minutes. Now open the lid and let out any remaining steam.
   4. After you have released all the steam, dish out the rice and fluff it with a fork.
   5. Allow the rice to sit for another minute to absorb any remaining water.

What You Will Need for Cooking Wild Rice in a Rice Cooker

• • Rice cooker
  • A fork

Ingredients

• • 1 cup wild rice
  • 2 cups of water or stock
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • butter or non-stick cooking spray

Here’s how to cook wild rice in a rice cooker:

1. 1. Grease the base and sides of the rice cooker with butter or spray them with non-stick cooking spray.
   2. Pour 2 cups of water or stock in the cooker. Add 1 cup of wild rice and salt for taste.
   3. Close the lid and cook the rice for 45-50 minutes.
   4. Let it sit for another 10 minutes before opening the lid.
   5. Dish out the rice and fluff it with a fork.

Check out our rice cooker reviews:

• Find the Best Japanese Rice Cooker for Your Kitchen
• Best Stainless Steel Rice Cooker: Your Guide To Choosing The Best One

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:

• • 1 cup of long-grain brown rice
  • ½ cup wild rice
  • ½ cup red rice
  • 1 tablespoon dried parsley
  • 2 teaspoon spike seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon salt

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:

1. 1. Boil 3 ¼ cups of water in a medium cooking pan.
   2. Add wild rice mix, cover the pan, and simmer for 50 minutes.
   3. Turn off the heat and let it sit for 10 minutes.
   4. Dish out the rice and fluff with a fork.

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.