Instant Pot Wild Rice

This Instant Pot Wild Rice recipe is easy to prepare! Learn how to make wild rice in a pressure cooker that's light, fluffy, and flavorful.

Wild rice is a great healthy and flavorful ingredient that can be served on its own as a side dish or added to your favorite soups, salads, or casseroles. This version is made in the Instant Pot, which makes the process of cooking it incredibly easy!

Instant Pots and pressure cookers are perfect for making things like rice, grains, and pulses. It helps to cut down on the cooking time and results in dishes that are perfectly cooked without much effort.

Wild rice is one of my favorite things to make in the Instant Pot. It's ready in a little more than 30 minutes, requires very little effort, and the Instant Pot takes the guesswork out of the process.

Wild rice cooked in the Instant Pot is tender, flavorful, and still retains a bit of its chewy texture. It can be served as a side dish alongside your favorite protein or added to just about any dish.

Cooked wild rice is perfect added to soups, stews, salads, and casseroles. It can be used to stuff peppers, added to pancakes and baked goods, tossed with sauteed mushrooms or veggies, added to stuffing, or used as a base in a grain bowl.

Jump to:

• What Is Wild Rice?
• Is Wild Rice Healthy?
• Does Wild Rice Need To Be Soaked?
• Ingredients For Instant Pot Wild Rice
• How To Make Instant Pot Wild Rice
• How Long Does Wild Rice Take To Cook In The Instant Pot?
• What To Serve With Wild Rice
• How Long Does Wild Rice Last In The Fridge?
• Can Wild Rice Be Frozen?
• Instant Pot Wild Rice (How To Cook)

What Is Wild Rice?

Wild Rice (also called Manoomin by the Ojibwe people) is not actually rice, but rather an ancient grain native to North America. It's an aquatic grass that grows in cool fresh waters mainly in the Great Lakes region of America.

It's an aquatic cereal grain from a reed-like plant that's harvested and then dried and processed, either through traditional methods or via modern farming techniques.

Wild rice is ubiquitous in the state of Minnesota and can be purchased in nearly every grocery store, especially in the northern parts of the state. It's also grown in Wisconsin, Michigan, and parts of Canada.

The flavor of wild rice is earthy and nutty and lends itself nicely to roasted meats, vegetables, and mushrooms.

Is Wild Rice Healthy?

Wild Rice is very healthy. It contains a high amount of protein, it's low in fat, and high in antioxidants. It's a great source of minerals and vitamins and is naturally gluten free.

If you love wild rice be sure to check out these 25 Delicious Wild Rice Recipes!

Does Wild Rice Need To Be Soaked?

This Instant Pot Wild Rice does not need to be soaked prior to cooking.

Soaking wild rice can help to cut down on the cooking time, but because this recipe is made in the Instant Pot, there is no need to soak it.

I do recommend rinsing the wild rice before cooking, just as you would any dried grains, beans, or pulses like lentils.

Ingredients For Instant Pot Wild Rice

Here's what you'll need to make it.

• 2 cups Wild Rice
• 4 cups Water
• ¼ tsp. Kosher Salt

Wild rice is usually found in the rice or dried goods aisle of your local grocery store. If you can't find in the store, wild rice may be purchased online.

This recipe is written for wild rice and not a wild rice blend or wild rice pilaf.

How To Make Instant Pot Wild Rice

Instant Pot wild rice is incredibly easy to make.

All that's needed is to rinse the wild rice under water and then to place it in the Instant pot along with water and kosher salt.

The cooking process takes about 30 minutes with 10-15 minutes of natural pressure release.

The ratio of water to wild rice if cooked on the stove top is 3:1. This Instant Pot Wild Rice calls for a ratio of 2:1 - 2 cups of water per 1 cup of wild rice.

1. Place 2 cups of wild rice into a strainer and rinse under cold water.
2. Place the rinsed wild rice into an Instant Pot.
3. Pour 4 cups of water over the wild rice and stir until submerged.
4. Add ¼ tsp. of kosher salt to the Instant Pot and stir until completely combined.
5. Plug in the Instant Pot, place the cover on top and make sure it is in a locked position and the valve is in the sealed position. Hit the 'Manual' or 'Pressure Cook' setting and set the time for 30 minutes.
6. Cook for 30 minutes and allow for 10-15 minutes of natural release time. Feel free to release the steam vent to release any remaining pressure after this time.

How Long Does Wild Rice Take To Cook In The Instant Pot?

Cooking times may vary slightly, depending on the brand of wild rice used.

I find that 30 minutes of cooking time and 10-15 minutes of natural release time results in wild rice that is tender, but slightly chewy.

If you prefer wild rice with a little more of a bite, set the time for 28 minutes.

What To Serve With Wild Rice

This wild rice can be served on its own as a side dish or added to other dishes like soups, salads, and casseroles.

If served as a side dish, it's great with roasted meats like beef, chicken, turkey, or game meat like venison or pheasant.

The earthy flavor of wild rice pairs particularly well with mushrooms so it can be used to make a Mushroom Pilaf or a Mushroom Wild Rice Soup.

It can be added to hearty salads like this Harvest Wild Rice Salad, grain bowls, casseroles, stuffing, or stews. Wild rice may be used any way you would regular rice. It's also great during the holidays like Thanksgiving.

I love to have a batch on hand to add it to my favorite everyday dishes for some extra protein and flavor.

Looking for more side dishes? Don't miss these!

• Garlic Roasted Green Beans
• Maple Mustard Brussels Sprouts
• Roasted Garlic Mashed Kohlrabi
• Mashed Sweet Potatoes
• Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes
• Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower
• Herb Roasted Red Potatoes

How Long Does Wild Rice Last In The Fridge?

This Instant Pot Wild Rice may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator 4-5 days.

Make sure to allow the wild rice to cool completely before transferring to the fridge. Store in an airtight container and use as needed.

Can Wild Rice Be Frozen?

This recipe makes a big batch of wild rice and can be cut in half if needed.

It can also be frozen and used as needed!

How To Freeze

1. Prepare the wild rice as directed and allow to cool completely before transferring to the freezer for storage.
2. Place the cooled wild rice in an airtight container or separate the batch into smaller portions, label with the date, and freeze up to 6 months.
3. Grab a portion of the wild rice as needed and add to your favorite recipes.

How To Thaw

Place the wild rice in the fridge for 24 hours to thaw and then use as needed.

Always be sure to exercise caution when using an Instant Pot. Check out this guide for any questions you may have regarding use of your Instant Pot.

Love wild rice? Check out these recipes!

• Autumn Wild Rice Turkey Soup
• Wild Rice Fennel Stuffing
• Wild Rice Chicken Salad

Looking For Wild Rice Recipes? Don't Miss These!

Slow Cooker Wild Rice Vegetable Soup

Wild Rice Three Bean Salad

Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup