Instant Pot Wild Rice

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Learning how to make Instant Pot Wild Rice is a great way to prepare an easy side dish with minimal effort while you cook your Creamy Pesto Chicken, Crab Cakes or Sweet Chili Shrimp (or anything, really).

Isn't the Instant Pot just awesome? I mean, it makes cooking so many dishes just plain EASY. And hands off.

Dishes like Instant Pot Chili Mac, Instant Pot Cauliflower Soup, Instant Pot Spanish rice and Instant Pot Ramen are now just so easy to make. You can even make Instant Pot basmati rice, Instant Pot sushi rice or Instant Pot cilantro lime rice!

And since everything is cooked in one pot (usually - there are some exceptions), cleanup is a breeze - like for this Instant Pot black beans and rice.

This Instant Pot Wild Rice is a huge hit at this house. Dumping everything in a pot and letting it cook for 30 minutes is simple.

The rice comes out buttery and tender, and perfectly flavored with the chicken stock and garlic. It's quickly become one of my favorite rice dishes (it doesn't quite beat out this chicken and chorizo paella, but we're getting close).

If you don't have an Instant Pot yet (seriously, why not??), check out this Instant Pot Review to decide whether it's something you'd like to invest in (I highly recommend it!!). You may also want to check out the Instant Pot wild rice story!

Ingredients

I actually use a wild rice blend to make this recipe. You can use a blend or just plain old wild rice. They both work great.

A good quality chicken stock or this homemade Chicken Bone Broth will result in the best flavor.

What is Wild Rice?

Wild rice is actually an aquatic grass that typically grows in North America (the Great Lakes region specifically) and parts of China. It has a lot of fiber and protein, much more than it's brown and white rice counterparts, which makes it a healthier option as well.

The grains are slightly chewier, and have an amazing texture compared to other types of rices. It can be slightly more expensive due to the additional labor it takes to harvest it, but it's worth it in my opinion.

Step By Step Instructions

Technically, you're only saving about 15 minutes by cooking this rice in the Instant Pot. However, the time is completely hands off, while with the stove top version you have to watch it to make sure it doesn't boil over, burn (you know, when you get distracted by Netflix), etc.

Combine all the ingredients in the Instant Pot.

Pressure cook on high for 30 minutes. Use the quick release to release the pressure.

Serve immediately. I actually really like this with these ultra flavorful Instant Pot Shrimp and a side of Instant Pot cabbage.

Variations

Wild rice tastes great with both some sweet and savory options.

• About ¼ cup of chopped fresh or dried apples, dried apricots or dried cranberries cooked with the rice would be delicious.
• Fresh herbs like parsley, thyme, or sage can be chopped and added to the rice before cooking.
• Sprinkle the rice with some crumbled goat cheese or blue cheese.
• Add in chopped butternut squash, broccoli, spinach, asparagus, mushrooms or any other veggie you may want to add.
• Sprinkle the top with crushed pecans or walnuts.

Expert Tips

1. If using unsalted broth/stock, you may want to add an extra ½ teaspoon of salt. Or, you can just salt the rice to taste after it's done cooking.
2. Wild rice or wild rice blend both work great for this recipe. I used a wild rice blend.
3. A good quality stock will result in the best tasting rice.
4. I am cooking this rice at about 2000 feet. For anything above 5000 feet, you'll probably want to increase the water 2 tablespoons for every ¼ cup.

How to Store Wild Rice

You can store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days in a covered container. Reheat in the microwave. I do not recommend freezing leftover wild rice. It becomes very mushy.

Did you make this recipe? Rate it and leave a comment to let me know what you think!