There are so many recipes that I can make with my eyes closed, but then there are some others that I just can’t remember how to make to save my life. How much time it takes to cook grains in general, seems to be an ongoing issue for me.
For some reason, every time I want cook wild rice, brown rice, wheat berries or barley, I find myself having to Google for instructions. If you consider the fact that I cook these quite often and write a food blog, I think it is embarrassing to have to rely on other websites to provide me with the information I need. So today, I am starting a new series about How-To Cook Grains.
The first post of the series is How To Cook Wild Rice. Below, in addition to providing you step by step instructions, I will answer some of the questions that I had when I first started cooking wild rice.
What is Wild Rice? What is the difference between True Versus Cultivated Wild Rice?
Despite its name, wild rice is not always wild and it is not actually rice. Rather, it is the seed of a wild aquatic grass indigenous to North America.
According to Cook’s Illustrated Magazine, cultivated wild rice is grown under regulated conditions and it is what you can find in many supermarkets. On the other hand, the true wild rice is hand harvested from lakes and rivers in Minnesota and Canada.
Why is Wild Rice So Expensive?
According to Deborah Maddison’s Cookbook, Vegetable Literacy, the true “wild” wild rice is gathered by hand. To get the seeds out farmers bent the seed heads into a canoe and beat it with paddles to loosen them quickly. Since there is so much labor involved it is more expensive than most other types of grains.
Is Wild Rice Good For you?
Yes. It is high in fiber, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, Vitamin B6 and considered as a high-antioxidant food (source).
It is naturally gluten-free and 1 cup of cooked wild rice is 165 calories.
How does wild rice taste?
Wild rice has an earthy, nutty and toasty flavor with a smell similar to black tea.
Should I soak wild rice?
In general, soaking grains overnight cuts down the cooking time. Additionally, according to Sarah Britton’s Cookbook My New Roots, soaking grains before cooking helps remove some of the naturally occurring phytic acid, that prevents mineral absorption, and break down some of the hard-to-digest properties.
In general, soaked wild rice cooks 50% faster. However, you can make wild rice without soaking as well. It will just take longer to cook. Either way, I highly recommend giving it a good wash before cooking.
What is the water to wild rice ratio for the best wild rice?
The ratio to liquid to wild rice is to 3 to 1. 1 cup (6 ounces) of uncooked wild rice yields 3 ½ cups of cooked wild rice.
What is the best way to flavor wild rice?
While you can certainly cook wild rice in water, I highly recommend trying it with vegetable or chicken stock. I usually make vegetable stock using the scraps of all the vegetables I use throughout the week and keep them in jars. This is such an easy way to add great flavor to wild rice.
How to freeze cooked wild rice?
If you decide to freeze cooked wild rice, be sure to drain it first and then place it in airtight jars. It will keep fresh up to 6 months. I freeze mine in small (1-cup) quantities so that I can grab the exact amount when I need it. Be sure to let it thaw in the fridge overnight a day before you need to use it.
What dishes can I use wild rice in?
You can use wild rice in so many dishes. I personally love using wild rice in salads, soups, and casseroles. This Wild Rice Salad, an old Ina Garten recipe, is one of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes that I make every year. This Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup recipe is another great one to use cooked wild rice.
Additionally, you can serve wild rice just by itself as a side dish.
Can I cook Wild Rice In a Pressure Cooker?
I am glad you asked because cooking wild rice and wild rice blend is so much faster in a pressure cooker. If you want to find out how I use my pressure cooker to cook wild rice, be sure to check out my Instant Pot Wild Rice recipe.
How to Cook Wild Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup wild rice rinsed well - Not soaked*
- 3 cups of water * or vegetable, chicken or beef stock
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Place wild rice, water (or stock), and salt in a saucepan with a lid over medium-high heat.
- Put the lid on and bring it to a boil. Turn the heat down to low and let is simmer for 40-45 minutes. You will know that it is cooked when some of the kernels are burst open.
- Drain excess liquid and serve.
Notes
- If you plan ahead and soak it, it will cook much faster. Please refer to the post for more information on this.
- If you prefer, you can use a combination of water and stock.
- I have tried this recipe both with cultivated and true wild rice varieties and the 3 cups of liquid worked perfectly for both of them. However, I read on a few other sites that some commercial wild rice sold in the supermarkets sometimes require more liquid. Therefore, I suggest keeping an eye on it during the cooking process and adding more boiling water, if necessary.
Zerrin
I cook it with a lot of chopped onion and it is my son’s favorite side these days. He says it tastes like wheat berries. Great to learn that I can freeze it as it takes a long time to cook. It’ll definitely save time when I put some in the freezer for a later use.
Kelsey
I’ve been intimidated by wild rice before, but this is easy and perfect!
Aysegul Sanford
I am glad to hear that you found this recipe helpful. Thanks for coming by Kelsey.
Traci | Vanilla And Bean
So many excellent tips, Aysegul! I love wild rice SO much. It’s earthy, nutty flavors and toothy texture make me crave it. I love how it’s the only wild rice native to the US! I can’t wait to learn more from your grain series! Well done!
Chrsitina
Turned out perfectly!
And I’m so happy about this series. I store my grains in glass jars (because they’re too pretty to leave in plastic) and write the cooking instructions on the bottom (because I can never remember either–no matter how many times I make them). And I inevitably end up putting the jar on something wet, so the next time I make it, my instructions are just a smudge. I’ll be saving this, and all in this series.
Aysegul Sanford
Awwww thank you Christina for letting me know. I am so happy to hear that my instructions were helpful. ?
Christianna
Is the liquid to rice ratio the same if you soak it first?
Aysegul Sanford
Yes, it is. You might be left with some water (or the liquid you used) after it is cooked and it will cook faster. You can always drain it before serving.
I hope this helps.
Liz
These tips helped me make perfect wild rice! Thank you!
Aysegul Sanford
They sure do. Thanks for stopping by Liz. 🙂
Melissa Sperka
I didn’t realize how simple it is to make wild rice, which we love. Great tips!
Carrie
My fam love wild rice, thanks so much for the great tips. Perfect.
Trish - Mom On Timeout
I don’t make wild rice nearly as often as I would like to. Can’t wait to give it a go with these great tips!
Erin
Great tips – wild rice is one of my favorites!
Jennifer Farley
This is so informative! Thanks for sharing. Wild rice is delicious!
Joanne
Really helpful tips here with the wild rice, and it’s perfectly cooked!
Toni | Boulder Locavore
Awesome tips! I will definitely try this!
Stephanie Manley
I appreciate this primer, cooking rice isn’t something I do well. I love the flavor of wild rice.
Lori @ RecipeGirl
Very interesting resource for all things wild rice- thank you!
Gary Blair
Followed your instruction to a tee and it came out perfectly. Soo helpful. Thanks for sharing.
Aysegul Sanford
Good to hear. Thanks for letting me know Gary.
Patricia C. Adams
Hey Aysegul, such an informative article you had shared. I didn’t know the process of making wild rice. Your tips will help me to make that correctly. Hope that’s taste will be good.thanks for sharing this.keep posting this type of helpful post.. 🙂
Aysegul Sanford
So happy to hear that you found it helpful Patricia. Thanks for stopping by.
Linda Silloway
Where do you get wild rice that cooks in less than an hour? For me, it always takes at least an hour. What if I want to put my wild rice in the crockpot and either have a small amount ready (in the mini crockpot) when I get home from work or a larger amount so I have some cooked wild rice to freeze? Any hints about timing, water or broth to rice ratio? Also, I had some odd leftovers: cooked wild rice and my homemade mac and cheese (my recipe includes a bit of cayenne) and they were amazing stirred together and reheated!
Aysegul Sanford
Hi Linda,
I can’t agree more. Wild rice is just amazing. Its nutty and earthy flavors elevate any dish.
I usually look for wild rice from Minnesota. Here in our small town in Manchester Vermont, I either get it from our local health food store (they sell it in bulk bins) or from our local supermarket. Again, I always look for ones that come from Minnesota.
You can also find it online in Amazon or other stores that sell healthy ingredients.
In terms of the time of cooking, I find that soaking the wild rice overnight really helps with the cooking times. Plus, like I mentioned in the blog post, it helps remove some of the naturally occurring phytic acid, that prevents mineral absorption, and break down some of the hard-to-digest properties.
As you said, if you don’t soak it, it would take close to an hour to cook.
To be quite honest, I have never cooked wild rice in a slow cooker. However, I don’t see why you can’t do that. I will give it a try to see how it turns out next time I make it. I doubt that the liquid to wild rice ratio would be much different in slow cooker. Though it is hard to tell without actually testing the recipe.
When it comes to the liquid I usually go for 1 cup broth + 2 cups water. This way the taste of the broth is not taking over the earthy and nutty flavors of the rice. However, I think one should make that decision based on their preferences and the recipe that they plan on using the cooked wild rice in.
For instance, if I am making my rather fruity Wild Rice Salad, I would probably go for all water, whereas if I am planning to serve it as a side dish with one of my chicken recipes I would not mind using chicken stock to infuse the chicken flavors to create a nice chicken flavor profile.
I have never thought about mixing wild rice into mac and cheese, but now that I think of it I love the idea. I don’t really cook mac and cheese (other than its vegan version we love) that much, but I can totally see it being delicious.
I hope I answered all your questions. Please do not hesitate to reach out if I can help further.
Cheers!
Roger
First, thank you for reading this.
I am simply looking for what you would consider the best stock ( veal, beef, chicken etc.) that would maximize that earthy, wholesome goodness of wild rice that I remember eating on just a couple of occasions. I love the texture, the nuttiness, that wholesome flavor I recall from those few times I’ve had it.
Any suggestions, recipes, etc. that you could suggest would be greatly appreciated. Again, thanks.
Aysegul Sanford
Hi Roger,
I am a big fan of adding some chicken/veggie stock into the cooking liquid when cooking wild rice.
My go-to recipe for a good chicken stock is my mom’s recipe, which you can find here: https://foolproofliving.com/homemade-chicken-stock/
It is a very old recipe, one that I published right after I started my blog, but that is what I use.
I hope this helps. Thanks for your kind words.
Linda Silloway
It’s expensive because it’s worth it. It takes a long time to cook, but cooked wild rice freezes really well.
Aysegul Sanford
Can’t agree more. 🙂
Laurie
Great information! I do have one question. You say, “If you plan ahead and soak it, it will cook much faster. Please refer to the post for more information on this.” Where can I find this post with the additional information? Thanks!
Aysegul Sanford
Hi Laurie,
I meant the blog post of the recipe, above the recipe card.
Please let me know if you need further clarification.
Browntrees
Great base recipe! The measurements are spot on. I decided to male a one pot meal with the Wild Rice.
In a dutch oven, I browned 8 chicken wings then set aside the wings in a covered dish. In the same pot I sauteed 2 cloves minced garlic, a medium chopped onion & 8 oz. of chopped Baby Bella mushrooms. After that I followed the recipe using 8oz. package of rinsed Lundberg Organic Wild Rice & Unsalted Organic Chicken Bone Broth in place of water. Once up to boling, added in the browned chicken wings to the pot, resuced to a simmer & let it go 50 minutes. There was a tad bit of broth left on the bottom however I tipped the lid on the pot, turned up the burner to medium & allowed the liquid to cook down.
My goodness, this was delicious! The Wild Rice waa seasoned perfectly and the salt to liquid ratio was on point! I will definitely have Wild Rice much more now!
Aysegul Sanford
Wow! This sounds so fantastic.. Thanks so much for sharing your experience. Cheers!
Linda Wolf
Two questions:
1) I use the truly wild, hand-harvested rice, and it seems that no matter how long I wash the rice, there is always a small amount of grittiness when I eat it. I have used both a sprouting jar with mesh lid and a fine metal strainer for washing. Any suggestions for getting all the dirt out of the rice?
2) If I soak 1 cup of WR in water for 4 hours, drain and then cook it in chicken broth, how much broth should I use so that there’s none left over to pour down the drain when the rice is “just right” done? Have you ever soaked WR in chicken broth to increase flavor?
I am on a gluten-free, refined-sugar-free diet, and I want to try a wild-rice dressing to replace our traditional southern cornbread dressing at Thanksgiving. I will add celery, onion, butter and poultry seasoning to the cooking pot, and when done I will stir in a few dried (unsweetened) cranberries that I have soaked in honey-water to plump up again, instead of serving with the usual canned cranberry sauce. Any tweaks that you would suggest?
Thanks for the helpful article.
Aysegul Sanford
Hi Linda,
I am thrilled to hear you found this post helpful. My answers to your questions are below:
1) I use the truly wild, hand-harvested rice, and it seems that no matter how long I wash the rice, there is always a small amount of grittiness when I eat it. I have used both a sprouting jar with mesh lid and a fine metal strainer for washing. Any suggestions for getting all the dirt out of the rice?
WOW! You should teach me how to grow wild rice 🙂
While I have never tried cooking with hand-harvested wild rice I believe my method of soaking things (mostly veggies) in water would help you get all the soil out. I learned this method from Martha Steward many years ago. She uses it to get the soil from hand-picked salad greens.
To get all the soil out, place your wild rice in a fine mesh strainer and then place the strainer over a bowl. Fill it with water and let it soak for 3 minutes or so. Since soil is much lighter it should sink to the bottom. I believe if you repeat this a few times you should be able to get all of it out.
2) If I soak 1 cup of WR in water for 4 hours, drain and then cook it in chicken broth, how much broth should I use so that there’s none left over to pour down the drain when the rice is “just right” done? Have you ever soaked WR in chicken broth to increase flavor?
My ratio for cooking wild rice is 1 cup wild rice to 3 cups liquid. I find that 3 cups of broth is too overpowering but this is a personal taste. I usually use 1 cup of broth and 2 cups of water. This way I get to enjoy the earthy tones of wild rice. But like I said, it is a personal preference.
In terms of the amount of liquid for “just right” doneness without any liquid going down the drain.. I have tried this a few times by reducing the amount of liquid. I recommend using around 2 to 2 1/2 cups of liquid. However, I recommend keeping a close eye on it to make sure that it doesn’t run out of the liquid, especially towards the end.
I am on a gluten-free, refined-sugar-free diet, and I want to try a wild-rice dressing to replace our traditional southern cornbread dressing at Thanksgiving. I will add celery, onion, butter and poultry seasoning to the cooking pot, and when done I will stir in a few dried (unsweetened) cranberries that I have soaked in honey-water to plump up again, instead of serving with the usual canned cranberry sauce. Any tweaks that you would suggest?
This sounds great. I would recommend cooking wild rice and all the veggies separately, but other than that this sounds great.
I would love to get your recipe if you’d be willing to share. 🙂
I hope these help. If I can help you in any other way, please do not hesitate to reach out.
Cheers!
Linda Wolf
Oh, I do not grow my own rice, I just buy the kind that grows naturally in rivers and lakes, rather than the variety that is cultivated, which is a slightly different creature (and possibly not as nutritious???). Two websites I am aware of that I believe sell both types are http://www.mooselakewildrice.com and http://www.minnestalgia.com.
I will try the method of a strainer in a bowl of water … that sounds like it might work.
I will make a few small test batches to see how much broth tastes right to me … I usually don’t dilute the broth in cornbread dressing, but perhaps it is needed with the wild rice.
So just saute the onions and celery and add them with the cranberries after the rice is cooked? Sounds like a plan.
Aysegul Sanford
Great. I will check those out. Thanks for sharing.
Yes, I would cook the vegetables first and add in the cooked wild rice and plumped (honey soaked) cranberries at the very end.
I am always here if I can help in any other way. Good luck!
Brook
I just made some using some beef stock—following your 3:1 ratio. I cooked about 40 minutes with the lid on, and it came out perfectly. However, I still have nearly ALL the liquid left after straining. I saved it. Should I have removed the lid? Also, it tastes really good and seems like a waste to throw away. Anyone have any ideas for usage of leftover liquid?
Aysegul Sanford
Hi Brook,
I am surprised to hear that all of the liquid was still in the pan after cooking for 40 minutes. It is normal to have some liquid, but I am not sure why you would still have all of it. I wonder if it is because of the type of wild rice you used.
I agree with you the leftover liquid is quite delicious. I usually use it as “broth” and add it to soups. Like I did in this “Chicken and Wild Rice Soup“.
Hope this helps. Thanks for coming by.
s buick
since when is 1 cup 6 ounces!?!
Aysegul Sanford
I get this question quite often. While a cup is 8 ounces, the food you are measuring makes a difference. In other words, while a cup of all-purpose flour weighs 5 ounces, one cup of wild rice weighs 6 ounces. I hope this helps.
Casey
I live in northern MN and collect my own wild rice, hand parch (parching cuts down cooking significantly and gives an added Smokey flavor)it and cook with it often. Love to see and try other people’s recipes. Have you ever heard of people making a flour out of wild rice? This might be my next adventure with it.
Aysegul Sanford
Hi Casey,
How cool it is that you collect your own wild rice and parch it. I wasn’t familiar with the process and had to watch a quick YouTube video, but it looked like a really great outdoor activity.
I have never heard of wild rice flour nor I baked anything with it. Though I saw a few bread recipes that use cooked wild rice.
If you succeed in baking with wild rice flour I’d love to hear more about it.
Thanks for coming by.
Cheers!
Gail McKelvey
Thank you for all the wild rice info! My husband has diabetes and white rice just shoots his #s up, where using the wild rice does not…Yes I know it is not rice. Fortunately I am from MN and have friends and family that can get wild rice cheaper than I can in the store here in TX! Your info has been a HUGE help! Thank you!!
Aysegul Sanford
Hi Gail,
I am thrilled to hear that you found it helpful.
Lucky you for being able to get your hands on cheaper wild rice.
Thanks for coming by.
Cheers!
Jennifer D
It turd out perfectly! Finally, I know how to cook wild rice perfectly. Thanks for all the tips.
Would you happen to have a recipe for Instant Pot wild rice and one for my rice cooker? My husband and I love wild rice and would love to try my hand with those tools as well.
Thanks.
Aysegul Sanford
YAY! This makes me so happy Jennifer. So happy to hear that you learned a thing or two.
I do have a foolproof recipe for Instant Pot Wild rice and wild rice blend: https://foolproofliving.com/instant-pot-wild-rice-recipe/
And I am working on the one for the rice cooker so stay tuned.
Thanks for coming by. 🙂
Edna Fernandes
Thank you Great info
Aysegul Sanford
Thanks Edna.
Deb
Being from Minnesota, I have been eating and cooking wild rice for many years. I have one thing to add to this thread: If you are fortunate enough to get true “wild” rice (as opposed to cultivated, paddy-grown wild rice), the cooking time will be considerably less. Before I realized this I “ruined” a pot of wild rice by overcooking it to the point that it was very soft. (I prefer my wild rice to have some chew to it and usually cook it until just a few of the kernels have opened.) You can tell if your wild rice is truly wild (and oh, so delicious!) or cultivated by its color: cultivated rice is extremely dark brown, almost black, and quite glossy. Wild rice is a much lighter brown and doesn’t have the shine that the cultivated rice has. I have never soaked wild rice prior to cooking and find that the wild stuff is usually cooked to my liking in about 25 minutes.
Aysegul Sanford
Hi Deb,
Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us. I had no idea that you could tell that you can tell that cultivated wild rice by looking at its color.
I appreciate you weighing in.
Cheers!
Brook Chisholm
My rice came out wonderfully al dente at around 40 minutes. I did have A LOT of liquid left over, but I don’t mind–it has a lovely nutty flavor, so I’m saving it to use as stock for cooking other grains, or a sauce/soup base. I recommend saving the liquid! This is a great recipe to make a basic wild rice that can be used multiple ways. Thank you! Wild rice can be expensive, so it’s nice to get it right!
Aysegul Sanford
Hi Brook,
I am happy to hear that it came out right on your first try.
I, too, enjoy its nutty flavor so much.
Thanks for taking the time to leave a review.
Cheers!