Instant Pot Wild Rice Blend

Perfectly cook wild rice blend in your Instant Pot in 20 minutes! The wild rice turns out fluffy, tender and delicious. This method for using your Instant Pot to make a wild rice blend is simple, hands-off and ready to enjoy quickly. The nutty flavor and aroma combined with the fluffy and chewy texture makes it an easy side dish for any meal.  

Cooking wild rice blend in your Instant Pot significantly reduces the cooking time. While the stovetop method takes about 60 minutes, the electric pressure cooker method has a cook time of only 20. Plus, it's hands-off so there is no need to worry about stirring or checking on the rice as it cooks.

I like using wild rice as a substitute for white rice in soups like Instant Pot chicken and rice soup or this stuffed pepper soup recipe. It's also fantastic added to salads and used in grain bowls. I also make Instant Pot brown rice weekly in big batches for meal prepping lunches.

Why Cook Rice In Your Instant Pot?

Cooking wild rice blend in your Instant Pot significantly reduces the cooking time. While the stovetop method takes about 60 minutes, the pressure cooker method takes only about 30. Plus, it's hands-off so there is no need to worry about stirring or checking on the rice as it cooks.

The Instant Pot takes the guesswork out of making all types of rice and grains. I pressure cooker white rice, farro, barley and basmati rice weekly, then use them to meal prep and in meals throughout the week. It's a simple, fool-proof method.

*My one strongly suggested piece of advice is to use the pot-in-pot method (more about that in a minute) when pressure cooking rice. This will prevent the rice from burning or sticking to the bottom of the pot.

Ingredients Needed

You need just 2 ingredients to make Instant Pot wild rice blend:

• Wild rice blend: I use Lundberg Family Farms Wild Blend Rice, which is a combination of long grain brown rice, sweet brown rice, wild rice, red rice and black rice.
• Salt

You'll need water too, and any spices or herbs if you'd like to season the rice.

Make Instant Pot wild rice blend following these easy steps:

1. Add 1 cup of wild rice blend to a fine mesh strainer and rinse thoroughly under cool running water until the water runs clear.
2. Put the rinsed rice into the inner pot of the pressure cooker. Add 1.5 cups of water/broth and salt. If using other seasonings like rosemary, parsely, black pepper etc., add them now. Stir well. 
3. Close and seal the pressure cooker lid. Set to high pressure for 20 minutes.
4. Allow the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes, then manually release any remaining pressure.
5. Open the lid, fluff with a fork and season with additional salt if desired. Serve warm with your favorite meal or add to other recipes. 

Pot In Pot Method

The above method works for Instant Pot owners who don't have the extra equipment needed to use the pot-in-pot method. However, this is my preferred method for cooking rice as it can never trigger a burn notice, prevents rice from sticking to the inner pot and makes the pot much easier to clean.

Here's how to use the pot-in-pot method to make perfectly cooked rice:

1. Add 1 cup of rice blend to a fine mesh strainer and rinse thoroughly under cool running water until the water runs clear.
2. Put the rinsed rice into a cake pan that fits your pressure cooker. Add 1.5 cups of water/broth and salt to the cake pan. Stir well. Place the cake pan on a silicone sling or trivet. 
3. Pour 1.5 cups of cool water into the inner pot of the pressure cooker. Lift the silicone sling or trivet with the cake pan of rice into the inner pot. 
4. Close and seal the lid. Set to high pressure for 20 minutes.
5. Allow the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes, then complete a quick release of the remaining pressure.

Wild rice blend pairs well with a variety of dishes due to its nutty flavor and chewy texture. Here are some ideas for what to serve with plain wild rice:

• Grilled, roasted or air fried chicken dishes, such as pecan crusted chicken.
• Beef and lamb main dishes, like rosemary and garlic leg of lamb, slow cooked lamb chops and air fried ribeye steak.
• Meatloaf, such as a traditional meatloaf, barbecue cheddar meatloaf or even meatloaf muffins.
• Fish: wild rice pairs nicely with fish, especially salmon. Try it with this one-pot air fried salmon and broccoli dinner or air fried frozen salmon fillets. It's even great with maple-glazed bacon wrapped scallops and flavorful pressure cooked mussels. 
• Vegetarian main dishes: wild rice is a great option for vegetarian or vegan meals. Combine it with vegetables like broccoli, asparagus or green beans, tofu, or beans.

Grilled or Roasted Meats: Wild rice complements the flavors of grilled or roasted meats such as chicken, turkey, beef, or pork. It's great served with these slow cooker apple pork chops and crock pot country style ribs and barbecue chicken thighs. Rather than using noodles or rice, use your wild rice blend as the grain paired with crock pot pepper steak and beef and broccoli.

Soups and Stews: Add cooked wild rice to hearty soups or stews for extra texture and substance. It works well in combination with a variety of flavors, from chicken noodle soup to vegetable soup. Wild rice pairs well with slow cooker Middle Eastern stew and lamb meatballs and vegetables. I love using my wild rice blend in beef vegetable soup, chicken barley soup, beef barley soup and spring minestrone.

Stuffed Vegetables: Use cooked wild rice blend as the filling for stuffed bell peppers and other vegetables along with meat and spices. It works well as a substitute for the white rice called for in these Instant Pot stuffed peppers, stuffed grape leaves and Instant Pot stuffed cabbage rolls.

Related Recipes