How to Cook Wild Rice in an Electric Pressure Cooker

My husband loves wild rice and it’s one of his most requested side dishes in our home. But it’s also one that I don’t love to make.

Why, you ask?

Because it takes so long to cook! Whether you are boiling it or baking it in a casserole, I’ve found that it takes about an hour to cook all the way through.

I don’t know about you, but I really don’t have time for that. Do you know what I mean? There’s no way I want to spend a whole hour waiting for it to cook after a long workday.

But I’ve found an incredible solution that I can’t wait to share with you. You can prepare this healthy grain in your electric pressure cooker, which cuts down the cook time and creates the best, most reliably delicious wild rice you’ll ever eat!

For those of you who aren’t familiar with it already, wild rice is a nutrient dense, gluten-free grain with plenty of protein, dietary fiber, and antioxidants.

If you’re tired of inconsistent results, or loathe to spend more on a grain that might not turn out as well as brown or white rice, you never have to worry again with this method. The texture is perfect, and the cooking time is cut in half.

Just be sure to avoid any packages that are labeled “cracked,” “quick cooked,” or “par cooked.” These types of wild rice are not what you want to use, and they won’t cook properly with this cooking method.

How to Cook Wild Rice in an Electric Pressure Cooker

Fantastic on its own as a side dish, this simple cooked grain can also be used in so many other ways, either warm or chilled.

Check out the following for inspiration:

• Mix it into soups in place of other grains or pasta.
• Incorporate it into bread dough for a heartier texture.
• Use it in a variety of stuffings or casseroles.
• Sprinkle it over your favorite salad.
• Fold it into burger or salmon patties to bulk them up.
• Mix it into your meatloaf.

Ready to start cooking? Let’s begin!

Step 1 – Measure Ingredients and Rinse

Measure out 2 cups of wild rice. Rinse it well in several changes of cold water until the water runs clear, and drain it well. Add to the insert of your pressure cooker.

Measure out 4 cups of water or broth. Add this to your pressure cooker as well.

Chicken or vegetable stock is an excellent option if you are going to use the cooked wild rice in another dish like pilaf or soup, but it’s nice to add a touch of extra flavor to the grain when it’s served as a simple side on its own as well.

We recommend using our recipe for low-sodium slow cooker chicken stock, so you can control the salt level.

Step 2 – Pressure Cook

Set your electric pressure cooker to Manual and cook on High pressure for 15 minutes. Let the stream naturally release for 10 minutes, then quick release any remaining pressure.

Step 3 – Fluff and Serve

Remove the lid, and fluff everything with a fork.

Note that if there is still a bit of extra water in the insert, this is totally normal. Just drain the water out before fluffing it up and serving.