This guide teaches you how to cook wild rice on the stove. It's so easy! Plus you'll learn storage tips, how much water you'll need, nutrition facts, recipes for your wild rice, and more. Once cooked, your wild rice will make a delicious side dish or can be added to soups, salads, or casseroles.
There are so many different ways to cook wild rice, like in a rice cooker, the Instant Pot, or even in the oven. But nothing is more simple than on the stove. You don't need any fancy equipment, just a good old pot, some water, and wild rice.
Wild rice is one of the most expensive grains, (check out "A Complete Guide to Wild Rice" to find out why). You should be able to find wild rice in the bulk bins of your grocery store, however, which will make it a little less expensive.
Gotta love those bulk bins!
Let's learn how to cook wild rice on the stovetop!
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📖 Instructions
The ratio of liquid to wild rice for cooking it on the stovetop is 3 cups to 1 cup.
Add your water to a large sauce pot, and bring it to a boil, over high heat.
Rinse your uncooked wild rice grains with cool, clean water. This removes any dust or debris that has settled in storage. Wild rice does not need to be soaked before cooking.
Add the wild rice to the boiling water and give it a good stir.
Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover the pot.
Allow the rice to simmer for 55 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes.
Fluff your cooked rice with a fork and serve! Add butter, olive oil or salt if desired.
🔁 Substitutions
Adding Flavors
If you'd like to give your wild rice more flavor there are many ways you can do this, including:
- saute garlic and/or onions in the pot before adding the rice and liquid.
- Add your favorite herbs to the pot with the rice.
- use broth (chicken or vegetable) instead of water.
Wild Rice Blend
Wild Rice is often found in a mix or medley with other kinds of rice, like brown and red rice. You should be able to follow this recipe to cook a wild rice blend but check the instructions on the package just to make sure. But it will be the same basic cooking principles.
🥣 Storage
Once cooked, wild rice can be stored in the fridge for about 1 week. Just make sure to keep it in an airtight container.
It can also be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months. You'll want to use a freezer-friendly container (I love to use these reusable ziplock bags). In order to prevent freezer burn, make sure rice is completely cooled before placing it in the freezer.
When it's time to thaw your wild rice, it's best to let it defrost in the fridge overnight. If you forgot to do this ahead of time (me 🙋♀️), you can defrost it in the microwave. It's best to add just a little water and cover the bowl. This helps the grains become soft and fluffy again.
💪 Nutrition
For a grain, wild rice is high in protein. Some label it as a "superfood" and some claim it is the healthiest form of rice because of its high protein content.
Wild rice is naturally gluten-free.
Wild rice has a lot of fiber and is low in fat. Just one cup of it cooked provides 5% or more of the daily value of thiamin, riboflavin, iron, and potassium; 10% or more of the daily value of niacin, vitamin B6, folate, magnesium, and phosphorus; 15% of zinc; and over 20% of manganese. Wild rice is high in antioxidants.
✨ Top tips
To determine the amount of uncooked rice you'll need, keep in mind that 1 cup of dried wild rice makes about 4 cups of cooked wild rice.
Towards the end of the cooking time, you'll want to periodically check on your rice. Since each stove and pot are different, the water can evaporate at a different rate. Once all the water has evaporated, the rice grains will start sticking and burning onto the bottom of your pot.
Not only is this super annoying to clean up, but the burning flavor can also permeate the entire pot of rice, ruining the whole thing. I've been there. You do not want to have this happen to you.
If you'd like to learn more about cooking with and eating wild rice, check out "A Complete Guide to Wild Rice."
🥗 More Recipes/Serve With
Wild rice is often used in salads, casseroles, and soups. Here are some of my favorite recipes from around the web.
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🍽️ Equipment
Here are some items you'll need to make this recipe. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying orders, at no cost to you. Thanks for supporting The Incredible Bulks!
I hope this guide has helped you learn how to make wild rice on the stove. Let me know in the comments how you like to eat this tasty whole grain.
✌️ Ems
📖 Recipe
How to Cook Wild Rice on the Stove Top
Ingredients
- 1 cup wild rice
- 3 cups water
- butter, olive oil, salt optional
Instructions
- Add 3 cups of water to a large sauce pot, and bring it to a boil over high heat.
- Rinse your uncooked wild rice grains with cool, clean water. This removes any dust or debris that has settled in storage.
- Add the wild rice to the boiling water and give it a good stir. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover the pot.
- Allow the rice to simmer for about 55 minutes.* Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes.
- Fluff your cooked rice with a fork and serve! Add butter, olive oil or salt if desired.
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