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    Home » Tutorials

    Easy Instant Pot Wheat Berries

    Published: Jan 6, 2021 · Modified: Sep 9, 2022 by Emily

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Wheat berries are a healthy whole grain with a lovely flavor. Traditionally, wheat berries can take a long time to cook, but when made in an Instant Pot the time is significantly reduced. Plus, it's amazingly easy!

    A small bowl of wheat berries next to an Instant Pot. The words, "Instant Pot Wheat Berries" are written across the top.
    Jump to:
    • 💪 Nutrition and Taste
    • 🍽 Equipment
    • 🔪 Instructions
    • ✨ Top Tips
    • 🍲 Uses
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Reviews

    💪 Nutrition and Taste

    Wheat Berries are the short hard kernels that are ground up to make wheat flour. They are PACKED with nutrition, including 6 grams of protein, 8% of your daily iron and tons of fiber. They also happen to be low in fat and calories. Wahoo!

    Nutrition Facts
    Easy Instant Pot Wheat Berries
    Serving Size
     
    0.5 cup
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    160
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    1
    g
    2
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    0
    g
    0
    %
    Trans Fat
     
    0
    g
    Polyunsaturated Fat
     
    0
    g
    Monounsaturated Fat
     
    0
    g
    Cholesterol
     
    0
    mg
    0
    %
    Sodium
     
    3
    mg
    0
    %
    Potassium
     
    0
    mg
    0
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    35
    g
    12
    %
    Fiber
     
    6
    g
    25
    %
    Sugar
     
    0
    g
    0
    %
    Protein
     
    6
    g
    12
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    0
    IU
    0
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    0
    mg
    0
    %
    Calcium
     
    19.8
    mg
    2
    %
    Iron
     
    1.4
    mg
    8
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although theincrediblebulks.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

    If you'd like to learn more about wheat berries nutrition and how to cook with them, check out my comprehensive guide to wheat berries. There's lots of fun stuff to learn about this healthy whole grain.

    Wheat berries have a pretty mild flavor, similar to oatmeal. They easily blend with and take on other flavors. Wheat berries, however, are chewier than other grains you might be used to eating.

    🍽 Equipment

    You'll need a pressure cooker to make this recipe. If you don't have one, you can always make wheat berries on the stove, in a crockpot, or even in a rice cooker instead.

    There are a lot of great options out there for pressure cookers, but the Instant Pot Ultra is my favorite. I love being able to make yogurt in it!

    🔪 Instructions

    Probably the only downside to wheat berries is how long they take to cook. If made traditionally on the stove, they can sometimes take up to 1 hour and 30 minutes. That's too long for me if I'm hoping to make them for breakfast. Using a pressure cooker, however, takes only 35-40 minutes. Here's how to do it.

    1.First, give the wheat berries a good rinse: It's a good idea to rinse wheat berries under cool water before cooking. This washes away any dirt, dust or extra starch that has collected on them in storage.

    2. Next, put the wheat berries and water into the Instant Pot.

    I use a ratio of 1 cup wheat berries to 3 cups water when cooking in the Instant Pot. You can adjust depending on how many cooked wheat berries you desire. 1 cup of dried wheat berries will be a little over 2 cups cooked.

    Add a dash or two of salt, if desired. You could also add other spices if desired, like cinnamon and nutmeg.

    3. Then, place the lid on the pressure cooker.

    Cook the wheat berries on high pressure for 30-35 minutes, depending on how chewy you like them to be. At the end of cooking, quick release the pressure.

    4. Finally, drain the liquid and enjoy!

    Before draining off extra liquid, do a taste test on your wheat berries. If they are the right texture for you, drain the water and enjoy!

    If you'd like them to be softer you can continue to cook them in the Instant pot on the saute setting. Cancel the pressure cook and change the Instant Pot to the saute setting. You will need to stir occasionally to prevent burning. Leave the lid of and allow the wheat berries to boil until they've reached your desired chewiness. Drain any extra liquid and enjoy.

    How do I know when they are done?

    It really does come down to personal preference. Most people I know don't like the texture of really chewy grains. So if you sample your cooked wheat berries and you think they seem a little too tough, cook them a little longer. They will never get as soft as oatmeal or rice, but the longer you cook them the softer they will get.

    a closer view of a small bowl of wheat berries on a wooden table. A spoon full of grains is next to the bowl.

    ✨ Top Tips

    • There are different varieties of wheat berries and cook times can vary depending on the type you have. For example, red berries tend to take a little longer than white. While soft berries cook faster than hard. For more information about the different varieties of wheat berries, check out our comprehensive guide to wheat berries.
    • It is sometimes suggested to soak wheat berries overnight before cooking them. This is a great idea to help reduce cook time when cooking wheat berries on the stove. When cooking in the pressure cooker, however, it is not necessary.
    • Cooked wheat berries can easily be frozen. It's a great idea to make a large batch and freeze portions so you can always have a healthy whole grain ready to go. Make sure your cooked wheat berries are completely cool before transfering to a freezer friendly container. (Making sure they are completely cool will help prevent freezer burn). Store in the freezer for up to 6 months.
    • 1 cup of dry wheat berries equals 2 cups of cooked wheat berries.

    🍲 Uses

    Looking for ways to use your cooked wheat berries? Check out my wheat berry Pinterest board for lots of inspiration.

    A small bowl of wheat berries next to an Instant Pot and a white towel.

    📖 Recipe

    a close up view of a bowl of wheat berries.

    Easy Instant Pot Wheat Berries

    5 from 15 votes
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 35 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 160kcal
    Wheat berries can take a long time to cook, but when made in an Instant Pot the time is significantly reduced. Plus, it’s amazingly easy!
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe

    Equipment

    • Pressure Cooker

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup dry wheat berries
    • 3 cups water

    Instructions

    • Rinse wheat berries under cool, clean water to remove excess starch and dust.
    • Add the wheat berries and water into the bowl of the Instant pot. Add a dash or two of salt, if desired. You could also add other spices in if desired, like cinnamon and nutmeg.
    • Place the lid on the Instant Pot and turn the lid to seal. Cook the wheat berries on high pressure for 30-35 minutes, depending on how chewy you like them to be. The longer you cook them, the softer they will be.
    • When the timer goes off, quick release the pressure and test your wheat berries. If they are the right texture for you, drain the water and enjoy!
    • If you’d like them to be softer you can continue to cook them in the Instant Pot on the saute setting. Cancel the pressure cook and change the Instant Pot to the saute setting. You will need to stir occasionally to prevent burning. Leave the lid of and allow the wheat berries to boil until they’ve reached your desired chewiness. Drain any extra liquid and enjoy.
    Did you try this recipe?Please give it a star rating or leave a comment!

    Notes

    • 1 cup of dry wheat berries equals about 2 cups of cooked wheat berries.  You can adjust this recipe according to how many cooked wheat berries you need.  The cooking ratio is 3 cups of water to every 1 cup of dry wheat berries. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 0.5cup | Calories: 160kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 3mg | Potassium: 0mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 0g | Vitamin A: 0IU | Vitamin C: 0mg | Calcium: 19.8mg | Iron: 1.4mg

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying orders, at no cost to you. Thanks for supporting The Incredible Bulks.

    I hope you love your wheat berries!

    ✌️Ems

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Akiko says

      January 11, 2021 at 2:24 pm

      5 stars
      Another great use for Instant Pot! Soaking wheat berries overnight is a good idea, too. Thanks!

      Reply
    2. Alexandra says

      January 11, 2021 at 3:28 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you so much for your tips for cooking the wheat berries! So useful!

      Reply
    3. Audrey says

      January 11, 2021 at 3:43 pm

      5 stars
      I love being able to use my Instapot for different things!

      Reply
    4. Jamie says

      January 11, 2021 at 9:05 pm

      5 stars
      The instant pot makes this so easy!

      Reply
    5. Adriana says

      January 12, 2021 at 3:40 pm

      5 stars
      I enjoy wheat berries love the fact that you can cook them on the IP

      Reply
    6. Kris says

      January 12, 2021 at 4:09 pm

      5 stars
      This is so delicious! My kids love it.

      Reply
    7. Sondra Barker says

      January 12, 2021 at 4:30 pm

      5 stars
      This looks so tasty! Thanks for sharing the recipe!

      Reply
    8. Gayla says

      March 22, 2022 at 1:02 pm

      5 stars
      I cooked dry hard red wheat berries for 35 minutes using this recipe and they turned out perfect! Chewy and delicious!

      Reply
      • Emily says

        March 25, 2022 at 1:29 pm

        Wahoo! I'm so glad to hear this.

        Reply

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    Recipe Rating




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    Hi! I'm Emily!

    I'm a mother of 4, trying to expand my kids' taste palate beyond buttered noodles. Shopping in the bulk section of the grocery store has helped us try new and healthy ingredients, and I hope to spread the bulk shopping love to you! Enjoy! 

    More about me →

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