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Instant Pot Wild Blend Rice is the side dish that finally behaves. No more crunchy centers or starchy mush, just perfectly tender, nutty grains without hovering over the stove. These Lundberg wild rice Instant Pot instructions take all the mystery out of cooking this tricky blend, delivering spot-on results with way less fuss.
This Wild Blend rice makes a super tasty side dish that goes with literally everything. Serve it with black beans and a crispy fried egg for a vegetarian meal or plate it up with some broiled cod and some steamed broccoli for a more traditional dinner.
Here is Why This Recipe Works
Hands-off cooking: No stirring, no simmer-watching, no burned rice panic. The Instant Pot does the work, accurately, every time.
Meal prep friendly: Makes a solid batch for lunches, grain bowls, or freezing for later without losing texture. It’s also the perfect base for this Chicken Vegetable Soup with Wild Rice.
Reliable results, every time: No guesswork, no inconsistent texture, just perfectly cooked wild rice blend with zero drama.
Dinner-party approved: This rice is right at home next to fancy mains like Orange Duck with Wild Rice, if you’re feeling a little extra.
Recipe Tips
No rinsing needed: This wild blend cooks up fluffy without the extra step—save the strainer for another day.
Use broth for flavor: Chicken broth adds a savory depth that water just can’t match.
Turn off ‘keep warm’: Leaving it on too long can turn your rice into a sticky mess at the bottom of the pot.
Let the pressure release naturally (at least for 10 minutes): That extra time helps the rice finish cooking gently.
Don’t skip the salt: Even a teaspoon makes a difference. Especially if you’re using water instead of broth.
Serve it with a smoked beer can chicken for an amazing meal.
Storing Leftovers
Refrigerate: Warm leftovers in the microwave with a splash of water or broth to bring back moisture. Or turn them into something new like this easy Pork Fried Rice using your leftover wild rice.
Freeze: Scoop cooled rice into freezer-safe bags or containers. Press out extra air and freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheat: Warm leftovers in the microwave with a splash of water or broth to bring back moisture. Stir halfway through for even heating.
Lundberg Wild Rice Instant Pot
This Instant Pot Wild Blend Rice recipe is your new secret weapon for quick, nutritious grains without the fuss. Whether you’re meal-prepping or just need a reliable side dish, this one’s a keeper.
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Instant Pot Wild Blend Rice
If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating and comment.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups wild rice blend
- 1 ½ cups water , or chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon butter, optional
Instructions
- Place the rice, water (or broth), and salt in the Instant Pot.
- Secure the lid and place the valve in the sealed position.
- Cook on high pressure for 28 minutes.
- Allow the Instant Pot to release pressure naturally for 10 minutes then release the rest of the pressure manually.
Notes
Cooking times for high altitudes:
- Over 3000 feet= 30 minutes
- Over 4000 feet = 32 minutes
- Over 5000 feet = 33 minutes
Recipe Variations/ Suggestions
- Garlic Herb Butter: Stir in 3–4 Tbsp butter, 1–2 tsp each garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, and basil.
- Quick Rice Pilaf: Add ¼ cup slivered almonds, 3 Tbsp dried onion flakes, ¼ cup raisins or cranberries, and ¼ tsp each cinnamon, cardamom, and cumin.
- Curried Wild Rice: Mix in 3 Tbsp dried onion flakes, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 Tbsp curry powder, 1 tsp each cumin and coriander, and ¼ tsp chili powder.
- Quick Fried Rice: After the rice is cooked, stir in some fried rice sauce, scrambled eggs, leftover pork chops, and some frozen veggies.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
We live at 7,950 feet in elevation in the Colorado Rockies and cooking rice can be nightmarishly hard! I used this method for 37 minutes and it turned out exactly how we like it. THANK YOU!
I’m so thrilled to hear that the method worked perfectly for you, especially at such a high elevation! Cooking at 7,950 feet can indeed present unique challenges. Thank you for trying the recipe and for taking the time to share your success.
I’m making this recipe today and just put the rice in water to soak for an hour. I put the whole bag in water and then realized it was 2 1/2 cups not 1 1/2. I’m trying to dry the extra rice with paper towels so I can use it later. Do you have any advice? Thanks
If you have a dehydrator then that will dry the rice grains out really well. Otherwise, you can turn your oven on for about 3 minutes then switch it off (just so the temperature gets to about 110°F to 120°F). Spread the rice out on a baking sheet and let it sit in the slightly warm oven overnight.
Great ideas but how much water ? how much rice? This is not a recipe, it is an idea board. Good ideas, but a few more details for beginning cooks please.
The printable recipe card is at the bottom of the post. You just need to scroll back up a bit and you will find all the ingredient amounts and all the details.
Love this recipe! I did add a couple teaspoons of teriyaki sauce instead of butter and salt, used vegetable broth (no salt) and it’s amazing!! Thank you for this!!
Thanks for the comment. The teriyaki sauce sounds great.
Just perfect! I’ve been cooking this wild rice blend in my rice cooker and I’d have run it twice, then it would be too much, etc. This turned out just right, with a little bit of chew but not too much. It freezes great, so I do the whole bag and freeze what we don’t eat. I do it without adding anything extra, then I can customize it once it’s pulled out of the freezer, depending on what we are having it with. This is my favorite side for salmon. Thanks for figuring out the rice/water ratio and the timing!
Thanks for the comment, Laura. I love the idea of cooking the whole bag and freezing the remains.
I left it in the slow release mode an extra 10 minutes and it’s chewy. I’m assuming that’s because it was still cooking right? I’d like to have just normal soft, borderline smushy, so I’m open to suggestions.
Hi Jim, wild rice has a naturally chewy texture but if you want to make the rice softer, you might try increasing the cooking time by 10 minutes and the liquid by 1/4 cup. I haven’t tried that but I think it might give you the texture you want.
I only have a 3Qt Instant Pot, but have a large crowd coming for Christmas Dinner. Can I just double the recipe in a 3Qt and follow the same cook times? I’m excited to try.
You might be able to double the recipe but I have not tried that much rice in a 3 quart Instant Pot. I would suggest only adding 2-1/2 cups of rice (with 2-1/2 cups of water) if you have a 3 quart Instant Pot. The cook time will be the same
I used the amounts listed for rice and liquid. I cooked some onions, celery, sliced bella mushrooms, and garlic on sauté until they started to soften before adding the rice and chicken broth. I also added the thyme and basil. Cooked for the time listed and slow release for 10 minutes. I stirred in 3 tablespoons of butter and 1/2 cup thawed frozen peas at that time and let sit for about 5 minutes. Turned out perfectly! Rice done perfectly, nothing burnt to bottom.
That sounds fantastic! Thanks for sharing
Using a cup of rice and a cup of broth, The rice came out a little chewy and there was still a little liquid in the pan of our Ninja. After evaporating the excess liquid, the rice was good, but not perfect. We live at 6100 feet above sea level and cooked the rice for 33 minutes as recommended. I am planning on adding a couple more minutes of pressure cooking to see if that cures my issues. Great recipe. Thanks.
Wow, you are at a very high altitude. At 6,100 feet you will need to increase your cooking time by 25% which would be 35 minutes. That will be standard for all your pressure cooking times if you live at that altitude. For future recipes, you can figure out the cooking time for any recipe for your altitude by multiplying the time by 1.25. It can get pretty tricky at your altitude and you may have to adjust your times more but that will give you a good starting point. Hope that helps.
I made this with 1 cup of rice and broth, using the garlic butter and herbs, for 28 minutes. It turned out oh so perfect, and I was quite pleased! I look forward to trying the other flavors. Thank you.
Great to hear! Thanks for the commment