Wild Rice is an easy side dish ready in just an hour. A healthier, tasty alternative to white rice, it’s a perfect filling side to any meal!
Easy Wild Rice is the perfect healthy Rice dish that goes well with your savory main course that is flavorful and filling. Try more of my favorite rice recipes like Saffron Rice and Cilantro Lime Rice.
Why You’ll Love This Rice?
- It’s a healthy side that is both high in protein and gluten free.
- Full of nutty flavor that compliments your favorite savory dishes.
Sabrina’s Easy Wild Rice Recipe
Easy Wild Rice is a versatile side dish that brings hearty texture and comforting flavor to just about any meal. Simple to prepare and naturally satisfying, it’s an excellent choice for everything from busy weeknight dinners to holiday feasts. Whether you’re serving it alongside a favorite main course or using it as the foundation for a complete meal, this recipe is a reliable go-to that fits seamlessly into any menu.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 1 cup wild rice
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 cups water
Instructions
- Rinse the wild rice well, then add it to a pot with the salt, water and bring to a boil on medium high heat.
- Cover and reduce heat to a simmer, cooking for 50-55 minutes.
- Remove from the heat, let sit covered for 5 minutes then remove the cover, drain any remaining water and serve.
Nutrition
Want to save this recipe? Create a free account to easily save your favorite recipes
Note from Sabrina
Cook Wild Rice in water and salt for 50 to 55 minutes. The temperature and the time are important, so don’t forget to let it cook for the correct time. Undercooking makes it crunchy, which is never pleasant. It is also important to let sit, still covered, after it has finished cooking. Drain any excess liquid left over. Additionally, you can also add 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon of olive oil if you would like.
Table of contents
About this Recipe
This Easy Wild Rice recipe proves that a few simple ingredients can create an incredibly satisfying side dish. Wild rice is gently simmered in water with a touch of kosher salt, allowing its naturally nutty flavor and pleasantly chewy texture to shine. The result is a perfectly cooked, versatile side that’s equally at home alongside weeknight dinners, holiday feasts, or as the base for your favorite grain bowls and meal prep.
What is Wild Rice?
Wild Rice is actually a blend of different grains (Northern wild rice, Texas wild rice, and Manchurian wild rice to name a few) and isn’t rice at all, therefore it cooks slightly differently.
Can this be made ahead of time?
Yes, this can be made ahead of time for an easy healthy side dish to serve any day of the week. It will stay good in the refrigerator for. up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months in an air tight container. To reheat refrigerated or frozen rice, you can microwave it in a microwave-safe container for about 2-3 minutes, or until it is heated through. Alternatively, you can place the rice in a saucepan with a small amount of water and heat it over low heat, stirring occasionally, until it is heated through.
Pairing Suggestions
Wild Rice is a versatile side dish that goes with a variety of different main courses and it’s perfect for brunch or dinner. Pair with delicious Ribeyes, Roast Chicken, or Red Wine Pot Roast. Try more heathy sides like Roasted Green Beans, Crispy Roasted Cauliflower, or Corn Succotash. And, since dinner was so healthy, indulge in some Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies for dessert.
How to Store
- Serve: To refrigerate the leftover rice, transfer it to an airtight container once it’s cooled and store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Store: Cooked rice can be at room temperature for up to 2 hours.
- Freeze: To freeze the leftover rice, transfer it to a resealable freezer bag. Make sure the rice is cooled to prevent freezer burn. Freeze for up to 6 months.
Oven Baked Method
- Rinse rice well, add to boiling water in a baking dish
- Bake at 350 degrees, covered for 1 hour, then uncover and cook an additional 30 minutes.
Frequent Questions
Wild Rice is high in protein and has a distinct texture and nutty flavor. Unlike white rice, Wild Rice is not bleached. While brown rice is also a healthy substitute, wild rice is easier to cook without overcooking and has a shorter cooking time. Wild Rice is both long grain and gluten free for those with dietary restrictions.
Wild Rice blend is widely available at your local grocery store and is becoming more cost effective. American cultivated Wild Rice comes from the Great Lakes area, specifically Minnesota, in North America, and is becoming more popular as a white rice substitute across the United States.
Related Recipes
More Rice Side Dishes
Photos used in previous version of this post
What a great side dish to serve with dinner tonight! Looks easy and flavorful too! Yum!
Thank you so much for the tips! This is one of my favorite side dishes!
I’m making salmon tonight and this looks like the perfect accompaniment!
This was so much better than white rice and it was an easy side to make with my chicken dinner.
I’ve never made wild rice on it’s own as a side. Super excited to try it, it looks good and sounds really easy!
You forgot the butter! That’s essential.
This is just the base recipe of cooking wild rice, but you can definitely add butter and more yummy seasonings and flavors!
Yes, yippee!
Excellent, but I’m really confused how you can substitute water for olive oil to boil the rice. Did you mean to say you can brown the rice in olive oil before adding the water? Also, since this is sort of standard boiling(if I understood correctly and not really a steam, can water be substituted for milk? And can making sure there’s enough liquid upon cooking being done, make this a good wild rice soup? Lastly, any tips for making like a bed under a roasting source of drippings like a chicken without having burnt rice above uncooked above soggy overcooked rice?
Sorry to confuse you. Yes, you can brown it in olive oil before adding it to the water.