Perfect Wild Rice (Easy Side Dish!)

How to Cook Wild Rice Exactly: It’s going to become your favorite wild rice recipe! Add onion and celery for an easy side dish.

Are you a wild rice fan? Wild rice is a tasty whole grain, and guess what? It actually has nutritional benefits over brown rice! But beyond that, it’s a unique and healthy side dish to add to your dinner repertoire. Alex and I often make wild rice soup, but we haven’t had it often as a side…until now! We’ve perfected a version of my mom’s favorite wild rice recipe. Eat it as a side or use it in other recipes like this Wild Rice Casserole! Ready to cook?

How to cook wild rice

So you have a bag of wild rice: now what? How to cook wild rice. Opinions differ on the fluid requirements of wild rice. Some say 1:4, others say 1:2. There are many variations! Here’s what you should know about cooking this grain (or go straight to the recipe):

• Use wild rice, not a mix. Some wild rice varieties are packaged with other rice varieties and are referred to as “wild rice blend”. This recipe is for pure wild rice only, so be sure to find it.
• Do you know the report: The ratio we used in this recipe is 1 cup rice to 2.5 cups water or broth. This recipe uses 2 cups at a time, so we used 4 cups of broth (sold as 1 quart) and 1 cup of water.
• Cover and simmer for 45 to 55 minutes: Put everything in a saucepan, bring to a boil, then cover and let simmer. Depending on the brand of rice, this takes between 45 and 55 minutes. Don’t forget to check and try! The rice is done when it’s puffy and soft.

Also try: Mushroom and wild rice soup

Add onion and celery if you like!

You can use the formula above to prepare this wild rice recipe directly. However, we highly recommend adding the diced onion and celery to the mix! It adds just the right contrasts of flavor and texture. It’s perfect when you serve it as a healthy side dish.

The beauty of the cooking method here is that you don’t even have to sauté the veggies! Just add them to the rice and broth and cook while the rice cooks. It’s an easy way to add great flavor.

do you like celery Try These 15 Easy Celery Recipes!

Finish with olive oil or butter

For a real plus, you can finish this recipe with a drizzle of olive oil. Or if you want even more richness, add a tablespoon or two of butter. That brings the taste to the top! My mom’s favorite recipe is a bit retro: she adds some canned mushrooms at the end and a little butter. Feel free to add it if you want a 1970s vibe!

Is wild rice healthier than regular rice?

Did you know that wild rice is not rice at all? (Iridescent, isn’t it?) It’s actually the seed of an herb that grows in lakes and streams. Because it is very similar to rice, wild rice is treated like rice in most cuisines. Therefore, although not really related, wild rice is often compared to brown rice. Here’s how they stack:

• Wild rice has fewer calories than brown rice, about 66% less! 1 cup of cooked wild rice has 166 calories and 1 cup of brown rice has 248 calories. (Source)
• Wild rice contains slightly more protein than brown rice. 1 cup of cooked wild rice contains 6.5 grams of protein compared to 5.5 grams of brown rice. (Source)
• Wild rice and brown rice have the same amount of fiber, about 3 grams per 1 cup cooked.

Ways to serve this wild rice recipe

There are so many ways to serve this wild rice recipe! It’s the perfect side dish, but it can be modified in many ways. Here are a few ideas:

• As an accompaniment to fish. Wild rice is a good accompaniment to salmon; consider serving with this Lemon Dill Salmon.
• In a casserole. Our wild rice casserole combines this mix with broccoli and sticky cheese. Yummy!
• Add veggies and make a grain salad! This wild rice recipe turns into a grain salad easily by adding chickpeas, chopped fresh vegetables, olive oil and vinegar. (Alex and I tried this and it was delicious!)

This wild rice recipe is…

Vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan, plant-based and dairy-free.