This instant pot rice is both sweet and savory and is the perfect side dish for the holiday season. And...it's easy enough for an everyday side dish! A mixture of brown and wild rice that is pressure cooked in a citrus vinaigrette with flavors that are so delicious...people can't resist!
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Wild rice made in the Instant Pot is a very efficient cooking method. Rice is my all time favorite side dish so I cook it a lot. You'll often find me pairing my Ono Rice recipe and my Mexican Rice with chicken, fish, and beef. Wild rice happens to be one of my favorite types, except it's not actually a rice. Wild rice is a species of grass that produces edible seeds that resemble rice. It takes a good amount of time to cook, but when you cook wild rice in the Instant Pot, it reduces the cooking time by half!
The total cooking time for this Instant Pot wild rice dish will take 28 minutes, plus a few additional minutes for releasing the pressure. And you don't need to soak the wild rice beforehand either. You simply add the ingredients together and let the magic of pressure do all the hard work. And there are so many side dishes you can make in the Instant Pot, so make sure you check out these 25 Easy and Delicious Instant Pot Side Dish Recipes.
ℹ️ Why This Recipe Works
1. Wild rice is extremely flavorful and has an earthy and nutty flavor.
2. It's extremely healthy! It's protein-rich, has a lot of high-dietary fiber, and has a high level of antioxidants.
3. The texture is firm on the outside, soft in the middle, and mixes well with brown rice.
4. This Instant Pot wild rice recipe is both vegetarian and gluten free.
🛒 Ingredients You'll Need
Because it's al dente and firm in texture, I like mixing it with brown rice to cut down on it becoming overly chewy. The olive oil helps lock in the moisture while cooking so the recipe doesn't dry out. For the citrus vinaigrette, I combine the juice and some zest from a lemon and orange to add a pop of citrus flavor. Adding a small amount of sugar helps cut down some of the tart from the citrus.
Adding in dried cranberries provides a sweet taste and pairs well with the textures of the rice blend. The chopped pecans compliment the nutty taste of the rice and adds a bit of a crunch to each bite. When it's done, I top it off with some fresh green onions to add a bit of flavor. Salt and pepper is also used to taste.
This recipe can be made in the pressure cooker or on the stovetop. If making this on the stove, you'll use butter when bringing the rice to a boil. Butter should not be used if making this in a pressure cooker because it will make the entire dish mushy.
📋 Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
Start by making the citrus vinaigrette. In a small bowl, add the olive oil, fresh lemon and orange juice, sugar, and the zest of the orange. Mix well and set aside.
Next, add in the wild and brown rice, dried cranberries, water, citrus vinaigrette, and a dash of salt and pepper to the Instant Pot. Stir to combine and then place the on lid. Set the valve to steaming and lock the lid in place.
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Set the Instant Pot to manual mode, ensuring the pressure level is set to the high pressure setting. Click on the + button and set the time to 28 minutes.
When the timer counts down to 0 and the Instant Pot beeps, turn the pressure valve to venting and let the pressure release. Allow the contents to sit in the pressure cooker for 15 minutes before removing the lid.
When done, remove the lid and add the chopped pecans and scallions. Fluff the mixture with a fork and serve. While this is a great side dish for any day of the week, I enjoy it a lot during the holidays. It's perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter. It also pairs well with roasted chicken and pork.
💭 Expert Tips
- This recipe can also be made on the stovetop! Step-By-Step instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Instead of using individual packages of brown and wild rice, you can use a mix, such as Lundberg Wild Blend Rice.
- Black rice can be substituted. If you use this type, set the pressure timing to 30 minutes instead of 28 minutes.
- When I cook wild rice in an Instant Pot, the pressure and the timing can be controlled by using the manual mode setting. If the rice mode setting is used, it will be undercooked and crunchy.
- Only use dried cranberries with this dish. Fresh cranberries change the flavor to be more tart instead of sweet.
- Don't use butter if making this in the pressure cooker because it will make the entire dish mushy.
- This dish can be served either hot, cold, or at room temperature.
- Store leftover in a container with a lid and place it in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
🥘 Main Dishes That Pair Well
This Instant Pot wild rice pairs really well with my Maple Roasted Chicken with Vegetables. The sweet and savory flavors are over the top delicious! If you're looking for more of a savory flavor to pair this side dis with, try my Roasted Garlic Herb Chicken. It's made in the slow cooker and requires minimal effort. It's super savory and delicious! This Roasted Chicken with Fresh Herbs is another savory dish that pairs well!
Instant Pot Wild Rice with Dried Cranberries and Pecans
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- ¾ cup brown rice
- ¼ cup wild rice
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup pecans, chopped
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon fresh orange juice
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon orange zest
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon unsalted butter, (only use if making this on the stovetop)
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions
For The Citrus Vinaigrette
- In a small bowl, add the olive oil, fresh lemon and orange juice, sugar, and the zest of the lemon and orange. Mix well and set aside.
For The Instant Pot
- In the Instant Pot, add in the water, citrus vinaigrette, brown rice, wild rice, dried cranberries and a dash of salt and pepper, to taste.
- Stir well and the place on the lid. Set the valve to steaming, and lock the lid in place.
- Set the Instant Pot to manual mode on high pressure for 28 minutes.
- Once the timer counts down to 0, the Instant Pot will beep. Turn the valve to venting and let the pressure release for 15 minutes.
- Remove the lid and add the chopped pecans and scallions. Fluff the mixture with a fork and serve.
Stove Top Instructions
- Use the amount of water for the rice according to instructions on the package. Typically straight brown rice is 1:2 ratio rice to water. Straight wild rice is a ratio of 1:3 of wild rice to water. Make sure to follow the directions on the package on how to cook the rice on the stove top.
- Bring the rice, ½ teaspoon of salt, butter, and water to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook 50 minutes. Do not stir or uncover during this 50 minutes.
- Once done, remove the pot from the stove and let it sit, covered for 10 minutes. Then uncover and fluff with a fork and allow to cool.
- In a medium sized serving bowl, gently mix the rice, pecans, and green onions.
- In a separate container with a lid, mix the lemon juice, olive oil, orange juice and zest, sugar, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Just before serving, mix the citrus vinaigrette into the rice mixture. Serve warm, chilled, or at room temperature.
Notes
- This recipe can also be made on the stovetop! Step-By-Step instructions are in the recipe in their own section.
- Instead of using individual bags of brown and wild rice, you can use a mix such as Lundberg Wild Blend.
- Black rice can be substituted. If you use this type, set the pressure timing to 30 minutes instead of 28 minutes.
- When making this recipe the pressure and the timing can be controlled by using the manual mode setting. If the rice mode setting is used, it will be undercooked and crunchy.
- Only use dried cranberries with this dish. Fresh cranberries change the flavor to be more tart instead of sweet.
- Don't use butter if making this in the Instant Pot because it will make the entire dish mushy.
- This dish can be served either hot, cold, or at room temperature.
- Store leftover in a container with a lid and place it in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
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Nutrition
Update Notes: This post was originally published in May 2012, but was re-published with updated step-by-step instructions, pictures, and tips in August 2021.
Kc
Can I double this recipe with the same cook time?
Amanda Mason
You should be able to, yes.
Kiki Johnson
OMG I LOVE the idea of adding that citrus dressing and the cranberries to the rice! And then some pecans for crunch - this sounds AMAZING! Bookmarked for Thanksgiving!
Amanda Mason
You will love this rice recipe, Kiki!!
Sam | Ahead of Thyme
I am getting an instant pot this week and am soo excited to stumble across this recipe! This salad looks delicious and perfect for fall. Can't wait to try it!
Amanda Mason
Yeah! You will LOVE your instant pot so much!! Definitely let me know how you like it!!