17+ Awesome Wild Rice Recipes
You either love wild rice or you don't, and there isn't much in between. I grew up on the Iron Range in Northern Minnesota, so I land firmly on the love side, right next to venison, pasties, and hotdish. You can take the girl out of Grand Rapids, but that iron ore sticks to you forever, don't cha' know.
What Makes Wild Rice Different
Wild rice isn't technically rice. It's the seed of an aquatic grass, which is why it's chewier and nuttier than white rice and keeps its bite in soups and casseroles. The flavor is strong, so I like it mixed in with other ingredients. Brown rice works in a pinch, but the texture isn't the same.
If you can find wild-harvested rice from Minnesota, grab it. I'm biased, but it really is the best.
Why You'll Love These Wild Rice Recipes
- Cozy Comfort Food - Soups, hotdish, and bakes that make cold weather easier to handle.
- Holiday Ready - Pilafs, dressings, and a sausage stuffing that earn a spot on the Thanksgiving table.
- Make-Ahead Friendly - Wild rice holds its texture, so many of these dishes reheat well.
- Weeknight Options - Skillet dinners and Instant Pot rice keep things simple.
- Pellet Grill Option - There's a Traeger hotdish in the mix if you want a little smoke.
Wild Rice Soup Recipes
Corn & Potato Chowder with Wild Rice
Corn, potatoes, and wild rice make a thick chowder that fills you up and warms you through. It's a good one for fall and winter.
Get The Recipe: Corn & Potato Chowder with Wild Rice
Wild Rice Hotdish Soup
This is hotdish in soup form, with beef broth, onions, celery, ground beef, and wild rice. It skips the "cream of" soup you'd find in the casserole version.
Get The Recipe: Wild Rice Hotdish Soup
Creamy Chicken Mushroom Wild Rice Soup
A creamy soup with chicken, wild rice, mushrooms, sage, and cream. It might be in my top five soups, and it's a good fit for the coldest days.
Get The Recipe: Creamy Chicken Mushroom Wild Rice Soup
Homemade Turkey Noodle Soup
Turn leftover turkey into a big pot of soup with homemade stock, wild rice, and from-scratch egg noodles. It makes 12 servings, so it's handy after Thanksgiving.
Get The Recipe: Homemade Turkey Noodle Soup
Wild Rice Hotdish and Casserole Recipes
Traeger Wild Rice Hotdish
This hotdish uses no condensed soup and comes together in about 30 minutes, not counting the time on the Traeger. It's the stick-to-your-ribs kind of dinner.
Get The Recipe: Traeger Wild Rice Hotdish
Scratch Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole
A creamy chicken and wild rice casserole made completely from scratch.
Get The Recipe: Scratch Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole
Broccoli Cheddar Wild Rice Bake
Roasted broccoli and wild rice in a creamy roux-based sauce, topped with cheddar. It's meatless and doesn't need cream of mushroom soup.
Get The Recipe: Broccoli Cheddar Wild Rice Bake
Zucchini & Wild Rice Gratin
Shredded zucchini and wild rice baked with parmesan. The creamy sauce comes from the zucchini's own juices and a little milk.
Get The Recipe: Zucchini & Wild Rice Gratin
Wild Rice Side Dish Recipes
Instant Pot Wild Rice
Plain wild rice cooked in the Instant Pot, with no stovetop babysitting. It's useful when you need a big batch for the other recipes on this list.
Get The Recipe: Instant Pot Wild Rice
Wild Rice Pilaf
Wild rice is the star of this pilaf. It goes with almost any big meaty main, so it's an easy side to keep in your back pocket.
Get The Recipe: Wild Rice Pilaf
Wild Rice Pilaf with Cranberries, Apples and Pecans
A pilaf simmered in chicken broth and apple juice, then mixed with sauteed onion, apple, dried cranberries, and toasted pecans. It lands somewhere between sweet and savory.
Get The Recipe: Wild Rice Pilaf with Cranberries, Apples and Pecans
Wild Rice Pilaf with Cranberries and Apple
Shallots, apple, dried cranberries, and pistachios with a pinch of nutmeg. This one is dairy free, gluten free, and vegan.
Get The Recipe: Wild Rice Pilaf with Cranberries and Apple
Sausage and Wild Rice Stuffing
Sausage, leeks, apple, dried cranberries, wild rice, and bread cubes. It works as a holiday side or as a meal on its own.
Get The Recipe: Sausage and Wild Rice Stuffing
Wild Rice Dinner Recipes
Mushroom Pork Chops with Vegetable Wild Rice Pilaf
This pork chop bake makes its own side dish. You get cheesy rice and tender chops from one pan.
Get The Recipe: Mushroom Pork Chops with Vegetable Wild Rice Pilaf
Beef & Wild Rice Stuffed Zucchini
Big zucchini hold a filling of beef, wild rice, and orzo. It's a good use for the giant ones that show up in the garden every August.
Get The Recipe: Beef & Wild Rice Stuffed Zucchini
Sausage and Rice Stuffed Acorn Squash
Acorn squash halves filled with sausage, mushrooms, pecans, sage, and rice, then drizzled with a lemon garlic sauce. The recipe calls for brown or wild rice, so use wild rice to keep it on theme.
Get The Recipe: Sausage and Rice Stuffed Acorn Squash
Wild Rice FAQ
No. Wild rice is the seed of an aquatic grass, not a true rice. It cooks up chewy and nutty, with a stronger flavor than white or brown rice.
Rinse it, then simmer it covered in about 3 cups of water or broth for every 1 cup of rice. Most stovetop methods take 45 to 60 minutes. It's done when the grains split open and are tender with a little chew. Brands vary, so check your package, and drain any extra liquid at the end.
About 3 cups. It expands a lot, so a small bag goes a long way.
Yes. Cook a batch, cool it, and keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. It also freezes well. The texture holds up, which is why it works so well in casseroles and soups.
Plain wild rice is naturally gluten free. If you buy a wild rice blend, check the label, since blends can include other grains and some come with seasoning packets.
In most of these recipes, yes, but the texture will be softer and the cook time and liquid will change. Follow the package directions for the rice you're using.
Wild rice pilaf goes with almost any meaty main. I like it with my Traeger Jerk Chicken Kabobs and Smoked Whole Chicken. It's also a natural fit for venison recipes, and you'll find more side dishes for the holiday table in my Holiday Side Dish Recipes.
If your family has a wild rice recipe I missed, leave it in the comments!
i didn't fall in love with wild rice until a few years ago but now i love it! thanks so much for including my stuffing!
My pleasure, Lindsay! It looks like a fantastic recipe. I'm definitely going to try it!
Hey, I'm from up der too ya know. Born in Grand Rapids, grew up in Hibbing and now live "down in the Cities". Ha!! Love your wild rice recipes and hope to give them a try soon. When I was growing up our neighbors had a wild rice processing plant, so we always had bags of wild rice. Thanks for a great blog!!
That's awesome! Just sent you an email, Jan. I'm from Grand Rapids too! <3
Dear Nicole, I"m drooling over here, particularly over the Wild Rice Pilaf with Cranberries and Apple .....oh yes sister!!! Bring it on. And I had no idea wild rice is a Minnesota thing! Happy Thanksgiving! (almost)