This Instant Pot wild rice pilaf is the perfect low-effort side dish! With mushrooms and pine nuts, it is flavorful and so easy to prepare.
When it comes to easy side dishes, you may not think of your Instant Pot first, but it's actually pretty perfect because of the 'hands off factor'. From Instant Pot mashed cauliflower to Instant Pot sweet potatoes to this wild rice pilaf, there are so many easy options for you!
Whether you cook this wild rice pilaf for a weeknight dinner or for your holiday table, it's easy, effortless, and so tasty! It can even be prepped a day or two ahead and re-heated. How's that for convenient?
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Reasons you'll heart this recipe
- the contrast between the chewy wild rice blend, crunchy pine nuts and soft mushrooms is so great
- you can prepare it ahead and reheat
- it compliments a number of recipes, and is great for either weeknights or a holiday!
Recipe video
Watch the video below to see exactly how I prepped this Instant Pot Wild Rice Pilaf. It’s so easy! You can find more of my recipe videos on my YouTube channel.
Ingredient notes
- rice- I've used a brown basmati wild rice blend for this recipe, as I like the mixture of textures you get from the different types of rice. I recommend Lundberg brand, which contains a mixture of Long Grain Brown Rice, Sweet Brown Rice, Wild Rice, Wehani Red Rice and Black Rice.
- mushrooms- button or cremini mushrooms both work great in this recipe, make sure to wash well and slice.
- thyme- using fresh thyme brings a brightness to this recipe that you miss when using dried; with that being said if you can't get your hands on fresh thyme, try adding ½ teaspoon of dried thyme.
- wine- we deglaze the pan with white wine which builds flavor into the recipe; use a dry wine like a Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio, or simply use a cooking wine. The alcohol from the wine will evaporate off, but if you still want to skip the wine, you could swap for chicken stock.
- pine nuts- the nutty flavor of the pine nuts compliments the earthy and savory flavors of the rice so well. Taking the time to toast your pine nuts will bring out the nutty flavor even more!
Step by step directions
1. Sauté onions- Select the 'sauté' function, then add the olive oil to the stainless steel inner pot of your Instant Pot. Add the onion, and cook for 4-5 minutes, until soft and translucent. Make a space in the pan, then add the garlic and sauté for another 1-2 minutes.
Add the white wine, and scrape up the bottom of the pan, cooking for another minute.
TIP- it's a good idea to deglaze the bottom of your Instant Pot after sautéing to avoid triggering the burn warning.
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2. Remaining ingredients- add the mushrooms, salt, wild rice blend, thyme and stock to the pot. Stir everything up, ensuring that no rice is sticking to the side of the Instant Pot.
TIP- this recipe works in both a 6 quart Instant Pot and an 8 quart Instant Pot!
3. Cook- Place the lid on the Instant Pot, set the valve to the 'sealing' position, and pressure cook on high pressure for 28 minutes. When the Instant Pot completes its cooking cycle, allow it to naturally depressurize for 15 minutes before releasing any remaining pressure and removing the lid.
4. Finishing touches- add parsley and pine nuts, stir, and enjoy.
FAQ
This recipe was specifically tested using a brown basmati/wild rice blend from Lundberg. If you change up the type of rice, you will need to change the cook time.
See:
Instant Pot Basmati Rice
Instant Pot Jasmine Rice
Instant Pot Brown Rice
Wild rice is a nutrient-dense whole grain that is rich in antioxidants and has many other health benefits. Read more about it here.
Due to the long cook time, veggies turn to mush in this recipe (except mushrooms for some reason!) so if you want to add carrots or celery, you'll want to cook them separately and add them in after cooking.
Storage & reheating
This recipe can be made ahead and reheats great!
Storage
- Cool completely.
- Add to an air tight container.
- Store in the fridge for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Reheating
- Heat oven to 350°F.
- Add the rice to a covered casserole dish.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, until warmed through.
- Add the pine nuts and parsley fresh if possible.
Food safety & rice
Cooked rice has the worst rap when it comes to food safety. However, rice is perfectly safe to eat when cooked and stored properly:
- cool and refrigerate quickly
- store for 4-6 days (personally I have a 4 day rule for leftovers)
- reheat until steaming hot, and only reheat once
More Instant Pot sides
Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!
Instant Pot Wild Rice Pilaf with Mushrooms and Pine Nuts
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 onions chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup white wine see note 1
- 12 oz mushrooms sliced; see note 2
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme or ½ tsp dried thyme leaves
- 2 cups wild rice brown basmati blend see note 3
- 2 cups stock chicken or vegetable
After cooking
- ½ cup parsley chopped
- ½ cup pine nuts toasted
Instructions
- Sauté onions- Select the 'sauté' function, then add the olive oil to the stainless steel inner pot of your Instant Pot. Add the onion, and cook for 4-5 minutes, until soft and translucent. Make a space in the pan, then add the garlic and sauté for another 1-2 minutes.Add the white wine, and scrape up the bottom of the pan, cooking for another minute.
- Remaining ingredients- add the mushrooms, salt, wild rice blend, salt, thyme and stock to the pot. Stir everything up, ensuring that no rice is sticking to the side of the Instant Pot.
- Cook- Place the lid on the Instant Pot, set the valve to the 'sealing' position, and pressure cook on high pressure for 28 minutes. When the Instant Pot completes its cooking cycle, allow it to naturally depressurize for 15 minutes before releasing any remaining pressure and removing the lid.
- Finishing touches- add parsley and pine nuts, stir, and enjoy.
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Tips:
- Heat oven to 350°F.
- Add the rice to a covered casserole dish.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, until warmed through.
- Add the pine nuts and parsley fresh if possible.
Video
Nutrition Information
© Sweet Peas & Saffron - Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
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Cook time was adapted from Green Healthy Cooking!
Kinny says
Great! My grocery store only carried one kind of wild rice (bens long grain and wild rice) and I'm glad I read the directions/comments thoroughly because this particular brand you only use high pressure for 5-6 minutes and 10 minute's decompress. It would have been super mushy otherwise. Mine turned out perfectly done. Excited to try this with the suggested rice (stores seemed out of Lundberg), once I can find it! Also, toasting pine nuts only takes a minute or so, so definitely do that. Hope this helps anyone else who might be wondering the same.
Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says
Hi Kinny, so glad to hear that it turned out perfectly and that you were able to find the tips you needed here in the comments! Thank you so much for taking the time to come back to leave a rating and review, we so appreciate it!
Mischa says
Loved this so much!!!! It was unbelievably easy and felt very gourmet. I got one of those mixed wild mushroom batches with kind of chewier varieties and it worked beautifully. I also like using just the sprigs of thyme, without having to take the leaves out and just removing the whole sprig after cooking.
Can't wait to try your other recipes and really get the most out of this instapot!
Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says
Hi Mischa, isn't it delish?! Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and leave a rating and review 🙂 You're definitely in the right place for more quick and easy Instant Pot recipes... enjoy!
AC says
Can I substitute this with quinoa? Looks very tasty and want to try it but whenever I make rice or rice substitute it comes out like mush or clumpy. I have a 6 quart instant pot.
Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says
Hello AC, Great question! It might be possible, but we haven't tested it with quinoa. The water ratio should be the same (1:1), but the cooking time would need to be drastically reduced (1 min with full natural pressure release). It might be advisable to sauté the mushrooms through before cooking just in case they aren't cooked through in the shortened cook time. See our Instant Pot Quinoa post for more details on pressure cooking quinoa! I hope this helps, and please report back to let us know how it turns out if you do try it!
Christine Moye says
Do you think this would work with just wild rice? Or do you think it needs to be a blend?
Denise Bustard says
Hi Christine! I have only made this recipe using a blend. A quick google search tells me that wild rice has a different water ratio (1 : 1.5) and cook time (15-20 min with full natural pressure release). You could try changing the ratios and cook time, but I can't myself guarantee that it will come out the same. Good luck!
Lori Wilcox says
Delish! I used 1 1/2 c. Brown rice, and 1/2 c. Wild rice. Toasted the pine nuts and also added some chopped canned artichoke hearts. Thanks for this yummy recipe!
Denise Bustard says
Hi Lori! Happy to hear you enjoyed. Thanks for sharing your modifications!
Eric says
This did not turn out for me at all, they rice was VERY mushy.
Denise says
Hi Eric! I'm so sorry to hear this. Could you confirm for me which blend of wild rice you used as well as which size instant pot? Thanks so much. Hope you are safe and well!
Kristen says
Is it possible to double the recipe in a six quart Instant Pot?
Denise says
Hi Kristen! I have not tried doubling it and am unsure if it will fit. If you give it a try would you let me know how it goes for you?
Marjorie Ross says
I've never heard of "brown onions". Will yellow or white o ions do?
Denise says
Hi Marjorie! Any onion will do. Hope you enjoy!
Tammy says
I am not a wine drinker. Is there a possible sub?
Denise says
Hi Tammy! Yes, you can sub for chicken stock (or veggie stock). Hope you enjoy!
Heidi says
Made this for company this past weekend. Wow, it is delicious. I used mushroom broth but that was the only change. Very easy and delicious. Thank you for sharing!
Denise says
So happy you enjoyed it, Heidi! Thanks so much for reporting back 🙂
Tambra says
Can you just use regular brown rice
Denise says
Hi Tambra, I've only tested with the wild rice blend, so I can't say for sure. I would check this post for the cook time for brown rice: https://greenhealthycooking.com/instant-pot-rice/
Arielle says
Hi,
Is there anyway to add chicken to this to make it a fuller meal for lunch prep?
Denise says
Hi Arielle, that would work! Here's my go-to chicken breast recipe: https://sweetpeasandsaffron.com/baked-chicken-breast/
Elizabeth says
Has anyone tried this in a slow cooker? If so, what changes did you need to make to the recipe?
Denise says
Hi Elizabeth! I haven't tried, I have actually heard rice gets quite mushy in the slow cooker. But if someone has had luck I hope they can chime in!
J-Wo says
Can this be made as stuffing for a turkey? If so, do you suggest less liquid or less cooking time since it will continue cooking inside the bird?
Denise says
Hi! I have not tried that, and worry it might overcook and get mushy? But if you try it I'd love to hear how it turns out. 🙂
Brooke Lannert says
Hi Denise,
Can you share what brand wild rice you used?
Thanks
Denise says
I tested this recipe with Royal Wild Rice Brown Basmati Blend as well as Lundberg Wild Rice Blend 🙂
Amy/pinchmegood says
Wow this looks so good! I just bought an Insta Pot! Can’t wait to try this??.
Denise says
Hope you enjoy it!
Serena says
This recipe sounds great and I'm totally in love with my Instant Pot.
Denise says
Thanks, Serena!
Jennifer says
Any chance you can provide stovetop instructions? I don't have an Instant Pot, but this looks delicious!
Denise says
Hi Jennifer! I haven't tried this, but I would follow the directions for this recipe, except adding as much stock as your rice package calls for. I can't remember the ratio for wild rice. Might be 2:1? Then cook for whatever time the package says. Some say 20 min and some say 45, it seems to depend on the blend. Good luck and I hope you enjoy it!