Guide to Wild Rice: How to Cook With Wild Rice

Wild rice (comprising the genus Zizania) is the seed of a marsh grass native to North America, long cultivated by Native Americans. Unrelated to true rice (Oryza sativa), wild rice grows in rivers and creeks throughout the eastern United States and parts of Canada. The genus Zizania includes four different species, three of which are native to North America. The third (Zizania latifolia) is native to Asia and cultivated as a vegetable, not a grain.

Most wild rice isn't wild at all—it's commercially farmed, predominantly in California. A surge in the popularity of wild rice began in the 1970s, when more people became aware of the potential health benefits of wild rice (it has a higher protein content than other varieties of rice and is a good source of niacin, B vitamins, and antioxidants). Commercial farming of wild rice can be difficult, which is why it's more expensive than other rice varieties.

In the Great Lakes of Minnesota and in Canada, there are still some places where wild rice grows wild. There, it is an important foodstuff for the Ojibwe and other tribes, who hand-harvest wild rice in canoes. Wild rice is traditionally harvested by hand when green, then smoke-dried for long-term storage in a process known as parching.

Wild rice tastes like rice, which is why it's called rice, even though it's a completely different species. Like brown rice and other whole grains, wild rice has an outer shell (bran) that gives it a chewy texture. Wild rice has a slightly grassy flavor and a smokiness that comes from the way it's processed.

You can easily prepare wild rice as a side dish by boiling it in water or stock on the stovetop, but there are other ways to dress up the whole grain.

1. 1. Salad: Try wild rice in a salad with green onions, cranberries, and pecans. (Feel free to experiment with other dried fruits and nuts.)
2. 2. Pilaf: Wild rice makes a great pilaf. Cook aromatic vegetables such as onions in butter or olive oil, then add the wild rice and water or stock.
3. 3. Wild rice blend: Since wild rice is expensive, you might see it sold in grocery stores as part of a wild rice blend. You can make your own blend at home by combining wild rice with quinoa, black rice, red rice, and basmati rice.
4. 4. Wild rice soup: Wild rice is a chewy, nutty addition to any soup. It pairs especially well with hearty, creamy vegetable or chicken soups.
5. 5. Wild rice casserole: You can bake wild rice with additions like cream, cheese, chicken, or mushrooms for a comforting casserole.

Wild rice and brown rice are different species, and they have slightly different flavors; wild rice has a uniquely grassy, smoky taste. There are tens of thousands of rice species, and every variety can be available as brown rice, including basmati rice, jasmine rice, short-grain rice, and long-grain rice. There are just four species of wild rice.

Wild rice and brown rice do have some things in common: They're both gluten-free, and they're both whole grains, which means that they contain the germ, bran, and endosperm of the grain. Wild rice and brown rice have similar cooking times, so you can cook them together. Their flavors are different, but they complement each other well.