Slow Cooker Wild Rice
This Slow Cooker Wild Rice recipe is an easy and delicious recipe. It makes for a great side dish for weeknight meals!
Campbell’s chicken and rice soup – it’s a childhood comfort food. In fact, you could argue that a can of that soup is the childhood comfort food. The thing is I prefer a can of chicken and wild rice soup instead of the version with white rice. Nothing against the white rice version, but the wild rice soup recipe has so much more flavor!
To this day, if it’s a particularly cold day (or if I’ve got a cold), I still reach for a can of chicken and wild rice soup. I love wild rice in general, and we occasionally make a batch of wild rice as an easy dinner side dish.
A couple of years back, we made this Pecan Rice Pilaf. It’s an awesome side dish packed with fall flavors like toasted pecans and dried cranberries. That recipe is on permanent rotation in our house now.
The other day, I stumbled across a bag of wild rice in the pantry. “Hmmm, I wonder if I can use this wild rice in that pilaf recipe that we love?” Why not? I’d have to adjust the recipe slightly as wild rice takes longer to cook than white rice…but it sounded like a great idea. Then it hit me – since it was going to take a bit longer to cook, let’s turn the whole thing into a crock pot recipe!
Slow Cooker Wild Rice
This Slow Cooker Wild Rice is absolutely fantastic! The flavors are spot on. I added a twist of salt from the salt grinder, and I was all set. Wild rice perfection right here. We served it next to some sliced smoked brisket, but I could’ve eaten a big bowl of this rice by itself for dinner!
Let’s take a look at the ingredients for this easy Slow Cooker Wild Rice recipe:
- Wild Rice. I used a brown rice and wild rice blend, but you can certainly use all wild rice.
- Onion, Celery and Green Onions. These vegetables add a ton of flavor to the recipe – don’t skip ’em. Feel free to add a teaspoon of minced garlic or ½ cup of shredded carrots here, too!
- Butter. A bit of melted butter with the rice adds richness and flavor.
- Salt, Thyme and Black Pepper. Classic seasonings that add depth of flavor to the recipe. If you’re not a fan of thyme, feel free to use dried rosemary instead.
- Low-sodium Chicken Broth. I always prefer to use low-sodium broth, and then I just add more salt myself to the finished dish. That lets me control the salt to my personal preference a bit more.
- Parsley. The chopped parsley does add a bit of flavor, but it also makes the finished dish a bit more appealing.
- Sliced Almonds and Dried Cranberries. These two ingredients are optional, but I do like the nutty crunch from the almonds and the sweetness of the cranberries. Both add interesting texture to the finished recipe.
A note about slow cookers. For some reason, the slow cooker industry has never gotten together to create standard temperatures for LOW and HIGH. For some recipes (like soups), this isn’t a big deal. For others (like rice and pasta), that difference in temperature is a big deal!
I bring this up to say that you should pay close attention to this recipe as it gets close to finishing. Start checking that slow cooker early to make sure your rice doesn’t overcook. If rice overcooks, it will get mushy. (Similarly, this isn’t a recipe where you can flip it over to the WARM setting for an hour or two – the rice will get mushy.)
Once you learn the cooking time for your crockpot, just make a note for the next time. We absolutely love this recipe, and I do suspect it will make a number of appearances on cold winter days. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
Can you Freeze Rice?
Absolutely! Leftover wild rice can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Alternatively, it can be placed in a freezer bag and frozen for up to 6 months. To thaw, place the frozen bag in the fridge overnight. To reheat, place leftovers in a baking dish in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes.
Did you make this Slow Cooker Wild Rice at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog) – I’d love to see your version!
Slow Cooker Wild Rice
Ingredients
- 2 cups wild rice uncooked (see note)
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 1 cup diced celery ~3 large celery stalks
- ¼ cup chopped green onions
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- {optional} ½ cup slivered almonds lightly toasted
- {optional} ½ cup dried cranberries
Instructions
- Lightly grease a slow cooker and add rice. Pour melted butter on top of rice.
- Add onion, celery, green onions, salt, thyme, pepper and chicken stock; stir until well combined.
- Cook on HIGH for 2½-3½ hours or LOW for 5-6 hours. (See note.)
- Once rice is finished, turn off slow cooker and stir in chopped parsley, {optional} slivered almonds and {optional} dried cranberries.
- Note: All wild rice or a wild and brown rice blend can be used.
- Note: Cooking times will vary greatly based on brand and size of slow cooker. Start checking the rice early to make sure it doesn’t overcook. Once you figure out the timing based on your slow cooker, you’ll know for the next time!
Notes
Looking for more tasty slow cooker recipes? Check out these other favorites, too:
Cant wait to make this soon for me can i use vegan butter and vegetable broth i never had slow cooker wild rice before perfect for my after office meals love your recipes as always brightens up my day everyday after work
Yes! I do think you can use veggie broth and vegan butter in this recipe, Ramya. It’s an easy way to cook wild rice…and it makes for a tasty side dish!
This brings back memories that I had forgotten! It was a regular star on my catering menu. Only difference is we used currents steeped in a little sherry and browned the almonds a bit in butter, because… BUTTER, lol. Everting else the same. But I love the idea of cranberries in this! More color, more tang. I’m going to revive my old recipe and update it with the cranberries. And I’m going to try the crockpot. Thanks for this!
Ooooo…currents in sheet and toasted almonds? That sounds fantastic, Kim!! So with the crockpot version, the rice is a bit “stickier” rather than the individual grains when you cook it on the stovetop. We still enjoy it, and the flavor is spot-on. We like to add some chopped, cooked chicken and roasted broccoli here, too. Enjoy!!
Oh my goodness David. This rice recipe is elevated to new heights and I can’t wait to make it and gobble it up. What a fantastic dish that is loaded with flavor and texture. Thanks so much for sharing.
Thanks, Kristy! We were really pleased with this recipe – it has a lot going on in the flavor department, and it’s pretty fantastic as a side dish!
Love that this wild rice is packed with so many goodies, and that it can be made in a slow cooker!
Yes! The slow cooker is a handy thing…and it can be used for so much more than just a pot roast! 🙂
Great recipe. And smart to use the slow cooker. Sometimes wild rice feels like little sticks if they’re not cooked long enough!
I totally agree with you, Mimi! It takes wild rice so much longer to cook, so that’s why the slow cooker is great. Just turn it on and walk away! Now I will say that the texture of wild rice in the slow cooker is a little ‘stickier’ than the stovetop version where you have individual grains of rice. I’m sure there is a scientific reason behind this…but all I know is we enjoyed this as a side dish! 🙂
This wild rice looks amazing David! Definitely the perfect meal for these colder months. I agree, there’s so much more flavor and texture in wild rice than in white rice. The veggies, parsley, almonds, and dried cranberries make this dish even more delicious 😋. And great idea to use a slow cooker!
I love a good slow cooker recipe! Just prep a little bit and then walk away. There is so much flavor in this recipe, and we really enjoyed it as a tasty side dish. Add some protein and you’ve got an easy dinner!
wild rice? Don’t think i’ve ever had it. And I don’t know of cans of chicken and rice soup but it sounds delicious!
Now I know it is summertime down there, so soup isn’t necessarily on the menu…but is canned chicken and rice soup not a thing in Australia!? Campbell’s is the most popular brand here in the States for canned soup, and they sell chicken + rice by the case! Either way, this wild rice is quite tasty…tons of flavor!!
Yes, I do adore that soup too! Such a classic comfort food from childhood (and I still occasionally enjoy some). Wild rice is definitely a yummy choice for this. Not only does it look and sound delicious, I love that you can freeze it, which makes it perfect for busy weekdays. 🙂 Gotta stock up our freezer with this – yum!
Oh we definitely still open up a can of chicken and wild rice soup on occasion. I always want it to be more flavorful than it is, but it is still nostalgic and delicious! I do love having a freezer full of prepared foods (and desserts) so that we can whip up a meal without much thought. 🙂
I love my slow cooker for cooking rice. Particularly brown rice as it seems so much more flavoursome than when cooked on the stove. You’ve reminded me how much I like wild rice too and how I haven’t cooked with it for ages David. I’m sure I’ve some in the cupboard too. Can’t wait to give this slow cooker wild rice recipe a go. A great winter warmer!
That’s a good point about brown rice, Neil! I haven’t cooked that in the slow cooker, but it should work quite well. Give it a try with wild rice next time!
Yum! It’s been ages since I’ve had wild rice. Almost forgot about it! I used to love it as a kid and my mom made it pretty often. It seems to have gone out of fashion as I hardly ever hear about it these days… High time for a revival!
You’re right, Frank – wild rice kinda gets pushed to the fringes of the rice category. White rice (and other rices) are great, but wild rice is fantastic! You should definitely make a batch soon.
Years ago, I made some wild rice with John Dory fillets, but not recently. I like your addition of the cranberries to add some ‘pizazz’ to the recipe. My little research tells me that wild rice has fewer calories than white rice- that sounds good to me!
Interesting! I didn’t realize wild rice is lower in calories than white rice. That’s cool! And I bet it’s better for you in other nutritional categories, too. I do enjoy white rice, but wild rice is just fantastic!
I love this, David! I think I’d go ahead and throw some diced chicken into the mix!
Funny you should mention adding chicken here, Jeff. When I was first learning to cook, this recipe was one of my “go-to’s.” Wild rice, diced chicken, roasted broccoli and toasted almonds. It was quite delicious!!
I’m always up for new slow cooker recipes and this wild rice dish looks incredible, David! I could see it alongside so many of my favorite main courses.
Thanks so much, Marissa! This is an easy side dish, and we really enjoyed it. Hope you do, too!
As someone who loves rice and eats it with almost every meal, I’m intrigued by this Slow Cooker Wild Rice recipe. Although I haven’t had a chance to try it yet, I’m always on the lookout for easy and delicious side dishes to add to our weeknight meals. The combination of wild rice, onions, celery, and chicken broth sounds like it would make for a flavorful and satisfying dish. Plus, the addition of sliced almonds and dried cranberries adds an interesting texture and flavor.
We’re always on the lookout for easy side dishes for weeknight cooking, too. This one is good! The texture isn’t quite the same as if you cook the rice on the stovetop, but it doesn’t mean it’s bad – just different. It’s a little thicker, but the flavors are all there…plus, this is super easy to make!