Instant Pot Wild Rice Pilaf with Mushrooms

About This Side

This is a hands-off, deeply savory side that turns a chewy, nutty wild rice blend into something worth building a meal around. Sautéing the carrots, onion, celery, and Portobello mushrooms right in the Instant Pot® before pressure cooking gives the finished pilaf a real backbone of flavor — the vegetables soften and the mushrooms release their liquid, which the rice then cooks in along with the broth and rosemary. The result is earthy, herby, and substantial, with wild rice grains that stay distinct rather than mushy, and a finish of toasted almonds and fresh parsley for crunch and brightness. It tastes like something you tended on the stovetop for an hour, even though the pressure cooker did the actual work in fifteen minutes. Serve it alongside roasted chicken, seared salmon, or a Thanksgiving spread — it holds its own next to rich, fatty proteins and also works as a stand-alone vegetarian main if you swap in vegetable broth. Because the vegetables are diced fine and the rice is rinsed well before cooking, everything comes together evenly with no soggy pockets or undercooked grains. This is a good recipe to have on hand year-round: light enough for a weeknight, hearty enough for a holiday table.

How to Make Instant Pot® Wild Rice Pilaf with Mushrooms & Rosemary

Saute Vegetables Until Glossy

Sliced mushrooms, grated carrot, diced celery, and red onion sautéing in glossy liquid inside a stainless steel Instant Pot insert, with a wooden spoon resting at the edge.

Look for the vegetables to soften and the pan to turn glossy as the mushrooms release their liquid. Go to step 1

Stir Rice and Broth Into Vegetables

Wild rice, shredded carrots, celery, red onion, and sliced mushrooms mixed with broth and rosemary in an Instant Pot insert.

Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot as you stir everything together. Go to step 2

Fluff Rice and Check for Split Grains

A dark bowl of wild rice pilaf with carrots, mushrooms, and herbs, topped with chopped parsley and slivered almonds, with a fork resting in the bowl.

Check that the wild rice grains are tender, with some starting to split open. Go to step 4

Cooking Tips

Rinse the wild rice blend thoroughly before adding it — starchy rinse water can cause excess foaming under pressure and lead to a false “Burn” warning. After sautéing, make sure you’ve scraped up any stuck-on bits from the bottom of the pot; anything left behind is the most common cause of a burn notice once the lid goes on. Don’t skip or shorten the 10-minute natural release — wild rice needs that gentler, gradual pressure drop to finish steaming evenly, and a hard quick release right away can leave the grains chewy in the center. When you lift the lid, the pilaf will look slightly wet; that’s normal; the 5-minute rest and fork-fluffing at the end is what pulls it together. You can dice the vegetables and toast the almonds up to a day ahead and store them separately in the fridge to cut down on prep time. If your Instant Pot® runs on the small side, check that the rice, broth, and vegetables don’t exceed the max fill line before sealing.

Serving Suggestion

A dark bowl filled with wild rice pilaf mixed with diced carrots, topped with chopped parsley, slivered almonds, and cracked black pepper.

Serve warm, straight from the pot, as a side for roasted or grilled chicken, seared salmon, or a holiday turkey. It also stands on its own as a light vegetarian main with a green salad. Spoon it into a wide, shallow bowl so the almonds and parsley stay visible on top, and finish with an extra crack of black pepper at the table.

Dietary Information: Whole-Grain, Naturally Vegetarian-Friendly Side

This pilaf leans on wild rice, a whole grain that brings fiber and a firmer texture than white rice, along with a good mix of vegetables — carrots, celery, onion, and mushrooms — for volume and nutrients without much added fat. A single tablespoon of olive oil does the sautéing, keeping the dish light, and the almonds add a small amount of plant protein, healthy fat, and crunch. Made with vegetable broth, it’s fully vegetarian; made with chicken broth, it’s not. Sodium will vary depending on the broth you choose, so use a low-sodium version if you’re watching salt intake. Overall, this is a moderate-calorie, fiber-forward side rather than a rich or indulgent one.

Ingredient Notes

Wild rice blend: Wild rice isn’t technically rice but the seed of the aquatic grass Zizania palustris, prized for its distinctive texture and flavor and notably high in protein and fiber while low in fat. (Source: extension.purdue.edu)

Baby portobello mushrooms: Portobello mushrooms are a variety of fungus, distinct from plants, prized for an earthy flavor that adds depth to savory dishes like this rice pilaf. (Source: extension.usu.edu)

Fresh rosemary leaves: A ¾-ounce package of fresh rosemary yields about ½ cup of leaves, and its fragrant, piney flavor pairs well with garlic in savory dishes. (Source: americastestkitchen.com)

Extra virgin olive oil: Extra virgin olive oil is the main fat of the Mediterranean diet, prized for compounds like oleic acid and hydroxytyrosol that give it its nutritional character. (Source: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

Substitutions

Vegetable broth keeps this fully vegetarian; use chicken broth if you don’t need it to be. Baby Portobello mushrooms can be swapped for cremini or white button mushrooms with no change to timing. No red onion on hand? A yellow or white onion works fine. If you have a tree nut allergy, leave out the slivered almonds or replace them with toasted sunflower seeds for similar crunch. Fresh rosemary and parsley are best here, but in a pinch, use about a third the amount of dried rosemary; dried parsley is a weaker substitute and best skipped rather than swapped in.

Storage and Make-Ahead

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. To freeze, cool completely and pack into a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of broth or water to loosen the grains, or microwave in short bursts, stirring in between, until warmed through. The almonds will soften somewhat after storage — add a fresh handful on top when reheating if you want the crunch back.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different rice instead of a wild rice blend?

Plain wild rice or a wild rice blend is what this timing is built around. Straight white or brown rice cooks much faster under pressure and will turn mushy at 15 minutes, so if you swap, you’ll need to adjust the cook time and liquid ratio for that specific rice.

Q: Why did I get a “Burn” notice on my Instant Pot®? A: This usually happens when bits of browned vegetable or garlic are left stuck to the bottom of the pot from the sauté step. Make sure you scrape the bottom clean when you add the broth and rice in step two, and check that there’s enough liquid covering the bottom of the pot.

Q: Can I prep this ahead of time for a holiday meal? A: Yes. Dice and sauté the vegetables and toast the almonds up to a day ahead, storing each separately in the fridge. When you’re ready, warm the sautéed vegetables briefly in the pot, then continue with the rice, broth, and pressure cooking steps as written.

Q: What should the rice look like when it’s done? A: Properly cooked wild rice grains will be tender with several grains starting to split or curl open, and the pilaf should look slightly moist rather than dry. If it still seems too chewy after fluffing, seal the lid and let it sit on the warm setting for a few extra minutes rather than repressurizing.

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