Can You Freeze Rice-A-Roni? Meal Prep and Storage Guide
“Tender, savory, and so easy to keep on hand, this Instant Pot Rice-A-Roni Long Grain & Wild Rice makes a delicious side dish and an incredibly useful freezer staple too!” – Mona, Far From The Farm.
If you’ve been following along with my Beginner Instant Pot 101 pressure cooker Rice-A-Roni side dish series, this box of Instant Pot Rice-A-Roni Long Grain & Wild Rice is a bit of a different beast. Unlike the classic varieties, there are no tiny vermicelli pasta bits mixed in here. It is strictly a blend of long grain and wild rice, which means it naturally demands a bit more cooking time.
Hi! If you’ve been following me for long you’ll already know this, but for those who are new, welcome to Far From The Farm. I’m Mona, the Brit behind the recipes, learning life and food in the States while sharing our debt-free journey and what’s on the menu in our home today!
Coming from Britain, Rice-A-Roni was one of those uniquely American pantry staples I had to learn from scratch after moving to the States. Now, I love keeping a few boxes tucked away. They are cheap, shelf-stable, and incredibly handy when you just need an inexpensive side dish on the table.
But if you try to force this box into the same short cooking time as the vermicelli versions, you are going to end up with a crunchy disappointment. Because the grain structure is completely different, I treat this variety as its own individual product rather than trying to use a generic, one-size-fits-all formula.
I still like to toast the grains in salted butter using the SAUTÉ mode before pressure cooking. You aren’t looking for a deep golden color like you would with pasta; you just want the butter fully melted and the rice looking slightly translucent and fragrant.
Once the lid is secured, the machine handles the rest—meaning you don’t have to stand over a sputtering stove. This variety requires a natural pressure release instead of a quick release, giving those stubborn wild rice grains the exact extra time they need to tenderize.
This is also a recipe I specifically love making as a double batch (using two 4.3 oz boxes, which is exactly what I used for the recipe below). I am not a fan of massive, exhausting weekend meal-prep sessions that cover every surface in the kitchen and require buying dozens of expensive containers.
For me, realistic, budget-friendly freezer prep just means making a little extra of what we are already eating and saving it for another meal.
And just a reminder that if you’re struggling and you need help with managing your budget or starting your own debt free journey then here’s some FREE resources below you may find helpful!
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Cooked wild rice freezes beautifully when pressed flat in a cheap freezer bag. It’s great as a quick side later on, but it is an absolute lifesaver during the colder months when chicken and wild rice soups are on rotation.
If someone in the house is under the weather, having this seasoned rice sitting in the freezer means you can throw a comforting soup together in minutes.
There’s no starting another pot of rice, and no waiting forty minutes for a raw wild rice blend to bubble away while the rest of the soup is already boiling. It saves you time, prevents takeout temptation, and stretches your grocery budget further.
As always, these photos are from my real kitchen here in our sweet military base home. No AI recipe images or staged lighting or spotless marble counters. Just real life and real food made in a small space. Proof that you can feed your family well without needing a dream kitchen or fancy tools!
Grab your Instant Pot or pressure cooker and let’s get this easy side dish started!
Recipe Disclaimer
All Far From The Farm recipes are shared as a guide based on what works in my home kitchen. Results may vary depending on your ingredients, equipment, and cooking setup, so always use your own judgement. Please check all ingredients for allergies, intolerances, or dietary needs before making any recipe. Far From The Farm is not responsible for any reactions or outcomes from the use of these recipes. Nutritional information is an estimate only.
Mona – Far From The Farm
Equipment
- Instant Pot 6 Quart or larger
- Silicone spatula or wooden spoon
- Measuring jug, cups and spoons
- Serving spoon
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Ingredients
Serves 6 to 8
- 8.6 oz Long Grain & Wild Rice Rice-A-Roni (2 x 4.3 oz boxes)
- 2 tbsp salted butter
- 2 1/2 cups water
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step One: Separate the Rice and Seasoning Packets
Open both 4.3 oz boxes of Long Grain & Wild Rice Rice-A-Roni and remove the seasoning packets.
Pour the rice mixture from both boxes into the Instant Pot. Keep the seasoning packets to one side because we’ll add those after sautéing.
Step Two: Add the Butter
Add 2 tbsp salted butter to the rice and turn the Instant Pot onto SAUTÉ mode.
Stir the rice as the butter melts so the grains become evenly coated.
Step Three: Lightly Toast the Rice
Continue cooking on SAUTÉ until the butter has completely melted and the rice is beginning to look slightly translucent and ever so lightly toasted.
You’re not trying to deeply brown the rice.
This variety doesn’t contain the little pieces of vermicelli found in many other Rice-A-Roni varieties, so don’t wait for pasta to turn golden as a visual cue. You’re simply giving the rice a brief sauté in the butter before pressure cooking.
Step Four: Turn Off SAUTÉ Mode
Press CANCEL to switch off SAUTÉ mode.
Don’t leave the pot heating while you measure and add the remaining ingredients. We only want that brief, gentle toasting stage.
Step Five: Add the Water and Seasoning
Pour 2 1/2 cups water into the Instant Pot.
Add both seasoning packets and stir everything together thoroughly.
Run your spoon or spatula across the bottom of the pot as you stir to make sure there isn’t anything stuck there from sautéing.
Step Six: Secure the Instant Pot Lid
Place the lid securely onto the Instant Pot.
Make sure the pressure valve is set to SEAL and not VENT.
Step Seven: Pressure Cook for 15 Minutes
Select HIGH PRESSURE and set the cooking time for 15 minutes.
Remember that the 15-minute cooking time begins once the Instant Pot has come up to pressure. The machine will need additional time beforehand to heat the contents and pressurize.
Step Eight: Natural Release for 15 Minutes
When the pressure-cooking cycle finishes, do not immediately switch the valve to VENT.
Leave the Instant Pot alone and allow it to NATURAL RELEASE for 15 minutes.
During that time, the pressure will gradually fall on its own. The pressure pin may drop before the full 15 minutes have passed, but I still leave the rice undisturbed for the complete 15-minute natural release.
Step Nine: Check the Pressure Before Opening
After the 15-minute natural release, check that the pressure pin has dropped.
Mine should normally have released its pressure during this time. If your pin has not dropped, carefully move the valve to VENT and allow any remaining pressure to escape completely.
Never attempt to force the Instant Pot lid open while it is still pressurized.
Once the pin has dropped and all pressure is released, carefully remove the lid.
Step Ten: Fluff and Rest
Use a serving spoon or silicone spatula to gently fluff the rice and separate the grains.
Leave the cooked Long Grain & Wild Rice Rice-A-Roni uncovered for 2 to 3 minutes before serving. This brief rest allows any remaining surface moisture to settle while the grains separate nicely.
Then serve warm as a side dish, or cool completely if you’re preparing the rice for the freezer.
How to Freeze Instant Pot Long Grain and Wild Rice
This is one of my favorite reasons for making two boxes at once.
Long grain and wild rice is incredibly useful to have tucked away in the freezer, especially once the colder months roll around. I love being able to grab a bag when I’m making chicken and wild rice soup, or when someone isn’t feeling particularly well and I want to put something warm and comforting together without starting every component from scratch.
The important thing with cooked rice is to cool it promptly rather than leaving it sitting around at room temperature for extended periods.
Once cooled, this is how I freeze mine:
- Label a freezer-safe zip-top bag with the contents and date.
- Place the bag into a bag-holder stand so it stays open while you’re filling it.
- Spoon the cooled Long Grain & Wild Rice Rice-A-Roni into the bag.
- Remove as much excess air as possible.
- Seal the bag securely.
- Flatten the rice into a thin, even layer.
- Freeze the bag completely flat.
Once frozen solid, the flat bags are much easier to stack or stand upright in the freezer, and the thinner layer also helps the rice thaw quickly.
How to Thaw Frozen Long Grain and Wild Rice
My preferred method is to move the frozen bag into the refrigerator overnight and let it thaw gradually.
Because the rice is frozen in a thin, flat layer, it defrosts remarkably quickly. If you need it sooner, you can thaw it at room temperature for about 1 hour, but don’t leave cooked rice sitting out for prolonged periods. Once thawed, use it promptly.
For a simple side dish, transfer the thawed rice to a microwave-safe dish and microwave until steaming hot throughout, stirring partway through so it reheats evenly. If it seems a little dry after freezing, a small splash of water before reheating can help restore moisture.
Can I Add Frozen Long Grain and Wild Rice to Soup?
Yes. That’s one of my favorite uses for it.
If you’re making something like chicken and wild rice soup, you don’t necessarily need the rice to become a separate side dish first. The cooked rice can be added to the soup and heated through thoroughly.
Because the Rice-A-Roni is already fully cooked, add it toward the later part of cooking rather than treating it like uncooked wild rice that needs a long simmer. This helps keep the grains from becoming unnecessarily soft while the rest of the soup cooks.
If you’ve frozen the rice flat, you can also break the frozen sheet into smaller pieces when practical and add the amount you need rather than using the entire batch.
Notes
- This recipe uses two boxes: The tested quantities are for 2 x 4.3 oz boxes of Long Grain & Wild Rice Rice-A-Roni.
- This isn’t the same as other Rice-A-Roni varieties: Long Grain & Wild Rice doesn’t contain the vermicelli component found in many Rice-A-Roni products, so it needs a longer pressure-cooking method.
- Toast lightly: Sauté only until the butter is melted and the rice is beginning to look translucent and ever so lightly toasted. You’re not trying to deeply brown it.
- Use both seasoning packets: Add them with the water after turning off SAUTÉ mode.
- Pressure cook: Use HIGH PRESSURE for 15 minutes.
- Natural release: Allow a full 15-minute NATURAL RELEASE rather than performing an immediate quick release.
- Final rest: Fluff the rice and leave it uncovered for 2 to 3 minutes before serving.
- Freezer prep: Cool promptly, transfer to a labeled freezer bag, remove excess air and freeze flat.
- For soup: Remember the frozen rice is already cooked. Add it later in the soup-making process and heat through rather than simmering it for the same amount of time as uncooked wild rice.
Troubleshooting Instant Pot Long Grain and Wild Rice Rice-A-Roni
This variety behaves differently from the shorter-cooking Rice-A-Roni recipes because we’re dealing with a long grain and wild rice blend rather than rice mixed with vermicelli. If yours doesn’t look quite right when the lid comes off, don’t immediately assume the batch is ruined.
For a double batch (two 4.3 oz boxes), you need exactly 2.5 cups of cold water or low-sodium broth.Do not use the liquid measurements printed on the back of the box. Stovetop instructions are calculated to account for massive open-air steam evaporation. Because a sealed pressure cooker traps 100% of the moisture inside, this optimized ratio gives you perfectly plump, no-drain wild rice with no excess water or gummy liquid left at the bottom of the inner liner.
If some of the grains are genuinely hard rather than pleasantly chewy, they haven’t absorbed enough moisture during cooking. This can happen if the rice wasn’t sufficiently submerged, the pot didn’t properly reach pressure, or the cooking cycle was interrupted.
The Fix: Add 2 to 3 tbsp hot water, gently stir, replace the lid and leave the rice covered for several minutes. The residual heat and additional moisture can help soften slightly undercooked grains. For this tested recipe, make sure you’re using the full 2 1/2 cups water, 15 minutes on HIGH pressure and 15-minute natural release.
Wild rice naturally has more texture than soft white rice, so a little chew isn’t necessarily a sign that something went wrong.
The Fix: Look for the difference between pleasantly firm grains and genuinely hard, crunchy centers. If the rice is cooked through but has some bite, that’s normal for a long grain and wild rice blend. If it’s actually hard, use the additional-water method above.
You may see some surface moisture when you first remove the lid, particularly before the grains have been fluffed and separated.
The Fix: Fluff the rice thoroughly and leave it uncovered for 2 to 3 minutes as directed. If it’s still wetter than you prefer, give it another couple of minutes uncovered before serving. Don’t immediately pressure cook it again, because you risk turning properly cooked grains mushy.
A small amount of residual moisture can settle at the bottom immediately after pressure cooking.
The Fix: Fluff from the bottom upward so the moisture is distributed through the hot rice, then leave the pot uncovered for a few minutes. If there’s an unusually large amount of water, double-check that you used 2 1/2 cups, rather than accidentally doubling the stovetop water quantity printed on the boxes.
Too much liquid, excessive pressure-cooking time or leaving the cooked rice sitting hot for a very long time can soften the grains beyond the intended texture.
The Fix: Use the tested 2 1/2 cups water, 15-minute HIGH pressure cook and 15-minute natural release. Once the pressure has released, open the pot, fluff the rice and allow it to rest uncovered rather than leaving it sitting on Keep Warm for an extended period.
A few grains catching on the bottom isn’t necessarily a problem, but significant sticking can happen if rice or seasoning remained against the hot base after sautéing.
The Fix: Once you’ve finished sautéing, press CANCEL before adding the water. Stir thoroughly and scrape your silicone spatula or spoon across the bottom of the inner pot to loosen anything that may have stuck before you secure the lid.
The Instant Pot detects excessive heat at the bottom of the inner pot. After using SAUTÉ mode, browned or stuck-on material underneath the liquid can sometimes trigger a burn warning.
The Fix: Always cancel SAUTÉ before adding the water and scrape the bottom thoroughly. Make sure nothing remains stuck underneath the rice before pressure cooking and don’t reduce the tested liquid quantity.
This mixture isn’t going to look exactly like traditional Rice-A-Roni containing vermicelli.
The Fix: Don’t keep sautéing while waiting for little pasta pieces to become dark golden because there aren’t any in this variety. Once the butter has melted and the rice is looking slightly translucent and ever so lightly toasted, that’s enough.
SAUTÉ mode gets hot quickly, particularly once the butter has melted.
The Fix: Stir frequently and keep this stage brief. Press CANCEL once the rice reaches that lightly toasted appearance. If the butter or rice begins noticeably browning, stop sautéing rather than trying to reach a specific number of minutes.
Powdered seasoning can form small clumps when it hits liquid.
The Fix: Add the seasoning packets after the water, then stir everything together before securing the lid. Small seasoning clumps should dissolve during pressure cooking, but distributing the powder first helps give the finished rice more even flavor.
The pot needs enough liquid, a properly fitted sealing ring and a valve set correctly to build pressure.
The Fix: Check that you added the full 2 1/2 cups water, the sealing ring is correctly installed and the valve is set to SEAL rather than VENT. Also check that nothing is interfering with the lid or pressure pin.
A brief amount of steam while the machine is initially coming up to pressure can be normal. Continuous steam escaping once it should be sealed suggests the pot isn’t maintaining pressure correctly.
The Fix: Check the valve position and sealing ring according to the instructions for your Instant Pot model. Don’t try to open or dismantle a pressurized cooker.
Pressure-release times can vary according to the cooker, amount of food and temperature.
The Fix: Once the full 15-minute natural release is complete, check the pin. If it hasn’t dropped, carefully switch the valve to VENT and allow the remaining steam and pressure to escape completely. Wait for the pin to drop before opening the lid.
That’s fine. Natural release describes allowing the pressure to fall without manually venting it.
The Fix: For this tested method, I still leave the rice undisturbed for the full 15 minutes before opening the lid. That resting period is part of how I cook this longer-grain mixture.
An immediate quick release ends that gradual post-pressure resting period and can leave a longer-cooking rice mixture with less opportunity to finish absorbing moisture evenly.
The Fix: Use the tested 15-minute natural release for this variety rather than copying the immediate quick-release method used for some shorter-cooking Rice-A-Roni recipes.
Wild rice can split as it hydrates and cooks, exposing the lighter interior of the grain. Some splitting in a cooked wild-rice blend is normal.
The Fix: Don’t continue pressure cooking simply because you see split grains. Judge the finished batch by overall tenderness and texture. If the rice is tender, fluff it and serve.
Cooked rice naturally firms as it cools, and refrigerated rice can stick together more than freshly cooked rice.
The Fix: Gently separate the grains before storing. When reheating, add a small splash of water and stir partway through heating to help loosen the rice again.
Freezer storage and reheating can remove some moisture from cooked rice, particularly if excess air was left inside the bag.
The Fix: Squeeze out as much air as practical before freezing. When reheating thawed rice in the microwave, add a small splash of water, cover appropriately and stir partway through heating until steaming hot.
Air exposure is usually the culprit.
The Fix: Flatten the rice inside a freezer-safe bag and squeeze out excess air before sealing. Freezing it flat also gives you a compact package that thaws much more quickly.
Condensation can collect as frozen food thaws, particularly inside a sealed bag.
The Fix: Stir the rice after thawing and reheat it thoroughly. A small amount of condensation usually disappears during reheating. If there’s excessive liquid, drain only what is necessary rather than drying the rice out completely.
The rice is already cooked before it goes into your soup. Giving it the same long cooking time as raw wild rice can continue softening the grains until they lose their texture.
The Fix: Add your cooked Rice-A-Roni later in the soup-making process, allowing enough time for it to heat through and take on some of the soup flavor without simmering it for the entire recipe.
Storage
How to Store Leftover Long Grain and Wild Rice Rice-A-Roni
- Allow leftover rice to cool promptly, then transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate.
- For food safety and best quality, store cooked rice in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- When reheating, add a small splash of water if the rice seems dry and microwave until steaming hot throughout. Stir partway through so the rice heats evenly.
- Avoid repeatedly cooling and reheating the same batch. If you know you won’t use all of the leftovers within a few days, freezing individual portions is a much more useful option.
Can You Freeze Cooked Long Grain and Wild Rice?
Absolutely, and this particular rice is one I deliberately like having in my freezer.
For the full method, follow the How to Freeze Instant Pot Long Grain and Wild Rice section immediately after the instructions above. Cool it promptly, pack it into labeled freezer bags, remove the excess air and freeze the bags flat.
For best quality, I would use the frozen rice within 3 months.
That gives you a ready-made rice side dish, but I especially love having it available to add to chicken and wild rice soups during the colder months or whenever somebody is feeling under the weather.
Serving Ideas
Long Grain & Wild Rice Rice-A-Roni has enough savory flavor to make a more interesting side than plain white rice, but it still works with all sorts of simple family meals.
Try serving it:
- Alongside roasted or grilled chicken
- With chicken thighs or chicken breasts
- Alongside pork chops
- With baked or grilled pork tenderloin
- With steak or another simple beef dinner
- Alongside roasted turkey
- With rotisserie chicken for a very easy dinner
- With roasted vegetables
- Alongside green beans, broccoli or asparagus
- With a simple salad and your favorite protein
- As part of a Thanksgiving or holiday-style dinner
- With freezer meals that need an easy rice side
- In meal-prep containers with chicken and vegetables
- Added to chicken and wild rice soup
- Added to turkey and wild rice soup
- Added to Ham and Wild Rice Soup
- With leftover cooked chicken and vegetables for a quick lunch
It’s also a useful way to bulk out a meal when the protein portion is smaller than you’d ideally like. A flavorful rice side and some vegetables can help stretch dinner a little further without making the plate feel sparse.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
- Made completely in the Instant Pot
- Uses 2 boxes at once
- Tested specifically with 4.3 oz Long Grain & Wild Rice Rice-A-Roni
- No stovetop pot of simmering rice to watch
- Lightly toasting the rice in butter adds another layer of flavor
- Uses a longer pressure cook suited to this particular rice blend
- 15-minute natural release gives the grains time to finish cooking
- Makes an easy savory side dish
- Great for chicken, pork, beef and turkey dinners
- Budget-friendly pantry staple
- Useful for meal prep
- Freezes beautifully
- Flat freezer bags take up very little space
- Thaws quickly
- Easy to reheat
- Fantastic to keep ready for chicken and wild rice soup
- Particularly handy during colder weather
- Helps turn a boxed pantry staple into something you can batch and save for later
The Ultimate Instant Pot Rice-A-Roni Long Grain & Wild Rice FAQ
The “Food Burn” warning triggers if you do not thoroughly deglaze the inner pot after using the SAUTÉ mode. Sautéing the wild rice blend in butter releases heavy starches that coat the bottom of the liner. If these starch particles are not scraped completely clean before pressure cooking, they will overheat the base sensor and halt the cycle.
Press CANCEL, release any remaining steam, open the lid, and immediately pour in your cold liquid.Take a sturdy wooden spoon or flat silicone spatula and firmly scrape up every single bit of stuck-on grain or browned film from the metal bottom of the inner pot. Once the surface feels smooth to the touch, lock the lid back on and restart your timer.
Hard, crunchy grains mean you either used too little liquid or accidentally did a quick pressure release instead of a natural release. Pure white rice varieties can handle an immediate steam vent, but tough, fibrous wild rice grains absolutely require the slow, building steam of a 15-minute natural pressure release (NPR) to split open and soften to the core.
Do not throw it out; simply lock the lid back onto the pot, select Manual HIGH pressure, and set it for 3 additional minutes. Once the active cycle finishes, let the pot sit undisturbed for a full 10-minute natural pressure release. This brief secondary steam window will force moisture into the centers of the stubborn grains without turning the white rice elements into mush.
For a double batch (two 4.3 oz boxes), you need exactly 2.5 cups of cold water or low-sodium broth.Do not use the liquid measurements printed on the back of the cardboard packaging. Stovetop instructions are calculated to account for heavy open-air steam evaporation, whereas a sealed pressure cooker traps 100% of the moisture inside. Following the box directions inside an Instant Pot will give you a gummy, waterlogged mess.
Yes, you can cook a single 4.3 oz box of Rice-A-Roni Long Grain & Wild Rice, but you must carefully balance the liquid to avoid an Instant Pot burn notice. While a standard 6-quart Instant Pot can technically build pressure with just 1 cup of thin liquid, a single box of this starch-heavy wild rice blend needs a safer cushion. To prevent the grains from scorching against the bottom heating element over the longer 15-minute pressure cooking cycle, use 1.5 cups of cold water or low-sodium broth for a single box. Alternatively, the most efficient method is to cook a double batch using two boxes and freeze the leftovers for easy meal prep.
Different boxes contain entirely different grain types; this specific flavor does not contain thin vermicelli pasta. Standard Rice-A-Roni varieties rely on tiny broken pasta bits that cook in just 5 minutes under high pressure. Long grain and wild rice are whole, dense grains that naturally require a 15-minute manual cook time coupled with a 15-minute natural release to achieve a tender, pillowy bite.
No, you should never use the automatic “Rice” smart program for a wild rice blend. The preset “Rice” button on most standard Instant Pot models uses a low-pressure profile calibrated explicitly for basic white rice varieties like Jasmine or Basmati. Running a tough wild rice mixture on this preset will leave your side dish raw, firm, and completely undercooked. Always use the Manual or Pressure Cook setting on HIGHpressure.
No, you must not rinse this boxed mix before putting it into the cooker. While rinsing raw, plain rice is great for removing surface starches, rinsing a boxed mix will wash away the fine flavor powder coated onto the grains and leave your finished dish incredibly bland and watery. Dump it straight from the bag into the melted butter.
This variety lacks the vermicelli pasta bits that give traditional Rice-A-Roni its signature golden-brown color. When making the wild rice flavor, you are toasting grains, not pasta. Do not stand over the pot waiting for a deep color change; simply sauté in salted butter until the butter is completely melted, the grains smell fragrant, and the long-grain rice looks slightly translucent.
Yes, you can substitute broth for water cup-for-cup, but you should stick to a low-sodium version. The pre-packaged seasoning envelopes already contain a high concentration of salt. If you combine standard, full-sodium store-bought broth with both seasoning packets, the finished side dish will be overwhelmingly salty.
You can safely leave out one or both seasoning packets without affecting how the rice physically cooks in the machine. The liquid ratios will remain exactly the same. However, because the box does not contain extra salt or herbs separate from the packet, you will want to add a pinch of garlic powder, onion powder, and sea salt to keep the rice from tasting completely flat.
Yes, you can use an equal amount of margarine, olive oil, avocado oil, or vegan butter replacement for the sauté stage. The primary job of the fat is to coat the grains to prevent clumping and add a rich background flavor. Keep in mind that changing the cooking fat will slightly alter the classic savory profile of the dish.
No, Rice-A-Roni Long Grain & Wild Rice is a blended product containing a high percentage of parboiled long-grain white rice mixed with a small amount of wild rice. This distinction is critical for Instant Pot cooking times. A bag of raw, 100% pure wild rice is incredibly tough and requires 25 to 30 minutes of high-pressure cooking to soften. Because the packaged Rice-A-Roni mix relies primarily on parboiled white rice, it tenderizes perfectly in just 15 minutes on HIGH pressure followed by a 15-minute natural release. Attempting to cook pure wild rice using this boxed mix timeline will leave you with raw, crunchy grains.
You can leave it on “Keep Warm” for 10 to 15 minutes if your main course isn’t quite ready, but leaving it longer will ruin the texture. The bottom heating element will continue to cook the rice from below, drying out the moisture and eventually scorching the bottom layer into a hard crust. For best results, vent the remaining steam after 15 minutes, open the lid, and fluff the rice immediately.
Leftover cooked wild rice can be safely stored in an airtight glass or plastic container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Make sure the rice has cooled down completely before sealing the lid to prevent condensation from building up inside, which can make the leftovers turn sour and soggy.
Yes, this specific variety freezes beautifully and handles the freezing process much better than pasta-heavy options. Because it lacks delicate vermicelli pieces, the grain structures hold their integrity without turning mushy upon thawing. It can be kept frozen for up to 3 months for quick budget meal prep.
Allow the cooked rice to cool completely, transfer it into a zip-top freezer bag, and press it completely flat before sealing. Squeeze out as much excess air as possible. Freezing the bags flat lets you stack them like books in your freezer to save space, and the thin layer allows you to break off exact smaller portions for soups without thawing the whole bag.
No, you can break the frozen flat sheet of rice into chunks and drop them directly into a boiling soup pot during the final 5 minutes of cooking. Since the rice is already fully pressure cooked and seasoned, it just needs to warm through to temperature. Adding it at the very end prevents it from over-softening while it absorbs the soup broth.
Place the thawed or frozen rice into a microwave-safe bowl, add 1 tablespoon of water or broth per cup of rice, and cover it loosely. Microwave on high in 1-minute intervals, stirring occasionally, until it is steaming hot throughout. The added spoonful of liquid creates a mini-steam environment that restores the soft texture of the grains perfectly.
Instant Pot Rice-A-Roni Long Grain and Wild Rice
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Open both Rice-A-Roni boxes, remove the seasoning packets and pour the rice mixture into the Instant Pot.
- Add the butter and select SAUTÉ.
- Stir until the butter has melted and the rice looks slightly translucent and ever so lightly toasted.
- Press CANCEL to turn off SAUTÉ mode.
- Add the water and both seasoning packets. Stir well, scraping across the bottom of the pot.
- Secure the lid and make sure the valve is set to SEAL, not VENT.
- Cook on HIGH PRESSURE for 15 minutes.
- When cooking finishes, allow a 15-minute NATURAL RELEASE.
- Check that the pressure pin has dropped. If it hasn't, carefully switch to VENT and release the remaining pressure completely before opening.
- Open the lid, fluff and separate the rice grains, then rest uncovered for 2 to 3 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Recipe tested using 2 x 4.3 oz boxes in a 6-quart Instant Pot.
- Lightly toast the rice only until slightly translucent. This variety doesn’t contain the vermicelli found in many other Rice-A-Roni flavors.
- Use a full 15-minute natural release, not an immediate quick release.
- For freezing, cool promptly, pack into labeled freezer bags, remove excess air and freeze flat.
- Thaw preferably overnight in the refrigerator and reheat until steaming hot.
- For soup, add the already-cooked rice later in cooking and heat thoroughly rather than simmering it as if it were raw wild rice.
Storage
- Refrigerate cooled leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freeze promptly cooled rice flat in freezer-safe bags for best quality within approximately 3 months.
Related Recipes
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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The Takeaway
This Instant Pot Long Grain and Wild Rice Rice-A-Roni gives you tender, flavorful rice without watching a pot on the stove. Make two boxes at once, enjoy it with dinner, then freeze the extras flat for an easy side dish or a head start on chicken and wild rice soup later!
What to Try Next?!
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Last update on 2026-09-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
