Wild Rice Burgers Recipe

Ever came across wild rice burgers in a Minnesota state fair and wanted to recreate them? Or are you craving some burgers and would like to try out recipes you haven’t tried before? 

This wild rice burger recipe is one of the many recipes you can try. Native to Minnesota state and some areas of Wisconsin and Canada, wild rice is a sought-after treat. If you’re looking for healthier versions of burgers, you’ll find that wild rice burgers can be a great choice.

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What is Wild Rice?

Wild rice is technically considered a type of grass with edible seeds. It grows naturally along streams, lakes, and shallow marshes, though they are also cultivated in paddies for commercial purposes.  

Like other rice, wild rice is gluten-free and can be a perfect carbohydrate source for gluten-sensitive individuals. While they are more expensive than white or brown rice, they can rise to double or triple their size.

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How to Cook Wild Rice

The wild rice burger recipe calls for cooked wild rice, and you can do this by the boiling method or using a rice cooker instead.

Boiling Method

1. Boil water in medium heat in a saucepan. For every 1 cup of rice, add 4 cups of water.
2. Add the rice and cover with the lid. Bring the heat to low and wait for about 40-50 minutes for it to cook.
3. When the rice is fully cooked, remove the saucepan from heat and let it cool. The rice is ready when the grains have fully split and the texture is already tender.
4. Set aside until ready to use.

One important note to remember when using this method is that results may vary depending on the saucepan you’re using and the rice itself. It might take a bit of experimentation to get it right. If the rice you bought has a set of steps attached to the packaging, then it’s much better to follow the package instructions.

Using a Rice Cooker

1. Put two cups of water for every cup of rice
2. Turn on your rice cooker and cook for 50 minutes or until it’s ready.

This method is the easiest and is recommended if you’re not used to cooking rice. Not only is the rice cooker made for this function, but you’ll also have more time to prepare the other ingredients.

You can use chicken stock or vegetable broth as a substitute for water when cooking wild rice. Burgers made from this rice will have a richer taste. 

Don’t have a rice cooker? You can check out our rice cooker review and guides.

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Cooked Wild Rice as Veggie Burgers

You may have already had rice burgers before, with the rice serving as the buns holding the meat and topping together. In this wild rice burger recipe, however, the rice is the patty. This means there’s no meat in the burger. 

This is a great option for those trying out a vegetarian diet or if you want to cut down on your meat consumption. For a fully vegetarian recipe, you can choose the second recipe listed below.

Wild Rice Burger Recipe

Prep time: 15-20 minutes (excluding cooking time for uncooked wild rice)

Yield: 4 wild rice burgers

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups cooked Wild rice
• 2 eggs 
• Breadcrumbs, (preferably panko)
• Olive oil
• Salt
• ¼ tsp paprika
• ½ tsp thyme (dried)
• ¼ tsp cumin
• ½ tsp oregano
• ⅛ tsp black pepper
• 1 clove of fresh garlic
• ¼ cup of red onion
• ½ cheese (parmesan or any cheese)

Optional Ingredients:

• Hamburger buns
• Mushrooms
• Tomatoes
• White onion (sauteed or raw)
• Melted cheese
• Burger toppings of your choice

Tools You’ll Need:

• A skillet or frying pan
• Cooking tongs
• Stove

Instructions:

1. Put the skillet over medium heat and add 1 tbsp of oil.
2. Saute the onion and garlic until the onion is translucent and the garlic is semi-brown.
3. Turn off the heat, let cool for a bit. In a bowl combine the thyme, cumin, paprika, cheese, breadcrumbs and oregano. Add in the sauteed mixture and mix thoroughly.
4. Beat the eggs, add to the bowl and mix. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Form into ½ inch burger patties.
6. Heat the oil in the skillet in medium high heat and fry the patties for 3 minutes on each side. Remove patties when golden brown in color.
7. To remove excess oil, you can place the cooked patties on a strainer placed above an empty bowl.

Optional: put burgers in a bun and top with mushrooms, tomatoes, white onions, and melted cheese. Serve hot. You can also choose your desired toppings.

Additional Tips:

• The patties won’t hold together as a meat patty would, but it’s alright. Once cooked, the patty will retain its shape.
• Not ready to cook yet? You can place the patties in an air-tight container and place them in the freezer until you’re craving a burger.
• You can also use Jax seasoning in place of the spices.
• If using mushrooms as a topping, you can sautee them beforehand to add more flavor.
• You can use any type of bread aside from hamburger buns.
• If you’ve made too much and can’t imagine having to eat through all of the patties, simply use them in other recipes

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Wild Rice Vegetarian Burger Recipe

Prep time: 30-45 minutes (excluding cooking of wild rice)

Yield: 6 wild rice burgers

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Wild rice (cooked)
• 1 canned white beans (reserve the water)
• ¼ tsp paprika
• ½ tsp thyme (dried)
• ¼ tsp cumin
• ½ tsp oregano
• ⅛ tsp black pepper
• 1 clove of garlic
• ¼ cup of red onion
• 1 tbsp almond butter (or any nut butter)/ 1tbsp tomato paste
• Olive oil

Optional Ingredients:

• Hamburger buns
• Tomatoes
• White Onions (sauteed or raw)
• Ketchup
• Burger toppings of your choice

Tools You’ll Need:

• A skillet or frying pan
• Cooking tongs
• Stove
• Oven or toaster oven

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F or 176.667°C.
2. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray or lightly grease with oil. Spread out the cooked beans and bake for about 20 minutes or until the beans have split.
3. Saute the onions and garlic in medium-high heat. 
4. Reduce heat and add a pinch of salt. Cook until the onion is translucent and the garlic has browned.
5. Add in the cumin, oregano, thyme, black pepper, and paprika. Stir for 30 seconds then remove from the stove.
6. Put the white beans and butter or tomato paste in a food processor. Add in the wild rice. Blend until a doughy consistency is achieved.
7. Add in the bean liquid reserved earlier if the mixture seems too dry.
8. Transfer to a large bowl and add the cooked wild rice. Add salt and pepper to taste. 
9. Shape into ½ inch patties.
10. Heat oil in a skillet. Fry the rice burger patties for 4-5 minutes on each side. Cool completely and serve.

Optional: Place in a bun and top with tomatoes, onions, and ketchup.

Additional Tips:

• You can use ground flaxseed mixed with water in place of the beans. In a bowl combine a ratio of 2 tbsp of flaxseed to 6 tbsp of water.
• Toast the undersides of the buns beforehand so that the sauce doesn’t soak through the bread.
• Careful not to put too much salt when cooking.
• You can also substitute black beans for canned white beans.

And there you have it, delicious rice burgers you can indulge on during weekends. Remember that the first try might be difficult, but that’s the wonderful thing about trying out plant-based recipes. 

A recipe developer can make plenty of delicious meals from wild rice alone, but even a simple cook can whip up an exemplary cuisine with help from popular recipes. With a little bit of practice, you’ll have your ultimate wild rice burgers in no time.

Want to try out more rice recipes? Have a look at our site.