Wild Rice Recipe Contest Information
"Get Wild with Wild Rice" Recipe Contest
Entry Period: May 8 - June 8, 2026
Love to cook? Have a wild idea for a recipe? Enter the 17th Annual Wild Rice Recipe Contest and get rewarded for your creativity!
Winners will receive:
- A wild rice prize pack
- A spot in our 2026-2027 Wild Rice Recipe Brochure
- A shot at $500 Grand Prize, $250 People's Choice, and our coveted Golden Ticket to the World Food Championships!
What You Need to Include
Each recipe must:
- Use at least 1/4 cup of cooked wild rice per serving
- Feature at least one sponsor products (see list below)
- Be your own creation
Each typed entry must include: Your name and contact info (address, phone, email); recipe title and category; sponsor product(s) used; amount of cooked wild rice used; complete ingredient list (in order used); step-by-step directions (include cooking times, temperature, pan size, etc.); number of servings; a photo of the recipe.
A photo of your recipe is required. Photos may appear on our social pages or website. After submitting your recipe, email your photo(s) to wr@mnwildrice.org.
How Recipes Are Judged
Entries are judged on: taste, ease of preparation, use of wild rice and sponsor products; and creativity. Up to 16 finalists will be selected.
Special consideration will be given to:
- Recipes using multiple sponsor ingredients
- Simple, everyday dishes in these themes:
- One-pot meals (only one pot or pan needed for cooking)
- No-heat meals (using fresh and ready-to-eat ingredients)
- Recipes with seven or less ingredients
- Meals portioned for two
It is anticipated that most of the selected finalist recipes will fit into one or more of these special considerations.
2026 State Fair Sponsors
Just Bare® (chicken)
Minnesota Beef Council (beef cuts)
Minnesota Pork Board (pork cuts, e.g., pork loin, shoulder, ground pork)
Minnesota Turkey Research & Promotion Council (turkey)
Northern Canola Growers Association (canola cooking oil/spreads)
What You Can Win
Finalists will be included in our 2026-2027 brochure and will each receive 3 pounds of wild rice and a choice of two admission tickets to the Minnesota State Fair or one wild rice t-shirt/cap.
Finalists have two chances to win cash prizes in September. A $500 Grand Prize will be awarded by a panel of judges and a $250 People's Choice prize will be determined by the People's Choice online contest in celebration of National Rice Month in September.
One finalist will receive a Golden Ticket qualifying them for the 2026 World Food Championships, the premier food sport competition, allowing cooks to compete for food, fame, and fortune.
Ready to share your delicious idea? Submit your entry online from May 8 - June 8, 2026.
View 2025 winning recipes here.