So long, rice cooker! This Instant Pot rice comes out perfectly every time. Fluffy and flavorful, it's delicious as a side dish, in grain bowls, and more.
I first tried this Instant Pot rice recipe last fall, and to be honest, I don’t think I’ve cooked rice any other way since. Nothing against the stovetop or the rice cooker, of course, but the convenience and reliable results of this Instant Pot rice recipe just can’t be beat. It’s super quick and easy, and the rice comes out tender, fluffy, and flavorful every time. If you have an Instant Pot, you have to try it!
How to Make Instant Pot Rice
This recipe couldn’t be simpler! To make it, you’ll need two ingredients:
- White rice
- Water
This recipe only works for white jasmine or basmati rice, as other kinds of rice, like brown or black rice, have different cooking times. I haven’t nailed down a pressure cooker method for cooking black rice yet, but if you have brown rice, you can find cooking instructions in this post!
Rinse the rice well and place it in the Instant Pot. Pour in the water and secure the Instant Pot’s lid.
Pressure cook on high pressure for 3 minutes, and then allow the Instant Pot to release pressure naturally. When the float valve drops, remove the lid.
Fluff the rice with a fork, and enjoy!
Serve the rice right away, or allow it to cool to room temperature. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze it for up to 3 months.
Instant Pot Rice Recipe Tips
- Rinse the rice. Whether you’re cooking rice in the Instant Pot or on the stove, I always recommend rinsing it first. To do this, place it in a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl, and rinse the rice under running water until the water runs clear in the bowl. This process washes away excess starches that can cause the rice to clump, giving it a lighter, fluffier texture once it’s cooked.
- Scale the recipe to your Instant Pot. I always cook 2 cups of rice at a time in my 6-quart Instant Pot. Because it’s on the larger side, just 1 cup tends to scorch on the bottom of the pot. But if you have a smaller, 3-quart Instant Pot, feel free to make just 1 cup of rice! You’ll use the same cook time and rice to water ratio.
- Not sure how to use your rice? We can help! I’m guessing that you’ll have no trouble coming up with ways to eat your rice, but if you do need some inspiration, we have tons of ideas! Toss it with olive oil or butter and salt for a simple side dish, or serve it alongside a curry or stir fry. Turn it into cilantro lime rice to make zesty stuffed peppers or Chipotle-style burrito bowls. Or leave it plain and add it to a DIY grain bowl with your favorite vegetables, a protein, and a tasty sauce. Find 15 of our favorite rice bowl recipes here!
More Favorite Pressure Cooker Recipes
If you love this Instant Pot rice recipe, try making one of these dishes in the Instant Pot next:
Instant Pot Rice
Ingredients
- 2 cups uncooked white jasmine rice, well rinsed
- 2 cups water
Instructions
- Combine the rice and water in a 6-quart Instant Pot. Secure the lid and Pressure Cook on High for 3 minutes.
- Allow the Instant Pot to release pressure naturally. When the float valve drops, remove the lid.
- Fluff the rice and enjoy.
So not REALLY 3 mins cook time
The best way I’ve found to make rice (doesn’t matter what kind, this works for any rice) in the instant pot is a method that once you’ve done it once or twice and get a feel for the rice to liquid ratio needed for different cook times, you’ll use this method all the time. — I cook my rice at the same time I cook what I’m serving on top. Usually chicken breasts in broth with some seasoning to shred for the week or with taco seasoning, black beans, corn, and salsa for chicken tacos/burritos. After I have all of my chicken ingredients added to the instant pot, I use a pot-in-pot method where use another small-ish all metal pot (that’s safe to use in the IP) add the rice to the small pot
Hi,
I have two comments:
1) It helps to let the rice soak in the water for about 30 mins before cooking. That’s the secret to the most expensive rice cookers, e.g. Zojirushi. It’s why they always take longer to cook than cheaper ones. The first 20-30 mins is just spent soaking the rice. The Quick Rice option skips this step but the cooked rice is inferior.
2) If it’s American rice, don’t wash it. Especially if it’s parboiled rice, the must popular type in America. First of all, there is very little “surface starch.” A study looked at the water in which rice was soaked and found almost no starch. This would be especially true with parboiled rice because the grains are processed with steam, which gets rid of any starch.
What people mistaken for starch or dirt is actually vitamins! That cloudy water is caused by vitamin powder added to the rice. If you look on the packages of rice, you’ll even see that it says not to wash it. In the early 20th century, malnutrition was a problem so a law was passed to add vitamins to the rice. Although malnutrition is no longer a problem, vitamin is still added to rice. So when you rinse it until the water is clear, it’s because you’ve washed out the added vitamin powder, not starch. Look on the package of your rice and see if there’s a recommendation to not rinse your rice. Regardless, I’ve stopped rinsing my rice years ago and it’s no worse than rinsed rice. We’ve even done taste tests with friends and no one can tell any difference either.
Oops, forgot to mention that I’m only referring to white and parboiled rice. Other rices are not grown in America so I can’t say what their external starch level is m
Have you tried this with white rice?
Hi Rebecca, yep! This recipe works with white rice.
Thank you for the rice instructions. I lost my instapot book.