Instant Pot Rice

Rice in your Instant Pot is easy to make and the perfect side dish for tons of easy dinner recipes. All you need is 2 ingredients and a few minutes prep to make Instant Pot rice. Let me show you how to make this easy pressure cooker side dish.

how to make easy instant pot rice

When I first got my Instant Pot, it took me forever to take it out of the box. Once I finally did and read everything I could about it, I started to make some basic recipes. I did the water test, and made an easy pasta dinner.

But for some reason making rice scared me! I’m not sure why, but I was worried I would burn it or ruin a whole batch of rice. One day I just said OH WELL and made my first pressure cooker rice. And I haven’t stopped since!

Does Instant Pot make good rice?

Yes! The Instant pot makes having rice for dinner super easy. It’s great because you can set your instant pot to cook the rice and work on other parts of the meal. Or make a whole meal with rice, like this curry chicken and rice, right in your pressure cooker!

What is the rice button for on instant pot?

One of the cool things is that most of the newer Instant Pots have a rice button to use. Most models will also let you know if there isn’t enough water in the pressure cooker to properly cook the rice making it super easy! Use the rice button when you are making white rice only though.

instant pot rice

Instant Pot rice ingredients

Like I mentioned, you only need 2 ingredients to make basic instant pot rice. You will need:

  • white rice
  • water

White rice – This recipe is for white rice only. Other types of rice cook differently in the Instant pot.

What is the ratio of rice to water?

Here’s the best part – the ratio of rice to water is 1:1! That means for every cup of rice you want to cook, you use the same amount of water. So for 2 cups of rice you would need 2 cups of water, 3 cups of rice you need 3 cups of water and so forth. EASY!

How many cups of rice can you cook in the Instant pot?

The answer will depend on the size of your pressure cooker. You also need to take into account that the rice expands when it cooks so you can’t completely fill your instant pot with rice and water.

It has been noted that you can cook 5 cups in a 6qt Instant Pot and 6.5 cups of rice in an 8qt Instant Pot. I have not tested this so proceed with caution if you want to make a whole pressure cooker full of rice!

easy instant pot rice recipe

How to make rice in the Instant Pot

There are two options for cooking your rice in the instant pot and they are both easy. The only difference in the options is what buttons you push!

Step 1 – Measure out your rice and rinse it under color water. This helps remove excess starch that will make it sticky and gooey. Rinse until the water comes out clean, scrubbing with your hands if necessary.

instant pot rice inside

Step 2 – Place the rinsed rice in your instant pot. Measure out your water and add it as well. Give the rice/water mixture a stir and place your lid on.

instant pot rice ingredients

Step 3 – Set your valve to sealing. Press the rice button on your instant pot OR cook on high pressure manual for 3 minutes.

Step 4 – Do a natural release and wait until the valve drops to remove your lid.

instant pot rice recipe

Step 5 – Fluff with a fork and serve with your favorite easy instant pot dinner!

Other rice settings

According to the Instant Pot website, use the following cook times for other varieties of rice:

  • Basmati (white) rice: 4-8 minutes
  • Jasmine rice: 3-5 minutes
  • Brown rice (long/short): 22-28 minutes
  • Wild rice mix: 25-30 minutes

How to store rice

Once your rice cools, place in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Re-heat in the microwave or us as a base for recipes like easy chicken fried rice.

What to serve with your Instant Pot rice

This rice is a great base for a bunch of recipes. Serve this rice with:

instant pot rice

Instant Pot Rice

Yield: 1 cup
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 3 minutes
Additional Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 23 minutes

How to quickly and easily make rice in your Instant Pot.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup long grain white rice
  • 1 cup water

Instructions

  1. Measure out and rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear.
  2. Place rinsed rice in the Instant Pot.
  3. Add water.
  4. Put lid on and set valve to SEAL.
  5. Press the RICE button or high pressure cook for 3 minutes.
  6. Allow to come to natural pressure, about 10 minutes.
  7. Remove lid, fluff rice with a fork and enjoy!

Be sure to PIN THIS to your Instant Pot board!

easy rice in the instant pot
Kelley Easy Instant Pot Recipes


Hey y'all! I'm Kelley!

I am a Texan living in the woods of mid-Michigan with my husband, 4 kids and a whole farm of animals. I heard amazing things about the Instant Pot and knew that I had to give it a try. Many of these recipes are family favorites, and I want your family to enjoy them as well!