This Instant Pot rice recipe is the easiest way to cook rice! It only takes 10 minutes and you’ll have perfect, fluffy rice to serve alongside any meal.
There’s so much you can do with an Instant Pot, but if you’re like most people, you probably use it more for meat and beans than anything else. But what if I told you that you can get the BEST rice in an Instant Pot?! Game-changer, right? If rice on the stovetop always turns out mushy and watery for you, you have to try this recipe for Instant Pot rice!
Easy Instant Pot Rice Recipe
You can use this Instant Pot rice recipe for brown or white rice—just make sure it’s regular rice, not the quick-cooking kind. All you need to do is rinse the rice, put it in your Instant Pot, add water and salt, then lock the lid and cook it for 10 minutes. When it’s done cooking, you fluff it with a fork and use it however you like!
Ingredients
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Rice – Brown or white; basmati, jasmine, or any other type you want to cook!
- Water
- Salt
Variations
Add a squeeze of lime juice and chopped cilantro for a Chipotle-style rice to stuff into burritos or serve alongside your favorite Mexican dish. Cook the rice with chicken broth instead of water to add more flavor, or add garlic powder, Cajun seasoning, or your favorite spice blend.
How to Make Instant Pot Rice
1. Prepare: Place the rice in a fine mesh sieve and rinse under cold running water until it runs clear.
2. Combine Ingredients: Stir the rice, salt, and 2 cups of water in a 6-quart Instant Pot.
3. Cook and Serve: Lock the lid and set to pressure cook on high for 10 minutes. Once the pressure cook cycle is complete, follow the manufacturer’s guide for the natural release cycle. After this is done, unlock and remove the lid, being careful of any remaining steam. Fluff with a fork and serve.
Serving Suggestions
Here are some of my favorite ways to use Instant Pot rice:
- Chicken and Rice Casserole
- Smoked Sausage & Rice One Skillet Meal
- Sweet & Sour Chicken and Fried Rice
- Baked Chicken Breasts
How to Store and Reheat Leftover Rice
For food safety, leftover rice needs to be cooled quickly, so I recommend storing it in a long, shallow airtight container, rather than a deep one. You can refrigerate rice for 3 days or freeze it for up to 3 months. Microwave leftover rice until it’s piping hot, or you can steam it with a few tablespoons of water. Leftover rice is also excellent for making fried rice!
FAQs
You’ll need 2 cups of water to cook 2 cups of rice in an Instant Pot.
The ratio is always 1-to-1, no matter how much Instant Pot rice you’re making. This makes the math easy!
Some Instant Pots have a rice setting, so if yours does, use it! If not, pressure cook on high for 10 minutes.
More Instant Pot Favorites
- Instant Pot Corn On The Cob
- Instant Pot Spaghetti
- Instant Pot Beef Stroganoff
- Instant Pot Tortellini
- Instant Pot Hot Wings
Instant Pot Rice
Ingredients
- 2 cups rice brown or white
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Rinse the rice under cold running water until the water runs clear; drain well.
- Stir the rice, salt and 2 cups water together in a 6-quart Instant Pot – locking the lid.
- Set to pressure cook on high for 10 minutes
- After the pressure cook cycle is complete, follow the manufacturer’s guide for natural release and wait until the natural release cycle is complete, about 10 minutes.
- Be careful of any remaining steam and unlock and remove the lid.
- Using the tines of a fork, fluff the rice to separate the grains and serve.
