Want to make rice quickly and easily? The Instant Pot is the best way to do this! Use this main recipe to make jasmine, basmati, brown, or long grain white rice.
For white rice varieties, rinse the rice first. This will help make fluffy rice and reduce stickiness (since there is starch on the rice that should be washed off). To rinse, place the rice in a fine-mesh colander. Run the rice under fresh water for 1-2 minutes, until the water turns from a milky color to clear.
For brown rice, I recommend soaking for anywhere from 2-12 hours before cooking, in a bowl or directly in the stainless steel Instant Pot liner, to improve digestibility and nutrient absorption. Whole grains, like brown rice, are hard to breakdown, without some sort of soaking in advance. This is not required, but recommended from a nutritional standpoint. You don't need to rinse brown rice first before cooking.
Step 2: Add Water, Rice, and Salt to the Instant Pot
Add the water and rice to the Instant Pot (for most rice varieties, you'll use a ratio of 1:1, 1 cup of water for every 1 cup of rice). Basmati is best with a 1.25:1 ratio (1 1/4 cups of water for every 1 cup of basmati rice). You can double or triple this amount, depending on how much rice you want to cook. I also like to add 1/2 teaspoon of salt before cooking. You can also salt after cooking the rice, to taste.
Step 3: Seal the Lid
Make sure the clear silicone ring that sits inside the Instant Pot lid is secure (if it's not secure, the Instant Pot will not work properly), then place the lid on the Instant Pot base and turn to lock. Turn the valve (the knob) on top of the lid from venting to sealed.
Step 4: Cook the Rice
Press the manual button on front of the Instant Pot to set the time. Cook the rice on high pressure, adjusting the time using the minus button until the timer shows the cooking time needed.Rice Cooking Times:Jasmine Rice (White): 4 minutes Basmati Rice (White): 4 minutes Long Grain White: 4 minutesBrown Rice (Short or Long Grain): 20 minutes
Step 5: Allow Pressure to Naturally Release
Once the rice is cooked, the Instant Pot will beep the clock will set to 0:00 on the front screen. Allow the rice to rest for 10 minutes (the clock will begin counting up). Once the screen reads L10:00, move the valve (the knob on top of the lid), from sealed to venting. Use a towel to move the valve as hot steam will rush out and could burn your hand. Allow all steam to escape, until the pin on top of the lid drops (indicating all pressure has left the pot and it's now safe to open the lid).
If you're enjoying the rice right away, open the lid. If not, allow the rice to rest in the pot with the lid on, with the Instant Pot turned off, until ready to serve. If the rice is left in the pot, without the lid, it may stick to the sides of the pot.
Store leftover rice in the fridge for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3-6 months. See storage recommendations above in the article.
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Notes
Increasing the Rice Amount: The cooking time remains the same, whether you're making 1 cup of rice or 3 cups of rice.Rice Texture: For drier rice, 1 cup of water to 1 cup of dried rice is perfect. If you want rice that is a bit more moist (which I like), go with 1 1/4 cups of water to 1 cup of rice for all varieties.Use Broth Instead of Water: Alternatively, you can cook the rice in chicken, vegetable, or beef broth for extra flavor and nutrients.