Cooking White Rice In Instant Pot

Instant Pot Rice

Instant Pot rice is a hands off way to cook fluffy white rice! This easy pressure cooker rice recipe helps to make dinner prep easy.

Cooked white rice in an Instant Pot pressure cooker, with a wooden spoon.

With this simple Instant Pot recipe, you can make the best rice with the least effort!

You're going to love cooking rice in your Instant Pot. It's fluffy, foolproof, and the perfect side dish for baked salmon, pork tenderloin and stir fry. Truly, this is one of the best Instant Pot recipes!

If you've been cooking rice on the stove, you'll be amazed at how easy this Instant Pot rice recipe is. I don't know about you, but whenever I cook rice on the stove I end up with a mess. I either have the heat turned up too high and the pot simmers over, or I forget about it and I burn the rice on the bottom.

But cooking rice in the Instant Pot is completely hands off! Once you start the rice cooking, you don't have to think about it again until you're ready to serve your rice.

You can use this Instant Pot white rice recipe to cook any long grain white rice. I most often make Instant Pot jasmine rice or basmati rice. If you prefer brown rice, see how to cook brown rice in an Instant Pot.

This Instant Pot Rice

is a hands off way to cook rice. No more babysitting a pot on the stove.
takes just a few minutes of prep time.
turns out perfectly cooked and fluffy, every time.

Rice to Water Ratio

The rice to water ratio for Instant Pot rice is 1 to 1. This means that for every cup of rice you need 1 cup of water. Measure carefully, and use the same measuring cup for both the water and the rice so that your measurement is precise. This way, your rice will turn out perfect every time.

Why do you need less liquid when pressure cooking rice, compared to cooking rice on the stove? This is because you lose less liquid to evaporation with pressure cooking.

For more flavorful rice you can cook the rice in chicken broth, vegetable broth or bone broth instead of water. I recommend using a low sodium broth to limit the amount of salt.

How to Cook Rice in Instant Pot

Before getting started, if you are new to using an Instant Pot, read my guide on how to use an Instant Pot.

For this recipe, use your favorite long grain white rice. Both basmati and jasmine rice work well.

White rice in a strainer for rinsing.

First, rinse your rice under cool water to remove excess starch. I use a fine mesh strainer to rinse and drain the rice. Place the rice in your Instant Pot.

Add the water (or broth) and stir to combine. If desired, you can also stir in a little bit of salt to flavor the rice. If you cook your rice in broth you don't need to add any extra salt.

Make sure that all of the rice is in the water and not stuck to the sides of the pot. Then close the Instant Pot lid. Be sure to turn the steam release valve to the sealing position. If you forget to do this, your rice won't cook properly.

White rice needs 4 minutes of cook time at high pressure. Depending on your Instant Pot model, you will use either the Pressure Cook or Manual button.

After the cook time ends, allow the pressure to release naturally for at least 15 minutes by just leaving the Instant Pot alone. You need to do a natural release when cooking rice because this makes the rice fluffy and perfectly cooked. A natural release also helps to keep the rice from sticking to the bottom of your Instant Pot.

Instant Pot Rice Setting

I always cook rice using the manual pressure cook setting, not the rice setting. The Instant Pot rice program supposedly senses how much rice and moisture are in the pot and sets the cook time accordingly. The rice setting can only be used for white rice. I like to be able to control the cook time myself, so I avoid the preset programs on my Instant Pot.

How much rice can you cook in an Instant Pot

The recipe below is for cooking 2 cups of rice, which will yield about 6 cups of cooked rice. The water to rice ratio and cook time stay the same regardless of the amount of rice you are cooking.

You can cook more rice as long as you don't exceed the maximum fill lines on your pot. Rice will expand as it cooks, so you have to account for this:

You can double this recipe to cook 4 cups of rice in a 6 quart Instant Pot, which will make about 12 cups of cooked rice.
If you have an 8 quart Instant Pot (and need a lot of rice), you can triple this recipe to cook 6 cups rice. This will make about 18 cups of cooked rice.

How to store rice

If you have extra rice, you can refrigerate or freeze the leftovers for later, but you need to take certain precautions for food safety. Uncooked rice can be contaminated with spores of a bacteria that can survive the cooking process. If cooked rice is left to sit at room temperature, the bacteria may multiply.

It's best to eat cooked rice right away after cooking. If you have leftover rice, cool it quickly by laying it out in a thin layer. Refrigerate or freeze rice as soon as possible after cooking (within an hour). Use refrigerated cooked rice within 2 days or frozen rice within a month. Reheat rice until steaming hot before serving.

Cooked white rice in a wooden bowl, with an Instant Pot pressure cooker in the background.

More Instant Pot Rice Recipes

Instant Pot Brown Rice
Instant Pot Mexican Rice
Instant Pot Chicken and Rice
Instant Pot Orange Chicken
Instant Pot Butter Chicken (pot in pot rice option)

Instant Pot White Rice

Instant Pot rice is a hands off way to cook fluffy white rice! This easy pressure cooker rice recipe helps to make dinner prep easy!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Asian

Keyword how to cook rice in instant pot, instant pot rice, instant pot white rice

Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 4 mins

Natural Release 15 mins

Total Time 34 mins

Servings 6 servings

Calories 225 kcal

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

▢ 2 cups long grain white rice (such as basmati or jasmine)
▢ 2 cups water
▢ ½ teaspoon Kosher salt (optional)

Place rice in a fine mesh strainer and rinse under cool water. Drain rice and transfer to Instant Pot.
Add water to the pot, and salt, if desired. Stir.
Close the Instant Pot lid and turn the steam release valve to the sealing position.
Use the Pressure Cook or Manual function to cook at high pressure for 4 minutes. The Instant Pot will take about 10 minutes to reach pressure and then the cook time will begin counting down.
When the cook time ends, allow the pressure to release naturally for at least 15 minutes by leaving the Instant Pot alone.
Carefully turn the steam release valve to the venting position to quick release any remaining pressure. When the pin drops down, open the Instant Pot lid.
Fluff rice with a fork and serve.

You can substitute low sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth for the water. If using broth, omit the salt.
You can double this recipe in a 6 quart Instant Pot. The cook time will remain the same.

Nutrition information is an estimate.

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