Perfect Instant Pot Rice

by Diana Rattray

The Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker is an excellent way to cook perfect rice. Overall, with pressure build and release, basic Instant Pot rice takes about 20 to 24 minutes. It might seem like a lengthy process for rice, but the ease of preparation is what makes it so fantastic. All you have to do for perfect rice is rinse it, add it to the Instant Pot, and set the timer. It’s an effortless procedure and results are consistent.

What You’ll Need:

• An Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker.
• Long grain rice: Use plain white long grain rice, basmati rice, jasmine rice, or Carolina gold.
• Everyday table salt or a slightly rounded 1/2 teaspoon of fine sea salt.
• Tap water, filtered water, or an unsalted broth for a little extra flavor.

For best texture, don’t skip rinsing the rice. Rinsing cleans the rice removes impurities and some of the surface starch from the grains. It takes a few minutes, but it is well worth it. The strainer with rice is rinsed until the water is relatively clear.

This rice yields firm yet tender grains—if you’re prefer softer rice, add an extra 2 tablespoons of water to the Instant Pot for each cup of rice and add an extra 1 or 2 minutes to the timer. Once you have your ideal texture, the rice will be perfect every time.

You can easily scale the recipe up for a crowd, or you could scale it down to 1 cup for a few. You can always freeze leftover rice and reheat it in the microwave oven, so if you have too much, save some for another meal.

Related Recipes You Might Like:

This Instant Pot coconut rice is flavored with coconut milk, cilantro, and green onions. It’s a fabulous choice for an Asian main dish. Or try this Parsi rice, a Persian dish made with brown basmati rice and a fabulous array of spices. There’s no need to stir and fuss with this amazing Instant Pot risotto, or add broccoli and cheese to your Instant Pot rice for a memorable side dish.

Tips and variations

• Toast/sauté the rice before you add the water. To toast the rice before cooking, add about 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil or butter to the Instant Pot and press the Sauté setting. Add the rice and salt and cook, stirring, until the rice is aromatic. For additional flavor, feel free to use an infused olive oil or sesame oil. This is also the perfect time to add aromatics, such as minced garlic or shallots to the rice. Add the water, make sure any browned bits are scraped up, and proceed with pressure cooking.

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