After weeks of experimenting, I got it right. Here is your fail-proof guide for Instant Pot Rice. Instant Pot white rice, Instant Pot brown rice, instant pot wild rice, and many more, basically an encyclopedia about cooking rice in an instant pot.
This literally took weeks. Finding out about water absorption in the Instant Pot and the perfect rice texture. How to achieve different textures and most importantly how to reheat rice in the instant pot.
If you’ve followed along for a while, you know I’m a huuuuge fan of the Instant Pot. My Instant Pot Chicken and Rice recipe is not only a hit at my house but thousands of others now, too. YAY!
What Is The Best Rice To Water Ratio For Instant Pot Rice?
You’ll be surprised but it is always and for ALL sorts 1:1. Yes, you read that right.
Instant Pot Rice calls for a 1:1 rice to water ratio
You wonder why on the stove different ratios are called for. Well, the darker or wilder the rice the longer it needs to cook and the longer something needs to cook, the more water evaporates during the process.
This leads us to the conclusion, that different kinds of rice do not necessarily need different kinds of amounts of water to “cook” but rather more water to evaporate.
Since the Instant Pot gives a tight seal and high pressure, no water evaporates at all.
So yes, Instant Pot brown rice and even Instant Pot wild rice need the exact same amount of water as Instant Pot white rice. *mind-blown*
What If My Instant Pot Rice Is Too Hard With a 1:1 Ratio?
So, what if the rice is still crunchy and uncooked with the 1:1 ratio after pressure cooking. If your rice is uncooked that doesn’t mean next time it needs more water, that means, next time it needs more TIME. Did you wait for FULL natural pressure release?
Unfortunately, you cannot “safe” undercooked rice in the Instant Pot as putting the lid back on and turning the pot back on just leads to the dreaded burn warning.
What If My Instant Pot Rice Is Too Mushy?
You most likely used too much water. 1:1 water to rice ratio is essential for all rice types.
Use the exact same container to measure both rice and water. Some cups are imperial (236ml), others are metric (250ml) and the little plastic cup that comes with the Instant Pot is neither (160ml). So do not use different measuring cups to measure rice and water.
Does 1:1 Apply For 1 Cup Just As It Does For 4 Cups?
YES! When making Instant Pot Rice you need 1 cup of water for every cup of rice, regardless of if you cook just 1 cup or 4 cups.
This is different when you cook rice on the stovetop where evaporation happens. The more rice you cook the less water you need when using a regular pot. Because the same evaporation happens with 1 cup as with 4 cups, so you don’t need to account for evaporation for each individual cup of rice but rather a “batch” of rice.
How Many Cups Of Rice Can You Cook In An Instant Pot?
In theory: 2.5 cups in a 3-quart Instant Pot. 5 cups in a 6 quart Instant Pot. 6.5 cups in an 8-quart Instant Pot.
In practice: 2 cups in a 3-quart. 4 cups in a 6 quart. 6 cups in an 8-quart.
This is US imperial measuring cups and raw dry rice.
So the mathematical thought for the theory is the following:
- 1 cup of raw white rice gives on average 3 cups cooked rice.
- Instant Pots should not be filled more than 2/3 of its full capacity at any time. So we have to take the expanded rice into consideration.
- A 6-quart Instant Pot’s capacity is 24 cups and two thirds of that are 16 cups.
- There should not be more than 16 cups cooked rice in the Instant Pot and since 1 cup raw makes 3 cups cooked we have to divide the 16 by 3. That makes 5.3 cups.
The calculation is only theory though. I have not tried that many cups in my own 6-quart. 4 cups raw dry rice are the maximum I have cooked myself without any issues and with perfect results.
Natural Pressure Release (NPR) vs. Quick Pressure Release (QR)
What’s better? Hands down, no doubt >> natural pressure release. If you cook rice longer so you can do quick pressure release, with the hope to have the rice cooked faster overall, it gets sticky and mushy.
I encourage you to be patient and wait for natural pressure release. I timed all rice and there doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason to the timing. Even the same kind of rice in the same amount has had different natural pressure release times.
What Is The Rice Button For?
The rice button was designed only for white rice (Jasmine, Basmati, or regular long-grain). It works fine with those types of rice. The shorter high-pressure cooking times with natural pressure release work better though in my opinion.
Also, the Rice Button does not work for any other type of rice but white rice.
Does Rice Have to be Rinsed Before Adding To The Instant Pot?
Opinions vary widely and there seems to be no right or wrong answer. It’s all up to personal preference. However, thankfully it is irrelevant for the cooking times.
Both rinsed and dry rice work with my cooking times and method. Nothing has to be adjusted or changed either way. Just make sure you drain your rice well if you rinse it. Then use 1:1 ratio.
Instant Pot Rice Cooking Times For Different Types Of Rice
Now let’s get to the individual kinds of rice for your perfect Instant Pot Rice:
White Rice
I’ve tried both Basmati and Jasmin and both cook in the exact same time, 3 minutes high pressure + NPR. The thicker regular long-grain white rice cooks better with 4 minutes high pressure + NPR.
Brown Rice
I’ve experimented with Basmati brown rice and with short grain brown rice and the Basmati cooked faster than the short grain. From all my experiments it seems like the thicker the individual grains, the longer they need. With exception of wild rice, that one needs long regardless of being a skinny dude. 22 minutes high pressure + NPR for the thin Basmati and 24 minutes for the thick short grain.
Wild Rice
Some people swear the grain HAS to burst open, others swear, it’s best when “just about to burst” and others like it completely unburst. Guess what, you can achieve any consistency you like when you cook Instant Pot Wild Rice. Here are the times for whole unbroken wild rice: 28 minutes (unburst), 30 minutes (some burst some unburst), 32 minutes (burst).
Red Rice and Black Rice
Red rice and black rice is pretty thick and needs quite some time to break down so give it tiiime. It’s round and thick and it takes quite a bit for it to absorb all the water. It’s like a new towel that needs time to get soaking wet ;) 30 minutes high pressure + NPR.
Sushi Rice
I was actually pretty sure this would take just as long as regular white rice but surprise surprise. It’s not as sticky if you cook it or only 3 minutes and this is the only rice you really want to be sticky, right? So increasing the cooking time actually made it stickier and better to work with for sushi. Cooke it 5 minutes on high pressure + NPR.
Wild Rice Blend
Soooo, this one is the trickiest because it has several different kinds of rice that individually cook in different times. I found it cooks best in an in-between time. The wild rice in the mix will be completely unburst but the brown rice won’t be all mushy. Usually, that’ll be 28 minutes high-pressure + NPR. Of course, it will depend widely on what grains exactly are in your blend.
How to Reheat Rice in the Instant Pot
So, I’ve seen a couple of people recommend adding water or oil and stir it in the inner pot and pretty much making a mess, haha.
Um, not my favorite method.
I like things simple. I basically want the same convenience as a microwave but without the waves.
I store my leftover rice in a heat-proof glass container and then place the trivet in the Instant Pot, add a cup of water and place the rice uncovered on the trivet. Put the lid on, knob to sealing and press steam for 5 minutes. Quick pressure release, done!
Instant Pot Rice Better Than Stovetop Rice?
I like Instant Pot Rice (and quinoa and farro, too by the way) soooo much better than stovetop. It’s probably the fact that it absorbs the exact amount of water it needs. Since we have to account for water evaporation on the stove it’s difficult to cook it to absolute perfection.
Instant Pot Rice is the best rice EVER!
So here you have it. The longest post in the history of Green Healthy Cooking.
Instant Pot Rice
After weeks of experimenting, I got it right. Here is your fail-proof guide for Instant Pot Rice. Instant Pot white rice, Instant Pot brown rice, instant pot wild rice, and many more, basically an encyclopedia about cooking rice in an instant pot.
Ingredients
- 1 cup rice (Basmati white, Jasmin white, Basmati brown, short-grain brown, red, black, wild, wild blend, sushi)
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
Instructions
Add all ingredients into the Instant Pot. You can double, triple or quadruple all ingredients in same amounts.
Make sure sealing ring is placed properly in lid, add lid, turn shut and turn knob to sealing position.
Cook on high pressure for the number of minutes instructed below depending on the type of rice:
White Rice (Basmati or Jasmin): 3 minutes
White Sushi Rice: 5 minutes
Brown Rice (Basmati): 22 minutes
Short Grain Brown Rice: 24 minutes
Red Rice: 30 minutes
Wild Rice Blend: 28 minutes
Wild Rice: 30 minutes
Black Pearl Rice: 30 minutes
Natural Pressure Release until pin drops (max. 18 minutes for 1 cup and max 30 mins for 4 cups).
Remove all rice from pot immediately to avoid it sticking to the bottom. If needing to keep warm, leave rice in pot after natural pressure release without opening the lid to avoid steam being released and drying out the rice > making it stick to the bottom.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- I use a US standard cup. 236ml in volume.
- I, personally, do NOT rinse or wash my rice.
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B. Carbstrong says
Admittedly I was very sceptical about this. Could it really be that simple to cook perfect rice?
I’m amazed that it really is. When I cook brown rice on the stove I really don’t like the way they “explode” not holding their shape. Cooked in the Instant Pot they came out perfect and “in shape”! Thank you so much for sharing this with us…
Lorena says
You are very welcome! I’m so happy to read you found the guide useful :)
Connie says
I have tried both long grain brown rice and long grain white rice and both worked great!! I was amazed at how much brown rice it turned out compared to cooking on the stove top.
My question is, do you have instructions on cooking par-boiled white rice (like Uncle Ben’s)? It’s different than regular raw rice and I do like the texture (when cooked on the stove). Would love an IP recipe that works as great as your others do.
Thanks
Lorena says
I’ve never seen that kind of rice here but I’ve heard about it. How long does it need on the stovetop? Maybe we can figure it out that way.
Connie says
Lorena
Thanks for your reply.
Usually takes about 19-21 minutes on the stove.
I don’t know where you live but I’m pretty sure they have it in most places in the USA.
Think I’ll experiment next time I cook it.
Lorena says
Hi Connie, I live in Montreal (Canada), in the health food stores they don’t have it but maybe a regular grocery store. Have to look a little harder. Anyway, if on the stove it needs about 20 minutes I would suggest a 5-6 minute high-pressure cooking time + full natural pressure release. Maybe try with only 1 cup at first as to not waste too much if it’s not cooked through but I’m pretty confident 6 minutes should definitely do the trick.
Robert Gilmour says
My instant pot has an altitude setting. I’m cooking at 5280 ft above sea level. What changes for white or brown rice, if any, do I need to make if any?
Lorena says
I had never heard before that some pots have that function. What does it do? Unfortunately, I cannot give advice, because I don’t know how that function works. But maybe we can figure it out together. At 5280 I would probably add 1 more minute for white Basmati/Jasmin rice. Instead of 3 minutes 4 minutes high pressure and also full natural pressure release and still 1:1 ratio.
Josh says
I’ve seen another site that basically says when you get to 3000 feet, start adding 5% to the cooking time for every 1000 feet, so add 15% for Denver (where I live). For red rice, I use 35 minutes with great results
Julia LaBorde says
I ALWAYS refer to this post when cooking rice! Perfect every time!
Kathi Petersen says
Thanks! Great post! I do well with basmati and arborio, but I haven’t tried longer-cooking rice in the IP yet. Now I will!
Lorena says
Great!! Happy to read I have inspired you :D
Julia Osgood says
I’m so impressed with this post. I always use my instant pot for brown rice, and I used the instructions that came with the IP. After reading this, I’ve prepared other types of rice according to your instructions and they work every time. Thanks!
Lorena says
Thank you so much! I’m so happy to read you found it useful. This post took weeks to test and prepare and be able to publish. It’s probably the work I’m the proudest of on my blog :)
Christine says
Hi,
I followed instructions for white rice (3 min and then I did a 15 minute natural release) my rice came out dry and crunchy….any idea what I did wrong? Natural release too long?
Thanks!
Lorena says
That’s weird. No, there is no such thing as too long of a natural pressure release. What kind of white rice was it? And did you use the same volume? 1 cups of rice and same cup water. Or two cups rice and same cup 2 cups water? What size Instant Pot did you use? Did you cook on HIGH pressure, not low?
Donna says
I’m sure it’s just me not seeing it (or understanding), but I don’t see how to make just regular old long grain white rice. Can someone help?
Lorena says
Hi Donna, it will take 4 minutes on high pressure + full natural pressure release. Since the grain is a little thicker than that of Jasmin or Basmati rice it takes about a minute longer.
caesar espinosa says
Serving Size? it is one cup ? Thanks
Lorena says
The nutritional information was calculated as 1 cup raw rice for 4 servings. Generally, 1/2 cup cooked rice is a good serving size on a plate with protein and veggies :) As a rule of thumb you want to fill half your plate with fruits and veggies and the other half you divide into thirds and fill 2 thirds with protein and 1 third with carbs.
LMS says
Thanks for this. Read most of the comments. I think that leaving the IP on (the “keep warm” setting) is making a difference. I unplugged my 8qt IP after the cook time was over. My brown rice (2.5c dry measure – unrinsed) was a little firm but still cooked. Next time I will not unplug the IP until the pressure is completely released. I also added a tablespoon of butter to the pot before closing it up. No sticking.
As for the “how long” questions, I put all the rices and cooking times in a spreadsheet. Then I looked up the average stovetop cooking times of each rice. I noticed that the rices with similar combined stovetop cooking/standing times had similar cooking times under pressure. I also noted if the rices were long-, medium- or short-grain. The cooking times for similar length grains were the same.
As for why to use an instant pot to cook rice instead of the stove top? For the same reason one would use a rice cooker to cook rice or a crockpot to cook a pot roast instead of in the oven…. because it’s a “set it and walk away” option. Perfect for those of us who prefer or need to multi-task (even if it’s so we can binge watch Netflix).
Lorena says
Wonderful!! Yes, I always leave the “keep warm” function on.
Denise says
That was my question–whether to use “keep warm” during the NPR or not. Looks like I should. I also have an Ultra that allows me to set the altitude. I didn’t see info about “keep warm” in the description anywhere. Lorena, you have some of my favorite recipes. Thank you!
Lorena says
I’m so happy to read you like them :) You’re right, I should specify the “keep warm” but honestly, I’ve tried both and it works both ways for me.
Susan Annette says
Thank you, I am amazed at the rice I am getting from the Instant Pot. Your post has thoroughly explained the way the rice works and answered my questions about why it works so well. Many thanks.
Lorena says
I’m so happy to read you found the post useful :D
Julie says
Do u cool on
RICE setting
or
PRESSURE COOK?
Twojay says
I am using an 8qt IP, and followed directions to the letter and had a thin layer of rice stick from center to about 2″ away from outer edge.
When I added rice and water (1:1) the center was very shallow… Should I double recipe for the 8qt?
Cheers.
Lorena says
I’m so sorry that happened. The booklet of the 8-quart Instant Pot states that at least 2 cups of liquid are necessary for the pot to get to proper pressure so yes, the minimum rice you can cook in an 8-quart is 2 cups because you need 2 cups water. I hope you give the recipe another try by doubling it.
Sara says
That’s not true. I have an 8 quart and the minimum amount of water required to get the pot to pressure is 1 cup. I regularly use 1 cup of water in my 8 quart and it’s more than fine. I can’t speak to your rice measurements, because I haven’t tried them yet, but overall, 1 cup of water should be fine in the 8 quart.
JS says
I always wash my rice before cooking. I drain the starchy water and add fresh water (or stock) to cook the rice. Do you think washing the rice will change the cooking time?
Lorena says
No, washing the rice doesn’t change the cooking time or rice water ratio. Wash, drain, and then proceed as instructed :)
Anna says
You said in the notes section that you use a std. 236 ml measuring cup. Both of my measuring cups are marked 250 ml for a cup. I’m confused.
Lorena says
US imperial cups are 236ml and metric cups are 250ml. You have two metric cups. It’s irrelevant for cooking rice though. You can use whatever container really. The important part is to add the same volume of rice to water. So, in theory you can use a washed-out yogurt container fill it with rice and add to instant pot, then fill the same yogurt container with water and add to the instant pot. Same volume rice, same volume water and you have to make sure to fill your instant pot to the minimum liquid required due to the model you own. 6-quarts usually work with 1 cup (imperial or metric, makes no difference) and 8-quarts tend to need 2 cups.
chersews says
Just tried the short grain brown rice instant pot recipe in my 6 qt Duo 60 . Cooked for 24 minutes as instructed. Made 3 cups of rice at 1:1 ratio, and waited for the slow steam release. Added a little 1/2 teaspoon of Tumeric, a little garlic powder, onion powder and 1 bullion cube.
The results were PERFECT! No burn warning. No sticking. Thanks for making life easy for the Instant Pot Newbies!!!