After weeks of experimenting, I got it right. Here is your fail-proof guide for Instant Pot Rice. White rice, brown rice, wild rice, and many more, basically an encyclopedia about cooking rice in a pressure cooker.
If you’ve followed along for a while, you know I’m a huuuuge fan of pressure cooking. 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?
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 secret to rice cooking is that 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, brown rice and even wild rice need the exact same amount of water as white rice in an evaporation-proof environment. *mind-blown*
What If My Rice Is Too Hard With a 1:1 Ratio?
If your rice is hard or 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. I recommend adding the undercooked rice to a soup or stew maybe 5 minutes before it’s done simmering.
What If My 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 standard American (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 on the stove.
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.
This is US standard 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 Cooking?
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 presented.
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
Now let’s get to the individual kinds of 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 the 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!
So here you have it. The longest post in the history of Green Healthy Cooking.
Instant Pot Rice
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker
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 minutesWhite Sushi Rice: 5 minutesBrown Rice (Basmati): 22 minutesShort Grain Brown Rice: 24 minutesRed Rice: 30 minutesWild Rice Blend: 28 minutesWild Rice: 30 minutesBlack 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.
Notes
- I use a US standard cup. 236ml in volume.
- I, personally, do NOT rinse or wash my rice.
- Cooking time stays the same no matter how many cups you cook.
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Sara Dyess says
Do I leave the IP on “keep warm” or turn off the heat completely during the natural pressure release?
Lorena Grater says
Either way works. I personally keep it on because I’m not organized enough in the kitchen and sometimes don’t get other parts of dinner ready until 30 mins after pressure release and by keeping the keep warm on, I have warm rice no matter when I’m ready for dinner.
Birdman says
If you’re going to make a mix of different rices, here’s the way to go: do each rice separately to its own doneness and then mix them together. Gonna mix jasmine and brown rice (which a delicious blend, btw)? Cook a batch of brown rice to 22-23 minutes, the cook a batch of jasmine to 3 minutes and mix them together after they’re done. Both types of rice are done to perfection, and they blend together wonderfully.
Kristina says
This is such great information! I’ve been using this recipe for more than a year, and refer back to it (and your failproof instant pot eggs recipe!) routinely. I’ve had great success with your rice cooking method in the Instant Pot, so much so that I got rid of my rice cooker. Thanks so much for taking the time to test all these different types of rice!
Lorena Grater says
You are very welcome :)
Ken Kerr says
I love your Make Rice In The Pressure Cooker .jpg photo. I printed it and saved it with my recipes. 1:1 and always rinse the rice is all I have to remember. Then, I reference your pic for the rice type and time.
Only one tiny request, albeit might not be possible at this point. Can you edit the picture in order to place the Wild Blend 28 minute to the left of the Red Rice 30 minute in order to make the time placement succinct with shortest time rice on the left and increasing times in order to the right?
Thanks for the work and great post.
Lorena Grater says
Gah, I see what you mean, yes that would have looked more pretty in the photo. Unfortunately, I can’t retake the photo. This photo took 2 hole days to prepare, stage, and photograph.
Simone says
I like to cook a blend of white, brown and red rice. How long should I cook this for?
Lorena Grater says
You have to cook it as long as the grain that takes the longest in the mix.
Sally says
What about high altitude? Do you cook it longer?
Lorena Grater says
You have to add 5% cooking time per 1,000 feet starting at 2,000 feet. So up to 2,000 feet all stays the same at 3,000 feet cook stuff 5% of the time longer, at 4,000 feet cook stuff 10% of the time longer etc.
Susan says
Best recipes ever….THANK YOU!! Do you have the timing for Arborio rice?
Lorena Grater says
Thank you Susan :) I don’t have timing for arborio alone but as risotto: https://greenhealthycooking.com/instant-pot-risotto/
Sharon S. says
I have made this rice recipe numerous times and with several different rices ( mostly Jasmine, Basmati and brown rices) in my Ninja Foodi. It has always turned out beautiful, fluffy and light.
However, recently I tried making Jasmine rice in my LUX Instant Pot using the exact same recipe.
I was using the Ninja Foodi for the pressure cooked chicken so thought the Instant Pot would be fine. The first time I made the rice (not rinsed) in the inner pot and the second time I made the rice (rinsed well) in a stainless pot without a lid. Both times the rice was stuck together and gummy – not the light and fluffy I was used to. I used the manual setting, pressure sealed for 3 minutes with a full NPR. What did I do wrong in the Instant Pot??
Lorena Grater says
Hm, I’m confused Sharon. I’ve never used anything but my 6-quart Instant Pots so I can’t speak for other brands or other sizes. Is your Instant Pot an 8-quart?
Sharon S. says
The LUX Instapot is a 6 qt Instapot. All other recipes I have used have been interchangeable between the Instapot and the Ninja Foodi. The Only recipe I have every had a problem with in the Instapot is the rice. I think I also used the “rice” button some time ago to no luck.
Helene Eisenberg says
An imperial cup is not the same as a US legal cup. Imperial measurements were used in the UK and some commonwealth countries prior to the introduction of the metric system. A US pint is 16 ounces, an imperial pint is 20 ounces. Even the ounces are different from the US measurements. An imperial cup is 9.61 fluid ounces, or 10 Imperial ounces. A US cup is 8 ounces.
I suggest you remove the word imperial from your description of US cups.
Lorena Grater says
Oh wow! I had no idea! Thank you so much for the information. I learn more every day :)
Robb says
ALL Asian people rinse their rice and there are many reasons for doing so. It removes the surface starch that allows rice to be light and fluffy and not clump together. Also because people and animals walk on it before it arrives at your house in that pretty little bag. Trust me – wash your rice until the water runs clear.
Silvy says
I absolutely agree , washing rice is such a sensible thing to do !
Christie says
This is such great info, thank you! I’m wondering if you have used the delay timer and if that changes the cooking times or amount of water used due to the soaking of the grains. I would like to prep everything the night before and have the rice ready in the morning for lunches.
Lorena Grater says
Hi Christie, unfortunately, I haven’t tested that so I’m not sure. You can always test with 3 minutes and if it’s overcooked try 2 minutes the next time. Overcooked rice is a bit mushy but perfectly edible. Undercooked rice isn’t good at all.
So happy says
Thank you so much! Works a treat every time with the different types of rice Ive tried :)
Alyssa Barberio says
my instant pot gave me the signal that my food was burning. I opened it after 5 minutes if pressuring and the water had evaporated and the bottom was burnt. most of the rice was good, but hard…
Kaye M. says
Something was wrong with your sealing ring, not with the rice recipe. You may need a new sealing ring if it is more than a year old or it was not in the lid correctly so it allowed the steam to escape.
Lorena Grater says
Your pressure cooker probably didn’t seal properly. There shouldn’t be ANY water evaporation in a pressure cooker. The rice just absorbs all the water. If water evaporates through the valve or the sides you have to exchange your sealing ring or at least check it’s properly placed or check your valve to ensure it seals well.
Karma says
Do you have any recommendations for making brown sushi rice ?
Lorena Grater says
I have never seen that one but I assume it would work the exact same way as short-grain brown rice.