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    Home » Recipes » Instant Pot

    How to Make The Best Instant Pot Rice

    Published: Apr 7, 2018 · Modified: Jun 23, 2022 by Amanda Mason · 32 Comments

    Yield 4 people
    Cook 12 minutes minutes
    Prep 2 minutes minutes
    Jump to Recipe
    Blue and brown speckled bowl containing Instant Pot Rice topped with fresh ground pepper and parsley.
    Turquoise bowl containing cooked Instant Pot Rice topped with ground pepper and parsley, fork in bowl.
    Blue bowl containing white rice made in the instant pot topped with pepper and fresh parsley.

    With these step-by-step instructions, you're guaranteed to make the perfect rice in your Instant Pot EVERYTIME! Simple and fast, your Instant Pot rice will turn out moist and flavorful!

    Blue bowl containing white rice made in the instant pot topped with pepper and fresh parsley.

    Because who doesn't need more simple in their lives...

    I eat rice with a lot of different dishes. It just pairs so well with so many foods. But ya'll, I HATED making rice on the stovetop. It almost always boiled over. And I just don't love rice from a box.

    I had heard so many people say that when they made rice in the Instant Pot, it turned out perfect. So I broke down and bought an Instant Pot. And guess what? I've fallen in LOVE with my Instant Pot! I've made so many different recipes in my Instant Pot and rice is hands down one of the easiest recipes to make.

    And...this rice recipe only calls for 5 simple ingredients you have in your house:

    • Rice
    • Water
    • Olive Oil
    • Salt
    • Pepper

    Easy, right? I do try to keep things simple. So, how do you cook rice in an Instant Pot? I'm so glad you asked! I don't know about you, but there are a lot of Instant Pot recipes out there that don't really explain how to use your Instant Pot. Their instructions are so vague and the recipe doesn't always turn out right.

    But not this one..NOPE! Get ready because I'm going to break this Instant Pot Rice recipe down step-by-step for you so it's SUPER clear on how to make the BEST rice in an Instant Pot!

    How to Make Rice In An Instant Pot: Step-By-Step

    Step 1

    First, measure out 1 cup of rice. Use whatever type of rice you want...Basmati, White Rice, Jasmine, Brown Rice, Wild Rice...etc. In my recipe below, I used long-grain white rice.

    Measuring cup with 1 cup of rice filled.

    Step 2

    Next, pour the rice into a food strainer and rinse with water for about 20 seconds.

    Rinsing white rice under water using a colander.

    Step 3

    From there, pour 1 teaspoon of olive oil into your Instant Pot.

    Pouring olive oil into an instant pot.

    Step 4

    I like to use a basting brush and spread the olive oil around to ensure the bottom is covered. From my experience, this REALLY helps ensure the rice cooks evenly.

    Basting brush used in an instant pot to spread olive oil.

    Step 5

    Then, you're going to add the rice, water, salt and pepper to the Instant Pot.

    Water, rice, and pepper in an instant pot.

    Step 6

    Now you're going to put the Instant Pot lid on and turn it until it beeps. That indicated the lid is on and securely in place. You're then going to move the valve on top of the lid to "Sealing".

    Sealing and Venting knob on an instant pot.

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    Step 7

    Now, it's time to plug in your Instant Pot. When you plug the Instant Pot in, it will display "Off". Go ahead and select the Rice setting. Your Instant Pot window should display with a "12" and the pressure should display as "Low Pressure".

    12 minutes into count down using an Instant Pot.

    Step 8

    After a couple of seconds, your Instant Pot is going to start beeping and the display will switch to "On".

    "On" setting for rice using an instant pot.

    Step 9

    After a couple of minutes in, the Instant Pot is going to start steaming just a little. This is perfectly normal. I was FREAKED out that the lid was going to fly off when I first used my Instant Pot but I promise...this is part of the Instant Pot process. It's doing it's "magic"!

    An instant Pot steaming with the valve closed.

    Step 10

    It's important to note that the Instant Pot will display on the "On" setting for a short period of time. Soon after, the Instant Pot will start counting down on the display screen. When it gets to L0:00, it's going to start beeping.

    Now, go ahead and move the valve on top of the lid to from "Sealing" to "Venting". This releases the pressure from the Instant Pot, but keep the lid on.

    Instant pot showing L0:00 time.

    Step 11

    Notice that the display window in your Instant Pot is counting down. When it gets to L008, you're ready to remove the lid off the Instant Pot.

    A close up of a countdown clock on an Instant Pot.

    Your rice is done! How easy was that? No pots boiling over on my stove and no mess to clean up! Look how perfect, fluffy and moist this white rice looks!

    Instant pot with cooked white rice.

    And that's what you will get from this Instant Pot rice recipe...a nice moist rice. Not "sticky" and not dry. Perfectly cooked rice that turns out right every time!

    What To Serve Instant Pot Rice With:

    • Lemon Butter Chicken
    • Pesto Chicken Thighs
    • Pinto Beans
    • Asian Steak Roll Ups
    • Feta and Sun-Dried Tomato Meatloaf 

    Tips and Tricks for Cooking Different Types of Rice in an Instant Pot

    • Versions - Did you know there are different Instant Pot versions/generations?  I've been told that cook times differ based on the version of Instant Pot you own. I have the Instant Pot IP-DUO80 7-in-1 Programmable Electric Pressure Cooker, 8 Qt.
    • Spreading Olive Oil - In addition to my reference above, I've noticed that when I spread the olive oil around with a basting brush at the bottom of my Instant Pot the rice cooks more evenly and turns out perfect! YUM!
    • Rinsing Rice -  It's a good practice to get into because it gets rid of some of the starches and it truly does provide more of a clean and fresh taste. Personally, I like to use a mesh food strainer because the holes are so tiny. That guarantees the grains of rice don't fall through when I'm rinsing.
    • Water to Rice Ratio - There's a lot of debate about this in other food blogger's recipes. You'll often see a 1:1 ratio for rice and water. Well, I don't like dry rice. I like moist, full and fluffy rice so I use 1 cup of rice to 1.5 cups of water. That's my preference.
    • Cooking Different Types of Rice - You can use any type of rice you want in your Instant Pot. The only thing you need to remember is the cook times are a little different based on the type of rice. Here's a quick reference for you:
      • Long Grain White Rice - 12 minutes
      • Basmati - 5 minutes
      • Jasmine - 8 minutes
      • Brown Rice - 25 minutes
      • Wild Rice - 28 minutes

    What Other Instant Pot Recipes Can I Make?

    I'm glad you asked...because you have a lot of options! Check out these favorites:

    • Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken
    • Instant Pot Mexican Rice
    • 14 Recipes That Will Convince You To Buy An Instant Pot

    How simple was this recipe?! You're never going to want to pull out that pot to make rice on the stovetop again! Using an Instant Pot to make rice makes my life so much easier!

    Bowl filled with instant pot white rice, spoon in bowl.

    If you've tried my recipe for How to Make The Best Instant Pot Rice, leave me a comment! I love to hear from my readers!  And don't forget to rate the recipe below!!

    Make sure to FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest because I'm CONSTANTLY posting recipes that I know you will love! Oh, and share the love by sharing this recipe to your favorite social media channels! For your convenience, I put share buttons at the top of this post!

    Blue and brown speckled bowl containing Instant Pot Rice topped with fresh ground pepper and parsley.

    How to Make The Best Instant Pot Rice

    With these step-by-step instructions, you're guaranteed to make the perfect rice in your Instant Pot EVERY TIME! Simple and fast, your Instant Pot rice will turn out moist and flavorful!
    4.50 from 12 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 2 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 12 minutes minutes
    Natural Pressure Release Time: 8 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 22 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 63kcal
    Author: Amanda Mason

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup Long Grain White Rice,
    • 1.5 cups Water
    • 1 teaspoon Olive Oil
    • Pinch of Salt
    • Pinch Ground Pepper

    Instructions

    • Measure out 1 cup of Long Grain White Rice.
    • Next, pour the rice into a food strainer and rinse with water for about 20 seconds.
    • From there, pour 1 teaspoon of olive oil into your Instant Pot.
    • Take a basting brush and spread the olive oil around to ensure the bottom is covered.  
    • Add the rice, water, salt and pepper to the Instant Pot.
    • Put the Instant Pot lid on and move your valve to Sealing.
    • Now, it's time to plug in your Instant Pot. When you plug the Instant Pot in, it will display "Off". 
      Go ahead and select the Rice setting. Your Instant Pot window should display with a "12" and the pressure should display as "Low Pressure".
    • After a couple of seconds, your Instant Pot is going to start beeping and the display will switch to "On".
      After a couple of minutes in, the Instant Pot is going to start steaming just a little. This is perfectly normal.
    • The Instant Pot will start counting down on the display screen. When it gets to L0:00, it's going to start beeping. 
      Now, go ahead and move the valve on top of the lid to from "Sealing" to "Venting". This releases the pressure from the Instant Pot, but keep the lid on.
    • Notice that the display window in your Instant Pot is counting down. When it gets to L008, you're ready to remove the lid off the Instant Pot. 
    • Serve immediately. Place any leftovers in the refrigerator. 

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    Nutrition

    Serving: 0.5cup | Calories: 63kcal | Carbohydrates: 11.6g | Protein: 1.1g | Fat: 1.3g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.9g | Sodium: 585mg | Potassium: 1mg | Fiber: 0.03g | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 0.2mg
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    About Amanda Mason

    Hi! I'm Amanda, the founder and creator behind Recipes Worth Repeating! Simply put, I focus on creating delicious recipes for everyone. I offer variety. I offer convenience. I offer yumminess! And that's why people keep coming back. The recipes I create are absolutely worth repeating.

    Founded in 2012, Recipes Worth Repeating grew from people routinely asking me to email them the recipe for my latest dish. Recipe development comes naturally to me and I find cooking relaxing. Originally from Nashville, Tennessee, I developed a passion for cooking at an early age and I love to showcase a variety of recipes on my blog.Creating delicious new recipes, still photography, and video for Recipes Worth Repeating is the driving force behind what engages my readers to keep coming back for more recipes they will love.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      4.50 from 12 votes

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      Recipe Rating




       

    1. Cara

      November 16, 2018 at 9:58 am

      5 stars
      Hi there! So if I want to make Jasmine rice in the Instant Pot Ibwould choose “manual or pressure cook” button instead of “rice”? Since I only want it to cook for 8 mins according to your post? I’m new to this so just checking! If I choose “rice” it will automatically cook for 12 minutes which will be too long right? Thank you for any help you can offer!!

      Reply
      • Amanda Mason

        November 16, 2018 at 2:59 pm

        Hi Cara! Here is what I would do:

        Use 1 cup Jasmine rice
        Use 1 cup water
        Pinch of salt

        1. Cook on high pressure for 3 minutes on the rice mode. You can adjust the time down from my original instructions in the post.
        2. Once it stops beeping, natural pressure release for about 8 minutes.

        For Jasmine rice, I would not rinse it before hand.

        Let me know how that turns out!

        Reply
    2. April B.

      September 28, 2018 at 6:57 pm

      5 stars
      I tried this recipe in my 6 qt. today as my first attempt. I followed your recipe to the “T” and my rice came out perfect! Thank you!

      Reply
      • Amanda Mason

        September 28, 2018 at 9:39 pm

        Awesome!! So glad to hear!! Thank you so much for writing to let me know!! Enjoy!

        Reply
    3. Julye Johnson

      September 25, 2018 at 6:46 am

      2 stars
      I had the same problem as Jenna above. I tried this last night and my rice was super sticky and glumped together -- almost like mush. I have a rice cooker that cooks it perfectly every time. Was hoping to get rid of it and just use my instapot because my rice cooker takes 45 min. Any additional suggestions? Is altitude an issue?

      Reply
      • Amanda Mason

        September 28, 2018 at 9:42 pm

        Hi Julye! I have no idea why your rice would have turned out like this. So many people said they have followed this recipe to a "T" and it turned out perfect. The only thing I could think of is the elevation. As you in a high elevation? Do this...try a 1:1 ratio and see how it turns out. So 1 cup of rice and 1 cup of water. I make this rice at least once a week and it's perfect every time!

        Reply
    4. Jenna Mitchell

      September 03, 2018 at 11:37 am

      2 stars
      I followed your recipe to a tee! I have a 6qt duo plus. I hit the rice button it was on low for 12 minutes, got to 0 (display didn't say L000 like you said) just 0000. Released steam, left valve open and then it started counting up again no L just 0001 and so on. When it got to 0008 I anxiously opened the lid and it was kinda stuck to the bottom (I used oil with brush) and kinda sticky. I was so looking forward to fluffy rice! Keep in mind I haven't had my instant pot long at all and this is my 4th time using it so maybe it was my error. Help!!

      Reply
      • Amanda Mason

        September 05, 2018 at 6:33 am

        Hi Jenna - I love a little moisture in my rice so the ratio of water to rice is perfect for me. You could try 1 cup of water to 1 cup of rice to see if that makes it more fluffy for you. Did you put olive oil on the bottom? If so, maybe use a little less. Make sure the olive oil is evenly spread on the bottom. Make sure you rinse your rice. You could try making this on manual mode instead of the rice mode. Look at my recipe here for mexican rice and follow the manual settings: https://recipesworthrepeating.com/instant-pot-mexican-rice/. Let me know how the 2nd batch turns out!!

        Reply
    5. Rachel

      August 23, 2018 at 4:06 pm

      I have a party this weekend and am making gumbo. Any tips on how to make rice for 30?
      Thanks!!

      Reply
      • Amanda Mason

        August 23, 2018 at 7:56 pm

        I've not made rice in my instant pot for that many people BUT I've read that you can triple/quadruple the rice and water and not adjust the time. The pressure in the Instant Pot essentially cooks it the same amount of time regardless of the servings. I've not confirmed this yet...but good luck on your party!

        Reply
    6. Michelle

      April 16, 2018 at 6:18 am

      5 stars
      I haven't dreamt of cooking rice in my Instant pot but you make it seems so easy so I'm going to do it now.

      Reply
      • Amanda Mason

        April 16, 2018 at 6:43 am

        It's a true gift...saves you a ton of time and your rice will taste better!

        Reply
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