Instant Pot Basmati Rice is a fast and simple basic that will pair with all of your cozy winter soups! It couldn’t be easier to make! PIN THIS RECIPE!
This post uses affiliate links.
Instant Pot Basmati Rice
During our kitchen remodel I relied heavily on my Instant Pot. I fiddled with a lot of the features, giving myself a glorified extra “burner” when I needed it, and relied on it for my regular stovetop staples like rice. Now that we’re back upstairs, working out of a real kitchen, I still find myself making rice in my Instant Pot and not my new 6 burner stove. I know—I never thought I would say that, but I really do think that the Instant Pot is perfect for making rice! Instant Pot Basmati rice is a perfect nutty side dish to go with all of your cozy winter soups! It comes together in seconds, and is done from start to finish, including pressure building time, in under 30 minutes, while you prep the rest of your dinner.
Instant Pots
Did you get an Instant Pot for Christmas? It’s such a fun gadget, with lots of possibilities for how to use it! Have you all checked out the IP group on Facebook? It’s over 1 million people and growing by the second—I finally had to turn off the group because my newsfeed had been overrun with Instant Pot posts! But it’s a great resource to check in on from time to time. I think the biggest thing that I like to tell people about the IP is that it’s not truly instant. It’s the “hands off pot.” The pot takes time to build pressure, especially when the it is full, so even if the cook time is only 5 minutes, you need time for pressure to build and release. But you can totally walk away—and that’s my favorite part!
Love your Instant Pot? Here are some of my favorite recipes!
How to Make Perfect Black Beans
Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes with Fried Onions and {vegan} Bacon
Quick Release vs. Natural Release
Last week I was having a virtual chat with some other vegan bloggers about our Instant Pots. There are two different ways to release the pressure after cooking. You can do a Quick Release by toggling the knob over to the “venting.” You can also do a Natural Release which means that after cooking the pressure slowly seeps out until it has fully released and the pin drops. Quick release tends to be messy if you are doing something like a soup, as the liquid steams out of the top! Natural release can take a really long time, and the food is still hot so I always feel like it’s getting overcooked to sit in the pot the whole time. I like to do a combination. I tend to let the food cook, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, and then toggle the knob to “venting” to release the last bit of pressure. Perfect, and no mess!
Look how easy it is to make Instant Pot Basmati Rice
Ok, enough chit chat! Let’s get cooking! I hope you enjoy this method for making Instant Pot Basmati Rice! And I hope it lands next to a big bowl of cozy soup on a table near you this weekend! Let me know how you like it—leave a comment below, or share a picture on social media. Be sure to tag me! {#frieddandelions // @frieddandelions}
Instant Pot Basmati Rice
Ingredients
- 2 cups basmati rice
- 2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Place all 3 ingredients into the liner of your Instant Pot, and give a gentle stir.
- Place the lid on your Instant Pot, and turn the knob to sealing.
- Set the Instant Pot to cook on high pressure for 10 minutes.
- After the 10 minutes has lapsed, allow the Instant Pot to release pressure for 10 minutes. The display will look like this: L0:10.
- Turn the knob to venting and allow the remaining pressure to release, being careful to avoid the steam.
- Remove the lid of the Instant Pot.
- Give the rice a quick stir and fluff it with a fork.
- Serve!
Newbully says
Thank you for posting this. It seems that 1:1 relation of Rice and Water is true in the IP. Rice cookers had a 1:2 relation as 50% is evaporation. (Fuzzy Logic 8 Pre-Program Rice Cooker SR-DE103) which has worked very well for the last 5 years. In the IP, I saute the rice with turmeric and cumin for a few min and then add the chicken broth and cook the rice. IP manuals said cook for 4 min, and seems to be incorrect. I’ll try this recipe tonight.
Sarah says
Yes, the instant pot definitely cooks differently than a rice cooker! I really like it. And yes, depending on the kind of rice, the timing is different. I do about 4 minutes for sushi rice, usually 5 or 6 for long grain, and 9-10 for basmati!
Katie Koteen says
My Instant Pot has replaced our rice cooker and crock pot! I can’t imagine life without it. Thanks for these tips – my IP rice has been a little on the mushy side. This helps a lot!
Sarah says
I know, the IP is so good! I never used my slow cooker—it’s somewhere in my garage! And I haven’t had a rice cooker in years. I always let my Dominican husband cook the rice—it’s his specialty. But now the IP makes it so easy!!!
Mel | avirtualvegan.com says
I love rice cooked in the IP. Such a great appliance! I love it so much.
Jenn says
We eat a lot of rice around here, so easy recipes like this are the best! Love my IP!
Cadry says
That speaks loads about the instant pot that you’re still using it, even though your beautifully renovated kitchen is open for business. I need to pull mine out of the closet and try again. Thanks for sharing a basic recipe that’s great for noobs like myself. 😀
Kristina says
woo hoo – RICE! 😉 I love how quick and easy this is.
Amy Katz from Veggies Save The Day says
I make rice several times a week in my IP. It always turns out perfectly!
Becky Striepe says
I love basics like this – recipes like this were so helpful when I was getting used to my IP. Thank you so much for linking to my sushi rice! <3