Updated
If the thought of making rice on the stove intimidates you, this Instant Pot basmati rice recipe is for you. Maybe you had a few bad experiences with burnt, uncooked, or mushy rice and gave up. Trust me, I can relate, and I’ve been there and done that—but not since I started making rice in the Instant Pot!
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“Turned out absolutely perfect. Thank you!” -Jen
Easy Pressure Cooker Basmati Rice
When I’m not sure about what to make for dinner, a big pot of comforting and tasty basmati rice is always a good starting point. Rice goes with almost anything, and it’s always perfect when I make it in the Instant Pot.
Basmati rice is a type of long-grain rice grown in India, Pakistan, and Nepal and is available in the rice section of most grocery stores.
Tips for Success
- If you prefer fluffier rice, rinse or soak the rice before cooking it. To rinse, place rice in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse for about 2 minutes.
- Rinsing also removes excess starch, allowing the rice to separate more easily.
- For softer rice, add an additional ¼ cup of water.
- If your instant pot has a “rice” setting, you can use it instead. It will cook the rice longer at a lower pressure.
- Gently fluff the cooked rice with a fork or wooden spoon. Do not stir it.
- Do not leave your rice in the instant pot on the “keep warm” setting. It will overcook.
Instant Pot Basmati Rice Recipe
Equipment
- Instant Pot (click for my favorite)
Ingredients
- 2 cups dry basmati rice
- 2½ cups water
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon olive oil vegetable oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, or ghee also work
Instructions
- In your Instant Pot add the rice, water, salt, and oil. Stir so that no rice is above the water.2 cups dry basmati rice, 2½ cups water, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon olive oil
- Place the Instant Pot lid on and make sure the knob is set to sealed.
- Press “Manual”, make sure pressure is set to high, and set the time to 4 minutes.
- After the cook time is up, perform a 10 minute natural pressure release and then carefully release remaining pressure.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment!
How to Make Basmati Rice in the Instant Pot Step by Step
Gather your ingredients: Pull out all the ingredients and place them on the kitchen counter.
Place ingredients in the instant pot: Add 2 cups rice, 2½ cups water, ½ tsp salt, and 1 tsp oil to the instant pot. Stir so that no rice is above the water.
Seal the instant pot: Place the Instant Pot lid on and make sure the knob is set to sealed.
Set the instant pot: Press “Manual”, make sure pressure is set to high, and set the time to 4 minutes.
Release: After the cook time is up, perform a 10-minute natural pressure release and then carefully release remaining pressure.
Serve: Serve and enjoy with your favorite dish.
Ratios for Basmati Rice in the Instant Pot
When making rice, I like to use a ratio of 1.25:1 — that is 1¼ cups of water for every 1 cup of rice.
If you soak your rice, you’ll want to reduce that ratio to 1:1 because the rice will have already absorbed some water.
As written, this recipe makes 6 cups of cooked rice from 2½ cups of water and 2 cups of dry rice. For a smaller portion of rice, reduce the water to 1¼ cups and the rice to 1 cup. For a larger portion of rice, double the recipe, using 5 cups of water and 4 cups of rice.
How to Store
Cooked basmati rice is a great meal-prep food! It will keep for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator, so prep a big batch and use it all week.
Freeze instant pot basmati rice in an airtight container for up to 4 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Sprinkle the rice with a few tablespoons of water and reheat in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring between, until warmed through.
Serving Suggestions
I’m a big proponent of rice as the ideal side dish. It really and truly goes with everything. Try this basmati rice with vegetarian dishes, like teriyaki tofu, Mexican enchilada stuffed pepper casserole, or even black eyed peas.
First time trying this. I read the tips. I rinsed the rice. I used the rice button on the IP and it turned out amazing! Thank you!
Turned out absolutely perfect. Thank you!
No matter how exactly I follow the recipe. . . IP rice is never cooked well for me. Still water in the pot- rice bit fully cooked. I don’t understand.
We’re sorry to hear this recipe didn’t work out as expected, Wendi! We recommend trying a 1:1 ratio of water to rice next time. Let us know if this helps!