Instant Pot brown rice comes out fluffy each time, and takes less time than the stove! This post shows you how to cook it perfectly with step by step photos.
Cooking grains in the Instant Pot is so easy because of the 'set it and forget it' factor. From Instant Pot basmati rice to farro, and even quinoa, it works great for many options.
Cook up a batch of brown rice in the Instant Pot to use for meal prep, or as an easy side dish for your dinner. It goes great with perfect baked chicken thighs or teriyaki glazed salmon!
You're going to ♡ this recipe because
- it cooks quicker than on the stove top
- the rice comes out so perfect and fluffy each and every time
- it's versatile and can work as a side dish, in meal prep, or as part of a casserole
Recipe video
Watch the video below to see how I make Instant Pot brown rice! You can find more of my recipe videos on my YouTube channel.
Ingredient notes
- brown rice- you can use this cooking method with any type of long grain brown rice; brown basmati is pictured
- cooking liquid- use water, or for more flavor, stock. You could even add homemade bone broth!
- coconut oil- coats the grains with a bit of healthy fat and helps to fluff it up after cooking; use refined coconut oil or you may swap for butter or vegan butter
- salt- adding the salt to the cooking liquid helps to ensure each grain of rice is seasoned properly.
Step by step directions
1. Rinse- Run the rice under the tap in a colander, or add it to the stainless steel base, cover with water, swirl, then drain off the water (repeat 2-3 times).
2. Combine- To the stainless steel insert of your Instant Pot, combine the rinsed rice, cooking liquid and salt. Make sure all the rice is submerged in the liquid.
3. Pressure cook- Put the lid on your Instant Pot and set the steam release handle to the 'sealing' position. Set your Instant Pot to cook at high pressure for 22 minutes. Allow for a full natural pressure release- let the Instant Pot sit until the pin drops (around 15 minutes). Set the valve to 'venting', and carefully remove the lid.
4. Fluff the rice- Add your coconut oil (or butter if you are using that in place), and use a rice paddle or wooden spoon to fluff the rice. Put the lid onto your Instant Pot and let it sit for 2-3 minutes.
5. Serve- Serve your rice immediately, or store for later.
FAQ
In a side by side experiment, I personally found that rice cooked using the manual (or pressure cook) setting came out fluffier and with a better texture.
Whereas the water: rice ratio on the stove is 2: 1, the Instant Pot cooks in a closed environment where very little liquid escapes; therefore we use a 1.25 : 1 water: rice ratio for long grain brown rice.
Yes, you sure can. You can also swap for butter, margarine, or vegan butter.
Flavor variations
- herb lemon- zest of ½ a lemon, 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon dried oregano; add ½ juiced lemon after cooking
- saffron- 1 pinch saffron threads soaked in ¼ cup boiling water for 5 minutes; ½ teaspoon onion powder
- cilantro lime- zest of 1 lime; add ½ cup cilantro leaves and juice of ½ a lime after cooking
- pesto- ¼ cup pesto; stir in fresh basil and slivered almonds after cooking
- turmeric- ½ teaspoon turmeric, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Storage and reheating
If not handled properly, rice can be at risk of growing harmful bacteria that can make you sick. If you follow the following steps, you will be perfectly fine:
- Get it into the fridge within 2 hours of cooking- do not let it sit at room temperature for too long as this is the temperature at which harmful bacteria can replicate
- Store in an air tight container for up to 4 days
- Reheat until steaming hot
- Do not reheat more than once
Read more about rice & food safety here!
Freezing
Rice freezes well. You can freeze it in meal prep containers or in freezer bags (I love these re-usable silicone freezer bags!). Some people add a little bit of water when re-heating freeze/thawed rice, as it does end up slightly drier than fresh rice.
More rice recipes
Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!
Instant Pot Brown Rice (perfect + fluffy!)
Ingredients
- 1 cup long grain brown rice see note 1
- 1 ¼ cups water see note 2
- ¼ teaspoon salt
After cooking
- 1 tablespoon refined coconut oil or butter
Instructions
- Rinse- Run the rice under the tap in a colander, or add it to the stainless steel base, cover with water, swirl, then drain off the water (repeat 2-3 times).
- Combine- To the stainless steel insert of your Instant Pot, combine the rinsed rice, cooking liquid and salt. Make sure all the rice is submerged in the liquid.
- Pressure cook- Put the lid on your Instant Pot and set the steam release handle to the 'sealing' position. Set your Instant Pot to cook at high pressure for 22 minutes. Allow for a full natural pressure release- let the Instant Pot sit until the pin drops (around 15 minutes). Set the valve to 'venting', and carefully remove the lid.
- Fluff the rice- Add your coconut oil (or butter if you are using that in place), and use a rice paddle or wooden spoon to fluff the rice. Put the lid onto your Instant Pot and let it sit for 2-3 minutes.
- Serve- Serve your brown rice and enjoy!
Tips:
Nutrition Information
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Denise Bustard is the creator of Sweet Peas and Saffron, a meal prep-focussed food blog. With a PhD in biochemistry, Denise takes a scientific approach to perfecting her recipes. You can find Denise's work featured on Huffington Post, MSN, Self and more.
jasmine says
Great recipe! I added a couple bay leaves, saffron, and persian lime infused olive oil. My boyfriend and i are both obsessed!
Ben | Sweet Peas & Saffron says
Hi Jasmine,
Your additions do sound tasty. Thank you for sharing.