Did you know you can use a pressure cooker as a rice cooker? Here’s how to make Instant Pot rice, including both brown rice and white rice.

One of the reasons Alex and I didn’t want to buy an Instant Pot was that we had too many gadgets. We prefer taking a minimalist approach to cooking tools. But did you know you can use an Instant Pot just like a rice cooker? We gave our rice cooker the boot and haven’t looked back since! Here’s how to cook the best Instant Pot rice, including instructions for both brown rice and white rice. It’s only slightly faster than the stovetop, but it works perfectly every time!

What is an Instant Pot / pressure cooker?

An Instant Pot is a programmable electric pressure cooker. While some people have been wary of pressure cookers due to the dangers of those used in the 1970’s, today’s pressure cookers are safe and becoming mainstream.

The pressure cooker we use is Instant Pot brand: we use this 6 quart Instant Pot. But there are many other brands of electric pressure cookers. The concept is to cook foods at high pressure, which cuts down on cooking time and makes for even cooking. We like that it keeps things off the stove where we are usually cooking other components of our meals.

How to cook Instant Pot rice (pressure cooker rice)

Alex and I cook rice quite a bit, but it wasn’t until recently that we mastered our method for Instant Pot rice. As noted above, cooking rice in the Instant Pot is only a few minutes faster than cooking it on the stovetop. So why bother learning how to cook rice in an Instant Pot? We like that it cooks it perfectly every time, and we don’t have to worry about checking a pot that’s simmering on the stove. In that way, it’s just like a rice cooker.

Our magic formula for our Instant Pot rice is as follows, and it’s different for white and brown rice. This recipe is currently for long grain rice only; we’ll update it once we’ve tested short grain rice! Use the pressure cooker to do the following:

Instant Pot White Rice: Pressure cook on high for 8 minutes and then use the natural release process for 10 minutes.
Instant Pot Brown Rice: Pressure cook on high for 20 minutes and then use the natural release process for 10 minutes.

As always, we have found that there are variations in rice brands and Instant Pot / pressure cooker brands. If the timing in this Instant Pot rice recipe is a little off, you can make minor adjustments to the cook time. Let us know in the comments below how it goes for you!

We made Instant Pot rice for our Best teriyaki vegetable stir fry recipe! Here are some more of our best rice recipes.

How to freeze rice

We’ve found that cooking two cups of rice works the most reliably with this easy Instant Pot recipe. If you’re making a recipe that calls for just one cup of rice, I recommend making rice in the Instant Pot as the recipe below instructs and freezing the leftovers for later.

To freeze rice, you first need to let it cool completely either on the counter or in the fridge. This will prevent the rice from sticking together once frozen. You can then freeze the rice in a freezer bag or container. When you’re ready to reheat the rice, simply pop it in the microwave or warm it on the stove with a little bit of water.

Looking for vegetarian & vegan Instant Pot recipes?

Instant Pots and pressure cookers are helpful for cooking all sorts of foods: and not just meat! In addition to this Instant Pot rice, we’re starting to build up a collection of vegetarian and vegan Instant Pot recipes. You can make pressure cooker quinoa, dried beans and chickpeas, mashed potatoes, and even soups. Here are some of our favorite pressure cooker recipes.

This recipe is…

Vegan, vegetarian, plant-based, and gluten-free.