How To Cook Basmati Rice In Instant Pot

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Do I Need To Soak Before Cooking Basmati Rice

How To Make Basmati Rice In The Instant Pot

That’s actually the great thing about Instant Pot Basmati Rice. There is no need to soak the rice before pressure cooking it.

The steam and the heat of the pressure cooker will help the rice grains cook up very well without any presoaking, even with congees and other rice that typically gets soaked.

Just a quick rinse to get rid of the excess starch and your Instapot rice is ready to cook.

Smart Program Cooking Option

You can also choose to select the RICE smart program button. This program cooks on low pressure and is best used for white rice. For rice with a firmer texture or thinner rice like Jasmine or Basmati, use the Less mode for rice with a normal texture or regular long-grain or medium-grain white rice, use the Normal mode for rice with a softer texture, use the More mode. You can change the modes by pressing the RICE button again. Use quick release at the end.

Can Basmati Rice Be Reheated

Yes, we can reheat Basmati Rice. This is one of the reasons we meal-prep our rice to last for the week. Reheating rice that has been kept in the refrigerator is not a big chore. You can transfer the rice to a microwave friendly container and sprinkle the rice with around 2 tea spoons of water. This ensures that the rice does not become too dry. Heat it for around a minute.

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How To Make Failproof Basmati Rice: P

Making soft-cooked Instant Pot Basmati rice is very easy. This method skips washing and soaking to deliberately keep the starch, so all you have to do is dump and start. For this youll need:

  • Instant Pot
  • Add rice to the Instant Pot. Pour in the water and mix it once.
  • Close the Instant Pot with its lid and SEAL it.
  • Set it to PRESSURE COOK mode for 10 minutes.
  • After 10 minute cycle, QUICK RELEASE and open the lid.
  • Stir with fork and serve!

Stove Top Directions For Cooking Basmati Rice

Instant Pot Basmati Rice
  • For making basmati rice on the stovetop, I use a rice to water ratio of 1 : 2, with 1 cup rice and 2 cups room temperature water. The reason for using more water than in the Instant Pot is that since we are not cooking it closed under pressure, some water will evaporate, so we need more water to make sure that the rice cooks through.
  • If soaking rice, soak it and then rinse it. If not just rinse it. Either way rinsing the rice well a few times is absolutely necessary.
  • Place the rinsed rice in a heavy bottom pan . Pour the water over it. Again, there is no need to mix the water and rice.
  • Let the water come to a boil. Let it boil with the rice for two minutes.
  • After this bring the heat down to the lowest setting. Close the pot with the lid and let the rice cook.
  • Once all the water has evaporated, turn off the heat and keep the pot closed for some more time.
  • Fluff the rice gently with a fork or a silicone spatula and move it to a serving bowl.

If you love rice, here are a few rice recipes, made in the Instant Pot and on stove top, that you may like

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How Much To Cook

One cup of uncooked rice provides about 6 small servings, so 2 cups of uncooked rice yields 12 small servings of about 1/3 cup each.

If you want to adjust the measurements of this recipe, just remember that you will need 1 cup of water for each cup of uncooked rice .

You can cook up to 3-4 cups of uncooked rice at a time in a 6-quart or 8-quart Instant Pot. This is great for people who like to meal prep.

Tips For How To Cook Instant Pot Basmati Rice

Cooking basmati rice in a pressure cooker is very simple! The hardest part is waiting the 10 minutes for the natural release. Heres what to remember:

  • Youll add 1 part basmati rice and 1 part water. The recipe below calls for 2 cups.
  • The cook time on High is 8 minutes or 20 minutes . Keep in mind it takes about 5 minutes to preheat first.
  • Natural release for 10 minutes. Remember to set a timer for 10 minutes so you remember to let out the steam after the natural release!

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Basmati Rice Vs Jasmine Rice

Both, Jasmine and Basmati rice are long-grain rice varieties from Asia. While the dry grains look almost the same, it is much easier to tell them apart when cooked.

Jasmine rice is sticky rice. It sticks together once cooked whereas basmati rice is light and fluffy.

Basmati rice also become almost twice as long after cooking whereas Jasmine rice increases in width and the edges become rounded.

Tips To Spruce Up Your Rice

Instant Pot Rice | Basmati and Sona Masoori | How to make White rice in Instant Pot

For extra fluffy and flavorful basmati rice, heed the following advice from Patel.

  • Soaking your rice in cold water for 10 to 15 minutes before cooking it can reduce the cooking time because the grains expand and absorb some of the water. If you soak it, be sure to decrease the ratio to 1 cup of water for every cup of rice.
  • To make a pilaf, replace some or all of the water with chicken or vegetable stock.
  • Bay leaves, cardamom pods, star anise, curry leaves, turmeric, cinnamon sticks, and cumin all make excellent flavor enhancers for basmati rice. Sauté them in oil before adding the rice and water to the saucepan and bringing it all to a boil.
  • Sautéd carrots and peas, as well as toasted cashews, can add both color and texture when stirred into the rice.
  • If you’d like to use herbs, such as chopped basil, flat-leaf parsley, or oregano, stir them in once the rice is done cooking.
  • For even more flavor, cook some onion, garlic, and ginger in a pot coated with oil. Toss in your uncooked rice and coat it in the mixture. Then, pour in the water/broth, bring the rice to a boil, and simmer until the rice is tender.

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Tips For Making Basmati Rice:

  • Dont forget the cooking fat. You can use whatever fat youd like I typically use oil or ghee. It helps to keep the grains separate.
  • Dont mess with the ratio! I know 1 cup water might not seem like enough but cooking rice is different in an Instant Pot versus the stovetop. Over the stovetop, water evaporates but in an Instant Pot it does not.
  • When the rice is done make sure to wait 10 minutes, then turn the valve to release any remaining pressure. By waiting 10 minutes, youve given the rice enough time to settle down and by releasing any remaining pressure after 10 minutes, youre allowing a teeny bit of water to escape in the form of steam which I think actually helps prevent the rice from becoming mushy at the bottom.

How To Cook Basmati Rice 3 Ways

Learn how to cook Basmati Rice with my tried and tested methods. This is more like a guide to basmati rice where you can choose from three methods – stovetop, instant pot and traditional pressure cooker.

Cooking rice, any kind of rice, shouldn’t be complicated. And honestly it isn’t. And everyone should know how to cook basmati rice well. Because it’s a beautiful variety of rice – fragrant, long grained and deserves a special place.

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What To Do If Rice Sticks To The Bottom And Sides Of The Instant Pot

The Best Instant Pot Basmati Rice

This generally does not happen to me. It usually happens if I let the cooked rice sit in the Instant Pot and let it dry up in the leftover starch coating the pot. So, removing the rice to a bowl or storage container is necessary once it becomes warm and before it cools down completely.

If you still have a problem with the rice sticking to the pot, try spraying the sides and bottom of the pot with cooking spray before you add the rice and water.

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Here Are General Guidelines I Follow For Biryani Pulao And Khichdi:

  • For biryani dishes, it is best to soak the extra-long-grain basmati rice for 20 minutes. This removes some of the starch and also helps the rice cook so that its fluffy and long. With this method, a 1:1 rice-to-water ratio works well, as the biryani dishes also have marinated chicken or vegetables that release plenty of liquid.
  • For seasoned rice recipes, like Cumin Rice its best to rinse the basmati rice a few times and then drain. If you do not have time to presoak the rice, use a 1:2 rice-to-water ratio on low pressure for 5 minutes with a quick release. Transfer the inner pot to a trivet on your counter to stop further cooking to prevent the rice from getting mushy. Allow the rice to cool a bit and then gently fluff up with a fork or silicone spatula.
  • For traditional khichdi and Pongal, short-grain rice works well with a 1:3 rice-to-water ratio. Depending on the short-grain rice variety and the consistency you prefer, adjust the water ratio. I like the low-pressure Rice setting for dishes like these, which should be cooked soft. Tip: If the rice for biryani or pulao looks slightly undercooked when the cooking cycle is complete, gently fluff the top layer and close the lid for an additional 5 minutes on Keep Warm.

Often served with a dal or curry, basmati rice makes a complete gluten free meal.

Characteristics Of Well Cooked Basmati Rice

A well cooked serving of basmati rice should be soft, fluffy but just al dente. It’s important that the grains retain their shape are not broken, and are separate from each other.

I’m not trying to intimidate you. But if you achieve this, you are a master of your kitchen, the king of kings and you’ll learn to really appreciate why basmati is the most popular variety of rice.

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What Is Basmati Rice

Traditionally from India and the South Asian countries, basmati rice is a long-grain rice with a distinct aromatic flavor.

It comes in both white and brown varieties and is sometimes confused with jasmine rice. Unlike jasmine rice, basmati rice is a somewhat softer grain and does not have the same nuttiness that its cousin does.

Basmati rice is often served alongside Indian curry dishes or as the main ingredient in biryanis.

How To Cook Instant Pot Basmati Rice

How to make Brown Basmati Rice in the Instant Pot

STEP 1 : To make perfect basmati rice in the Instant Pot, start by adding the rice to a bowl of cold water. You will need just enough water to cover the rice and then rinse it several times until the water becomes clear.

Although not necessary, you may soak the rice in water for 10-15 minutes and then rinse until the water becomes clear. Next, drain the rice!

Soaking will help the rice grain to acquire extralength, which is characteristic of basmati rice. According to researchers, this soaking step also helps reduce toxins by 80%.

If you soak the rice before cooking, use just 1 cup of water to cook 1 cup of rice in the Instant Pot. But if you only rinse the rice, then increase the rice to water ratio to 1:1 ¼ cups.

Note that cooking basmati rice in a saucepan requires double the volume of water than rice. However, less water is enough to get perfectly cooked rice in the pressure cooker.

STEP 2 : Add rinsed and drained rice to the Instant Pot and pour in the water. You will need 1 ¼ cups of water for every 1 cup of rinsed rice. If you soaked the rice, you will need just 1 cup of water!

Stir in the salt and the oil. Although not required, I like to add oil to mine because it will help the grains not to clump together!

Lock the lid, turn the valve to sealing, and cook on high pressure for 3 minutes. Depending on your model, you may have to either use the manual function or press the rice button and adjust the time manually.

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How Much Rice Can You Cook In An Instant Pot

This would depend on the size of your instant pot. For safety reasons, Instant Pots should not be filled more than their capacity .

1 cup dry rice yields to roughly 3 cups of basmati rice. Based on all these factors, here are the quantities for dry cups of rice:

  • 8-quart Instant Pot- 6.5 cups
  • 6 quart Instant Pot- 5 cups
  • 3-quart Instant Pot- 2.5 cups

Cooking time does not increase with quantity so 1 cup or 2 cups of rice will require the same pressure cooking time.

Perfect Instant Pot Basmati Rice

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Perfect Instant Pot Basmati Rice Recipe- this recipe shows you how to make perfect basmati rice, every time, right in your instant pot!

Have you caved to the pressure of the Instant Pot craze yet?? Im usually a sucker for food trends like the Instant Pot but Im happy to say that this is one of those bulky kitchen devices that is 1000% worth the money! We use ours at least once a week but often its more like 3-4 times per week.

For the first year that we had it , I used it almost exclusively for rice and quinoa. Im not sure if it was laziness or what but I never ventured away from rice and quinoa in the instant pot. Then, as it started to get a lot more popular, my video clients were requesting more and more Instant Pot recipe which forced me to try new things.

Ive now made a WIDE plethora of recipes in my Instant Pot and still love it just as much as when I first got it a few years ago.

But TODAY were just talking about rice. This PERFECT Instant Pot Basmati Rice! I make this rice in my instant pot at least about once per week because Im completely obsessed. Sometimes I venture away from basmati rice but mostly.its basmati!

Why Basmati Rice? Its just what I prefer and the type of rice that I eat most often. I typically buy a big bag of it at Costco that will last us quite a few months. So, I figured the VERY simple recipe that I use should live here on the blog 🙂

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How To Store Cooked Basmati Rice

Once the rice has cooled down, refrigerate for up to 3 days. For extended shelf life, freeze the cooked rice in zip lock bags or freezer containers. To defrost, simply keep the rice container in the refrigerator overnight.

Looking for more rice recipes? Here are my 20 favorite rice dishes that also make delicious one-pot meals.

Have you tried this recipe? We love your feedback, Please click on the stars in the recipe card below to rate.

What Is The Pot In Pot Method For Instant Pot

Perfect Instant Pot Basmati Rice

Pot in pot cooking is also referred as pip cooking. It is a very common way to cook in pressure cookers and extends to the instant pot. The pot in pot method of cooking is very convenient when you have to cook a small amount of food or multiple food items at once.

While using the pot in pot cooking method, some water is placed in the instant pot liner and food to be cooked is placed in a smaller pot that will fit easily inside the liner.

Another way to pip method is to cook food in the instant pot liner and place the smaller pot covered with a lid on a trivet in the instant pot liner. This way you can prepare the main meal along with rice.

Multiple stackable pans can be covered and kept inside the instant pot at once and multiple dishes can be cooked.

Pot in pot cooking is best suited for larger capacity of instant pot, 6 qt and over.

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Basmati Rice Instant Pot Recipe

Say goodbye to undercooked mushy or burnt rice with this basmati rice instant pot recipe. This foolproof recipe requires no soaking or tending to the pot and yields fluffy, light and tender rice that doesnt clump together.

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Water is the only other ingredient you would need to make this easy recipe. This delicious rice is perfect for meal prep and it pairs well with so many dishes like this chicken chettinad !

Instant pot basmati rice is the perfect recipe if you are new to pressure cooking. You can make the best rice with the least effort and you will get consistent results each time.

So whether youre an Instant Pot newbie, or a pro, youre gonna love this! Learn how to make basmati rice quickly, easily and with less effort than other methods!

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