Instant Pot Basmati Rice recipe is a fast, fail-proof, and hands-off cooking method for cooking this nutty, aromatic Indian rice. Enjoy light and fluffy rice in 30 minutes, with plenty of tips and tricks to get you there.
Enjoy basmati rice as a side dish to curries, dal, and so much more.
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Nothing beats the taste of freshly cooked rice! But the magic behind basmati rice is its sought-after nutty and al dente texture.
If you're already a pro at making rice on the stove, this recipe gives you a fail-proof way of making rice in your Instant Pot, hands-off style. Here are some advantages of the stove-top recipe:
- No waiting for the water to boil
- Don't have to babysit the pot or adjust the heat.
- The cooker turns off automatically after the timer is done.
This basmati rice in Instant Pot turns out buttery soft, and fluffy, with separated grains. Let's get started!
Also Check Out: 15+ Quick & Easy Instant Pot Rice Recipes
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What is Basmati Rice?
Basmati rice (pronounced baz-MAH-tee and literally means 'fragrant') is a long-grain aromatic rice variety grown in the foothills of the Himalayas in northern India and Pakistan.
When cooked, basmati rice grains turn light and fluffy, release a floral aroma, and have a slightly nutty taste.
Learn the difference between basmati vs jasmine rice.
Ingredients - Notes & Substitutions
This recipe requires nothing more than a few pantry staples. Here's what we need:
Basmati Rice: look for basmati rice in the international or global section of grocery stores. Pride of India and Kohinoor are top-quality brands, but buy whichever one is best for you.
Water: water offers a clean base for the natural flavors of basmati to shine. For additional flavors, use an equal amount of low-sodium chicken stock or vegetable stock instead and reduce the salt to ⅛ teaspoon.
Salt: start with ¼ teaspoon and adjust the next few times you cook rice until you find the amount you like.
Olive Oil: for richness and a slight glossiness. Ghee is another great option.
Scroll to the recipe card for a detailed list of ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Instant Pot Basmati Rice
This Instant Pot basmati rice recipe is a simple one to master. Here's how to do it following one of two pressure cooking techniques:
Step 1. Rinse & Soak Rice
Rinse rice 2-3 times, until water runs clear (Pic 1). Then, soak the rice in 2 cups of water for 10-15 minutes (this varies among different brands and lengths of long grain rice) (Pic 2).
Rinse again after soaking to remove the excess starch.
Step 2: Pressure Cook ONE of Two Ways
Method 1: Main Pot
Turn on the Instant Pot. Add rinsed rice, water, salt, and oil (if using) (Pic 3). Close the lid and set the vent to sealing mode. Pressure cook for 6 minutes at high pressure on Pressure cook or Manual mode (Pic 4).
Method 2: Pot-In-Pot
Assemble the rinsed rice, water, salt, and olive oil (if using) in an oven safe bowl that fits easily in your Instant Pot.
Depending on the size of your pot, add 1-2 cups of water to the inner pot. Place a trivet. Place the rice bowl on top of that.
Close the lid and pressure cook for 6 minutes at high pressure, sealing mode.
Important Note: For accurate results, use the same cup for measuring rice and water/liquid.
Step 3: Release Pressure & Fluff
Once cooking time is up, let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes. Release the remaining pressure by following the quick release instructions of your model. Open the lid after the pin drops.
Using a fork, gently fluff the rice. No stirring. Then, let the rice rest for 5 minutes, uncovered. This evaporates any excess moisture and the end result is fluffier.
Note: After opening the lid, if there is excess moisture, remove the steel insert from the base and let it sit uncovered for 5 minutes for the moisture to evaporate. Fluff the rice after this stage, so the rice doesn't break.
Brown Rice: If you're looking to make brown rice, here is the detailed Instant Pot brown rice recipe.
Serving Suggestion
A classic side to an array of Indian main dishes, the light and fluffy grains make the perfect canvas to sop up all those flavorful sauces. Here's how I like to serve basmati rice:
Curry: Serve it alongside chicken curry, saag chicken, or coconut fish curry.
Dal: Choose between plenty of dal dishes like dal tadka, spinach dal or chana dal.
Stew: Pair steamed basmati rice with Ethiopian beef stew or lentil stew.
Vegetarian: Keep it vegetarian with palak paneer or paneer butter masala.
How to Store
Leftover basmati rice will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezing Instructions: Cool completely, then transfer the rice to a ziptop freezer storage bag or individual meal prep containers. Freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
Reheating Instructions: Add a few splashes of water to rice to rehydrate. Pop it in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring each time in between, until warmed through.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Soak: Soak the rice for 10-15 minutes to remove excess starch. It makes the end result very light and fluffy.
- Liquid to Rice Ratio: The water-to-rice ratio is way different in the Instant Pot as compared to the stovetop recipe. I use 1¼ cup of water for 1 cup of rice.
- Cook Time: In my test runs, results were exactly the same when cooking rice at high pressure for 6 mins, or, on the Rice mode. So, pick a mode based on your convenience.
- NPR vs QR: For best results, I let the pressure release naturally for 5-10 minutes, after which I manually release the remaining pressure. However, I perform a quick pressure release when making biryani.
- Pot-in-Pot Method: Add water to the inner pot based on the size of your pot. For 3 qt and 6qt, add 1 cup. For 8qt, add 2 cups. Note: You still have to add water to the rice bowl as per the recipe instructions.
- Fluff: No stirring. Gently fluff the grains with a fork.
- Rest: Let the rice rest for 5 minutes, uncovered. This evaporates any excess moisture and the end result is fluffier. If the moisture content seems too much after opening the lid, remove the steel insert from the base and let it sit uncovered for 5 minutes before fluffing.
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on the size of your pot. For safety reasons, Instant Pots should not be filled more than ⅔ of their capacity. These are the quantities based on size: 3-quart - 2.5 cups / 6 quart - 5 cups / 8-quart - 6.5 cups.
Basmati rice should be rinsed 2-3 times and soaked for 10-15 minutes prior to cooking. This ensures the grains cook more evenly.
The rice-to-water ratio when cooking basmati rice in the Instant Pot is 1 cup rice + 1¼ cups water (almost half of what it is for a stovetop recipe).
One cup of basmati rice will take 6 minutes in the pressure cooker on High pressure, or 12 minutes on Low pressure.
Simply follow the recipe instructions and hit the Rice button rather than Manual / Pressure Cook. The Rice button settings will vary across different models of electric pressure cookers. In an Instant Pot, it most likely defaults to 12 minutes at LOW pressure.
Unless I am in a rush, or, if I am making vegetable biryani, as a general rule of thumb, I let the pressure release naturally for 5-10 minutes, after which I manually release the remaining pressure (NPR 5-10).
More Instant Pot Rice Recipes
These are all part of the Rice & Grains Recipes collection:
📖 Recipe
Instant Pot Basmati Rice
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup Basmati rice rinsed 2-3 times, soaked for 15 mins
- 1¼ cups water
- ¼-½ teaspoon salt adjust to taste (I use ¼)
- 1 teaspoon olive oil (or ghee)
Instructions
Rinse Rice & Soak
- Rinse rice 2-3 times, until water runs clear. Then, soak the rice in 2 cups of water for 10-15 minutes (this varies among different brands and lengths of long grain rice). Rinse again after soaking to remove the excess starch.
Pressure Cook ONE of Two ways
- Main Pot: Turn on the Instant Pot. Add rinsed rice, water, salt and oil (if using). Close the lid and set the vent to sealing mode. Pressure cook for 6 minutes at high pressure on Pressure cook or Manual mode.
- Pot-in-Pot Method: Assemble the rinsed rice, water, salt and olive oil (if using) in an oven safe bowl that fits easily in your Instant Pot. Depending on the size of your pot, add 1-2 cups of water in the inner pot. Place a trivet. Place the rice bowl on top of that. Close the lid and pressure cook for 6 minutes at high pressure, sealing mode.
Release Pressure and Fluff Rice
- Once cooking time is up, let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes. Release the remaining pressure by following the quick release instructions of your model. Open the lid after the pin drops.Using a fork, gently fluff the rice. No stirring. Then, let the rice rest for 5 minutes, uncovered. This evaporates any excess moisture and the end result is fluffier.
Notes
- Soak: Soak the rice for 10-15 minutes to remove excess starch. It makes the end result very light and fluffy.
- Liquid to Rice Ratio: The water-to-rice ratio is way different in the Instant Pot as compared to the stovetop recipe. For best and accurate results, it is important to use the same cup measure for both rice and water.
- Cook Time: In my test runs, results were exactly the same when cooking rice at high pressure for 6 mins, or, on the Rice mode. So, pick a mode based on your convenience.
- NPR vs QR: For best results, I let the pressure release naturally for 5-10 minutes, after which I manually release the remaining pressure. However, I perform a quick pressure release when making biryani.
- Pot-in-Pot Method: Add water to the inner pot based on the size of your pot. For 3 qt and 6qt, add 1 cup. For 8qt, add 2 cups. Note: You still have to add water to the rice bowl as per the recipe instructions.
- Fluff: No stirring. Gently fluff the grains with a fork.
- Rest: Let the rice rest for 5 minutes, uncovered. This evaporates any excess moisture and the end result is fluffier. If the moisture content seems too much after opening the lid, remove the steel insert from the base and let it sit uncovered for 5 minutes before fluffing.
Nutrition
This recipe was was updated in 2020 with new photos, helpful information, tips, and step-by-step photos.
Niti Reeder says
Perfect recipe! So glad I stumbled upon it. It’s my go-to rice recipe and helps make my weeknight dinners easier. Thank you.
Aneesha says
I'm so glad to hear that, Niti! Thank you for taking the time to rate the recipe ????????
Jan says
I cook rice in my instant pot frequently. 98% of the time it comes out perfectly…. But, like last night, it doesn’t cook at all. The pot doesn’t seem to come to full pressure. What is going wrong here? I tried 3 times and then cooked it in the microwave. Help!
Aneesha says
Hi Jan, if the pot is not coming to full pressure, it indicates that it's not sealing well. Please check the sealing ring for any tears, and also clean the pressure knob well before using it again. Hope it works out next time.
Paul says
Followed the pot in pot method and it worked perfectly. Thank you.
Aneesha says
So glad you liked it! Thank you for taking the time to review and rate the recipe!
john says
aneesha thanks its informative
Aneesha says
Hi John, I'm glad you found this post helpful! Thanks for sharing!
Zeeshan Akram says
If doing the pot in pot method, am I still adding 1 cup + 2 tbsp of water to the bowl of rice? Or is the soak and rinse sufficient?
Aneesha | Spice Cravings says
Hi Zeeshan, you need to add 1 cup + 2 tbsp of water for pot in pot method as well.
Norah says
I was about to ask the same, but figured I'd find someone else that was also unsure. Just a thought, but perhaps you could update or revise your pot in pot instructions, to clarify for everyone that the water with the rice is still required, as well as the water in the IP.
Aneesha says
Hi Norah, Sure, I'll that clarification. Hope you enjoy this recipe.