Instant Pot Brown Rice

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Perfectly fluffy, hands-free Instant Pot Brown Rice shows you how to make brown basmati rice or any long grain brown rice in the pressure cooker.

Why you'll love this recipe

I never knew Instant Pot brown rice could turn out so fluffy and likeable – especially after using a rice cooker for several years. Now, it's the only way we cook brown rice. The Instant Pot makes it so fluffy, nutty, and delicious – and it practically makes itself.

Pressure cooker brown rice is as simple as combining rice, water, and salt, pressing a button on the Instant Pot, and coming back in 30 minutes. Conveniently, the Instant Pot has auto-stop function and switches into “keep warm” mode once the rice is cooked.

Brown rice is a healthy accompaniment to pumpkin curry and vegetable stir fry. Pressure cooked brown rice is so fluffy, it makes the best cilantro lime brown rice and chicken fried rice.

Ingredient notes

Ingredient amounts are listed in the recipe card below.

• brown rice - any long grain brown rice (brown basmati rice, brown jasmine rice, etc) will work in the Instant Pot
• water - or broth
• salt - optional

How to cook brown rice in the Instant Pot

Step 1. Rinse 2 cups brown rice until the water runs clear. Add rinsed rice, water, and salt to the electric pressure cooker.

Step 2. Turn pressure release valve to "Sealing". Select the "Manual" or "Pressure Cook" button and set the cooking time for 22 minutes on HIGH pressure.

Step 3. When the cook cycle completes, allow a 10-minute natural pressure release (NPR). Turn pressure release valve to "Venting" to release any remaining pressure.

Step 3. Press "Cancel", open the lid, and use a rice paddle or other utensil to fluff your perfectly cooked rice.

Recipe tips

pressure cooker size - Use any size Instant Pot for this recipe. If you're using an 8 or 10-quart cooker, it's not recommended to reduce the recipe size because any pressure cookers larger than the 6 quart cooker will require a minimum of 2 cups water to properly pressurize.

rinsing rice - this helps remove starch which prevents rice sticking or clumping.

adding oil - even a tiny amount of olive oil (1 teaspoon) to 2 cups of brown rice will make it glisten and not stick together.

no-salt option - On a low sodium diet? Leave it out and add to taste after it cooks.

pressure cooker setting - I have dialed in manual settings for all of my Instant Pot recipes (except for the yogurt setting). I find that the manual setting offers more control and, therefore, optimal outcomes.

Which pressure cooker can I use for this Instant pot brown rice recipe?

Any electric pressure cooker that has similar manual settings and functions should allow you to make this recipe with optimal results.

How to scale this recipe up or down

To increase the yield of this recipe, the pressure cooker cooking time and temperature stays the same for any size cooker. To decrease Instant Pot brown rice from 2 cups to 1 cup, you’ll need to use a 3 or 6 quart cooker because the 8 or 10 quart need at least 2 cups water to properly come to pressure.

What’s the best brown rice for the pressure cooker?

When cooking brown rice in the Instant Pot, you can use a classic, long grain brown rice, which is what you see in my photos. This pressure cooker recipe is also intended for basmati brown rice and jasmine brown rice with no change to the recipe instructions.

Why rinse brown rice for the Instant Pot?

Rinsing brown rice helps remove dust and grit. It also washes away excess starch which prevents the grains sticking together – this promotes fluffiness, which is important when cooking rice.

Can I freeze pressure cooked rice?

Yes! Allow the rice to cool completely and package into a freezer-safe, airtight container. Freeze up to 3 months, or longer if vacuum sealed. To thaw, transfer to the refrigerator for an overnight stay, then heat and serve.

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