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Home » Instant Pot Recipes » Instant Pot Basics

Published: Mar 31, 2023 · Modified: May 8, 2024 by chhavi

Instant Pot Basmati Rice -Perfect Indian White Rice

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How to cook basmati rice in Instant Pot or stovetop: A guide on cooking the perfect Basmati rice in your Instant Pot pressure cooker as per your taste using Manual, Pot in Pot, or Rice Mode.

Fluffy white basmati rice or long grain indian rice made in the instant pot in a blue platter with lemon on the side.

Why this recipe works

1. Same result every time- Once you get the measurements and time right, the process is repeatable and reliable..
2. Hands off - You can just set the rice up and walk away.

This guide is for long-grain (or medium) white basmati rice- without the husk.

You could say basmati rice is in our blood. My family has been growing their own basmati rice in India for generations. Needless to say, we take our rice seriously.

The stovetop method of cooking basmati rice is my mother's , and instant pot or not, that's her preferred way of making it.

Everyone likes their rice a certain way, and that's a fact. Some want it el dente, all grains separate, and some want it soft.

When making rice for fried rice, I want the rice to be just cooked. However, I want my rice to be softer when we eat dal.

I have noted that in the United States, most people prefer very el-dente rice, which means it has a slight bite to it. If you travel down south India, you will mostly find softer rice, though in the northern part of India, if two grains of rice stick together, then that's overcooked rice.

Ingredients

Okay, a relatively short list. You can knock of the last two most of the times.

  • Basmati Rice
  • Water
  • Salt(Very Optional)
  • Oil(Very Optional)
Ingredients needed to make instant pot basmati rice
- uncooked basmati rice
-water
-salt
-Oil

Basmati Rice

What is Basmati Rice

Basmati rice is a long-grain rice that's very popular in Indian food.

I can safely say that most Indians have at least three types of rice in their pantry- Everyday rice like sona masoori or short grain rice, basmati rice for plans, biryanis, and special occasions, and third brown rice or red rice from Kerala.

Basmati rice is long, separate, and almost al dente when cooked. The older the rice, the better it is.

Many different types of basmati rice are available on the market: long grain, broken, brown, and black. This guide is for long-grain (or medium) white basmati rice- without the husk.

There will be slight variations in the final result based on

  1. Age of the Rice
  2. Altitude
  3. The outcome you want- soft/fluffy or al dente
  4. Soaking

Water

The amount of water you add will depend on your desired outcome, Soaking time, and the pressure cooker you use.

Traditional pressure cookers need more water as the steam is emitted out with each whistle. But Instant pots need way less water, so the ratios look very different from the normal pressure cooker.

You can also replace water with chicken or bone broth for added nutrition and extra flavor.

Oil & Salt

These are unnecessary, especially if you are using good-quality rice and serving it with Indian food.

Usually, Indian food is saltier than most, and plain rice works pretty well.

How to Cook White Basmati Rice in Instant Pot

To make perfectly cooked Basmati rice just the way YOU like it, follow the steps below.

Step 1: Rinse the Rice

Make sure to rinse the rice to eliminate impurities and excess starch. This is especially needed for organic rice or older rice.

If you plan to soak the rice, add some drinking water to it so it's completely submerged and set aside. Strain the rice before adding it to the instant pot.

Step 2:Measure & Add water

Now, measure the water as per the chart.

  • No Soak Rice & El dente - 1 Part Rice & 1 ¼ Part Water
  • No Soak Rice & Soft - 1 Part Rice & 1 ½ Part Water
  • Soaked & El dente- - 1 Part Rice & 1 Part Water
  • Soaked & Soft- - 1 Part Rice & 1 ¼ Part Water
  • Pot in Pot - Soft - - 1 Part Rice & 1 ¼ Part Water

Add the rice and water to the inner pot. You can add salt and oil to the rice if you want.

washed rice in the instant pot
rice along with water in the instant pot

Step 3:Pressure Cook

I usually pressure cook for 5 minutes. What can I say I like round numbers and in this case not only is it easy to remember but it works too.

Step 4: Natural release

Let the steam escape Naturally for 10 minutes and then quick release. When in a rush, I quickly release after 3 minutes.

The reason for letting the steam release naturally is two-fold: a)it gives the rice a bit more "slow" cooking time. Which makes the rice less sticky and fluffier. b)It gives the water on the bottom of the pot to be absorbed by the rice.

Usually the rice on top of the pot is cooked with more of a bite than the rice in the bottom. Which sometimes has a little more moisture simply because of gravity and pressure from the top. That's why natural pressure release helps give it that extra time.

And finally, don't forget to fluff it with a fork.

Tips for perfect KW

Minimum amount of rice that you can cook in instant pot is ½ cup. Even with ½ cup of rice, some of the rice will stick to the bottom of the pan.

Fluffy white basmati rice or long grain indian rice made in the instant pot in a blue platter with lemon on the side.

Storing & Leftovers

I usually cook rice as and when I need it because I don't mind doing it, but you can cook rice in bulk and remove it as and when needed.

Store the rice in an air-tight container, or you could portion it out in single-serve containers, too. It should last for 6-7 days in the fridge.

You can also freeze cooked rice. I like to do this in freezer bags that have been frozen flat. That way, removing and microwaving in a plate is super easy.

Here are some easy ways to heat up Cold basmati rice.

Microwave- Sprinkle the rice with ½ tablespoon of water, cover it, and microwave it till it's hot and steamy.
Steam- You can also steam the rice in a steamer. I do this when the rice is cold and more than a couple of days old.
Boil- For a quick refresh, I usually add the cold rice to boiling water, let it stand for 2-3 minutes, before draining it.

Also! If you are making fried rice of some kind, do not refresh or heat the rice; use the cold rice directly. This will make sure the rice grains are separate.

Serve Basmati Rice

It's best to serve rice straight out of the instant pot. Basmati rice is at peak yumness when it's hot and has just been cooked.

Here are some sides & curries to go with your perfect basmati rice.

  • Dals - The most comforting food for Indians besides Khichdi is dal chawal - rice and lentils. I have some amazing Instant pot dal recipes that you will love - you can try a simple Toor Dal or Chana Dal or a north Indian classic- Black Dal or Dal Makhani.
  • Beans- My most favorite meal in this whole world is Rajma Chawal- Kidney beans cooked in a onion tomato gravy with fluffy rice. While Rajma was my favorite, my brother and now my husband and son too , love Chole Rice - chickpeas curry.
  • Vegetarian Curries - Cauliflower curry Aloo gobhi made with a little gravy or mushroom masala or an indulgent Paneer dish like Palak Paneer or Paneer butter masala.
  • Chicken & Seafood Curries - Serve the rice with time Indian classics like Butter Chicken , Chicken Vindaloo , and our house staple, South Indian Style Pepper Chicken Curry. Or a fragrant Kerala Shrimp Coconut Curry ..Sigh, the combinations are endless!

More Instant Pot Rice Recipes

  • How to Make Brown Rice in Instant Pot
  • Instant Pot Spanish Rice - Arroz Rojo
  • Mushroom Parmesan Rice- Buttery Cheesy Parmesan rice with caramalised mushrooms,garlic and parsley made in pressure cooker within 30 minutes. #mushroom #instantpot #parmesanrice #rice #mushroomrice #recipe #vegetarian #pressurecookerrice
    Instant Pot Mushroom Rice - with Garlic & Parmesan
  • Instant Pot Peas Pulao

If you make your rice using this method, do leave me a comment and a rating. I would love to connect with you!

Tried it? I’d love to know! Tag me or drop a comment below — your feedback totally makes my day.

Mention #yellowthyme or tag @yellowthyme on Instagram or follow me on Pinterest.


Instant Pot Basmati Rice

How to cook Basmati rice in Instant Pot- Make perfect rice in your electric pressure cooker using Manual, Pot in Pot ,or Rice Mode.
4.75 from 12 votes
Pin Recipe Rate Recipe Print Recipe
Prep Time: 1 minute minute
Cook Time: 6 minutes minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 34kcal
Author: Chhavi

Equipment

  • Instant Pot

Ingredients 

  • 1 Cup Basmati Rice
  • 1.25 Cup Water adjust as per the table in notes
  • 1 Teaspoon Salt optional
  • 1 Teaspoon Oil Ghee or Butter ; optional

Instructions

  • Wash the rice and rinse the rice till the water isn't milky anymore.

No Soak Rice- El Dente/Firmer rice

  • Add the washed rice to the inner pot.
  • Add one and one forth cups of water. Close the lid.
  • Select PRESSURE COOKER/MANUAL, on HIGH, for 5 minutes with the VALVE in SEALED position.
  • Once the cooking is over and Instant Pot beeps, Let the steam escape naturally for 10 minutes. Quick Release after that.
  • Fluff the rice with a fork and serve.

Soaked Rice- Makes Soft Basmati Rice

  • Soak the rice in lots of water for at least 30 minutes and at max two hours.
  • Drain and add the rice to instant pot inner pot.
  • Add 1 cup of water. Close the lid.
  • Select PRESSURE COOKER/MANUAL, on HIGH, for 5 minutes with the VALVE in SEALED position.
  • Once the cooking is over and Instant Pot beeps, Let the steam escape naturally for 10 minutes. Quick Release after that.
  • Fluff the rice with a fork and eat!

Cooking Basmati Rice in Rice Mode

  • Add the rice to instant pot inner pot.
  • Add 1.25 cups of water.Close the lid.
  • Select Rice Mode and move the VALVE to SEALED position.
  • Once the cooking is over and Instant Pot beeps,Let the steam escape natually for 10 minutes.Quick Release after that.
  • Fluff the rice with a fork and eat!

Cooking Basmati Rice in a Pot on Stovetop

  • Wash the rice and Drain the rice
  • Heat 2 cups of water to the pot on medium heat.
  • Once it's simmering , add the washed rice to the pot.
  • Cover the Pot. The water will bubble out once, after which, slow the heat down.
  • Let it cook on low heat for another 10 minutes till its done.Fluff the rice with a fork and eat!

Notes

The time it takes to cook the rice will change depending on
  • How old the rice is
  • Altitude of the location
  • Variety of the rice.
Soaking Time
Do not soak beyond 2 hours, the rice will get too mushy when cooked.

Rice Water Ratios

Rice: Water Ratio- Change this based on your desired outcome- soft, fluffy, or al dente. 
  • No Soak Rice & El dente - 1 Part Rice & 1 ¼ Part Water
  • No Soak Rice & Soft - 1 Part Rice & 1 ½ Part Water
  • Soaked & El dente- - 1 Part Rice & 1 Part Water
  • Soaked & Soft- - 1 Part Rice & 1 ¼ Part Water
  • Pot in Pot - Soft - - 1 Part Rice & 1 ¼ Part Water 6 minutes , 10 NPR
Here is a recipe for brown rice and short-grain sona masoori rice.

Nutrition

Calories: 34kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.02g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.02g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.02g | Sodium: 3mg | Potassium: 9mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 0.01g | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 0.1mg

Should you Soak Basmati Rice

I used the same rice & amount of water to test out the difference between rice that's been soaked and not soaked.

I find that the rice that's been soaked for 1 hour or more does cook softer, with a lesser bite to it, while being separate and fluffy.

For everyday cooking, where the only critiques are my child and husband, I rarely soak. I just rinse the rice and stick it in the instant pot.

In the photo below, I hope you can make out how the rice that's been cooked for 5 min, with 10-minute natural pressure release, is more separate & less plump.

Rice cooked with different methods in the instant pot.
Sample one- Rice cooked using pot in pot method
Sample 2- Rice cooked after being soaked
Sample 3- Unsoaked rice

Delay Button Rice

This is my favorite way of making rice.

I wash and rinse the rice. Add the same amount of water as the rice.

Set the Pressure cooking time to 5 minutes. And then I delay it by an hour's time.

I usually do this when I start cooking a meal so that by the time we are ready to eat, the rice is cooked perfectly and is steaming hot!

Pot-in-Pot Rice Cooking

Cooking several things at the same time in the pressure cooker is an age old Indian practice!
The way this works is that you place the trivet you got with the instant pot in the steel insert. Add 1 cup of water.
Place a Steel bowl of rice with water and cover it with a plate. Pressure cook for 6 minutes on HIGH.
The rice comes out soft and fluffy but still separate.

Pot in pot method of cooking in the instant pot.A trivet with a bowl of rice and water inside the inner steel insert
Fluffing rice thats been cooked in the instant pot using the pot in pot method

You can cook the dal and rice together, but you have to be careful about cooking things that take the same amount of time.

When to do pot in pot

  • Good for smaller quantities- When the amount of rice being cooked in less than ½ cup.
  • When you do not want to wash the big instant pot insert, you have to reuse it.
  • When you are short on time and want to cook two things together. However, this needs serial planning, proper equipment, and measurement.
  • The rice doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.

FAQs on Instant Pot Basmati Rice

Why is my Basmati Rice Sticky?

This could be due to various factors but most probably your rice to water ratio was wrong. Making Basmati rice with more than 1.5 times the water will make mushy rice.
Other reason could be that you soaked the rice for too long. Anything more than 2 hours is too long.

Why isn’t my Basmati Rice cooked?

This could be due to various factors but most probably your rice to water ratio was wrong.Making Basmati rice with less than 1 times the water will result in undercooked rice.
The other reason could be – No soaking, too less cooking time, rice not under the water.

How do I double/Triple this Basmati Rice recipe

Just add double the rice and water. Set the instant pot settings as same- PRESSURE COOK,HIGH,5,10NPR.

Can I cook Brown Basmati Rice in same way?

Brown rice takes more time to cook. Change the cooking time to 20 minutes, keeping the rest same. Read more about Instant Pot Brown rice here

Do you need to rinse basmati rice?

Yes.Rinsing not only helps in cleaning the rice but also removing the starch which makes the rice sticky.

Is soaking Basmati Rice neccessary

While it’s not ABSOLUTELY necessary, soaking results in a more evenly cooked rice. It’s highly recommended.

More Instant Pot Basics

  • Instant Pot Vegetable Stock - Homemade Broth
  • chicken fajitas on top of a toasted tortilla with smashed avocado
    EASY JUICY Instant Pot Chicken Fajitas
  • How to Steam Broccoli in Instant Pot
  • Instant Pot Pancake Bites

Reader Interactions

Comments

    4.75 from 12 votes (6 ratings without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Sherali G Ali says

    September 25, 2023 at 3:54 pm

    5 stars
    You have discontinued Dal adr rice cooked at the same time, appreciate if you will post it again. Thanks.

    Reply
    • chhavi says

      September 28, 2023 at 10:33 am

      yes soon..I am injured right now..so everything is getting delayed
      thanks

      Reply
  2. Polly says

    May 08, 2024 at 1:20 am

    5 stars
    Just tried this recipe! Simple ingredients and easy to make. Had it with some chicken and it was perfect. I appreciate the tips, very helpful.

    Reply
    • chhavi says

      May 08, 2024 at 5:24 am

      Thanks polly

      Reply
  3. Marie says

    May 08, 2024 at 4:52 am

    5 stars
    Tried the no-soak method and cooked the rice for 5 minutes in the instant pot, just like the recipe suggested. The timing was spot on and the rice cooked evenly without any issues.

    Reply
    • chhavi says

      May 08, 2024 at 5:24 am

      That's great to hear! thankyou so much..

      Reply
  4. Jane says

    May 08, 2024 at 9:26 am

    5 stars
    We are Filipino family so we really love rice. Tried this, the soaked and soft and woooow it was a perfect pair with our Pork Adobo (Pork Marinade).

    Reply
  5. Janna says

    May 08, 2024 at 11:41 am

    5 stars
    The instructions worked like a charm and the flavor and texture of the rice were PERFECT. Thanks for sharing! 🙂

    Reply
  6. Laura Arteaga says

    May 09, 2024 at 2:38 am

    5 stars
    Finally I found the perfect recipe to cook rice using my instant pot! This comes out very fluffy and cooked to perfection. Thank for such detailed information.

    Reply

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