Using the Instant Pot is the easiest and almost completely hands-free way to cook fluffy Brown Rice each time.
Perfectly cooked grains of rice that is never mushy. Try this recipe and fall in love with brown rice all over again!
Rice is such a staple in so many parts of the world. It is great to enjoy with dal or curry. Moreover, cooked rice makes super amazing recipes like fried rice, lemon rice and so on. Not to forget it is made into flour and used to make rice crisps, khichu etc. And yes, there are umpteen desserts like kheer and zarda that use rice as an ingredient.
And yet, there is always a debate for the right cooking method, style and ingredients to make rice. Some swear by their trusted brand and others by their rice cooker. Each family has their favorite way to cook rice. This recipe here is to perfectly cook brown rice using an Instant Pot.
Jump to:
What is Brown Rice
Brown rice is a whole grain rice with the inedible outer hull removed. The bran and germ is intact in this compared to white rice in which all of these are removed.
As a result of this, brown rice grains retain some nutrients that white rice lack. Because of the bran and germ it takes more time to cook compared to white rice. And often that leads to a lot of confusion regarding the right appliance to cook it, the ratio of water to rice and so on.
Here is a post that will demystify a lot around brown rice. The way to cook it perfect each time, what to add in and what to enjoy it with.
Why this recipe works
- This fool-proof recipe to make brown rice is perfect each time.
- It is an easy to set it and forget it kind of recipe.
- The resultant rice is always fluffy and soft but never mushy.
- A timed recipe takes out any estimation that may be needed while making rice on the stove top.
- The recipe is naturally Vegan and gluten-free.
- We can easily scale the recipe up or down (taking care not to burn).
- It is easy to flavor the rice with some add-ins, stock etc.
- The recipe is great for batch prepping rice as part of meal prep.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Brown Rice: This is the key ingredient here. The recipe is perfect for brown basmati or short grain rice. The timing does not work for other kind of rice. Use a measuring cup each time to get the rice to cook well but not mushy.
- Salt: A dash of salt is great to season the rice before cooking. As the rice is pretty hardy, it does not absorb salt very well after cooking. So I like to add some salt before hand. However, it is optional.
- Olive Oil: I like to add some Olive oil to the rice. This is optional but flavors the rice really well. It is okay to skip this or replace with another fat like unsalted butter or ghee.
- Water: The key ingredient in the recipe is actually water. Adding too much will make the rice mushy and adding too little will keep the grain uncooked. So measure out the water and add. Substitute with stock if desired.
See the recipe card for detailed ingredient information, measurements and nutrition.
How to make this recipe
1- Rinse the Brown Basmati Rice under running water a couple of times. Drain the rice and add it to the steel liner of the Instant Pot.
2- Add in water, salt and olive oil. Stir a little.
3- Close the lid of the instant pot and set the vent to sealing. Adjust mode to 'pressure cook' or 'manual'. Cook on high pressure for 24 minutes.
4- Once the instant pot beeps, let ALL the pressure release on its own. Open the instant pot.
5- Then fluff the brown rice with a fork.
6- Enjoy warm with a curry or dal of your choice!
Expert Tips and Notes
- Rinse the rice thoroughly: It is important to rinse the rice grains well. This removes all the starch on them. Leaving the starch on them will make the rice sticky and mushy on cooking. Rinse it under running water in a strainer or in a bowl till the water is almost clear.
- Time to cook the rice: The time I use to cook my rice is 24 minutes. I have tried various times between 20 and 35 minutes and 24 minutes works best for the brands of basmati rice I have tried. Adjust it by a couple of minutes if you think the rice is undercooked.
- Release the pressure naturally: The pressure needs to release naturally to get fluffy rice each time. If you are in a rush, increase the cooking time by a couple of minutes and release the remaining pressure at the end of 10 minutes.
- Water:Rice ratio: For the water to rice ratio; 1.25:1 works the best. Rinse the rice, drain the water and add water. Use 1.25 cups of water for every cup of brown basmati rice. Yes, I use my measuring cup each time instead of eyeballing. I hate sticky rice and the proportion works like magic every time!
- Adding a fat: Adding some unsalted butter, ghee or oil is optional but highly recommended in the recipe. It adds a subtle flavor to the rice which is great. I add olive oil most of the time.
- Work with the appropriate instant pot size: A bigger batch size works better in this case. Use a 3 quart instant pot for a smaller batch (less than 2 cups). That will keep the rice from burning at the base. Use the 6 quart instant pot for 2 cups or more of rice.
Recipe FAQs
To make a big batch, simply double or triple the ingredients while keeping the time same. To store leftovers, let the rice completely cool down. Then transfer to a tray and freeze for a couple of hours. Divide the rice into individual portions and freeze up to 3 months. To reheat, simply microwave and enjoy.
Rice doubles on cooking. So the calculation is simple: 1 cup rice + 1¼ cup water = 2 cup cooked rice; 2 cups rice + 2½ cups water = 4 cups cooked rice and so on.
While the process is the same, the time required to cook white rice will be much less. Adjust the time based on which kind of rice is used. Also the water will vary based on type of rice.
Brown rice contains more nutrients and fiber and has a lower glycemic index value compared to white rice. Thus, it is a healthier choice for most people unless there are some health issues that deter the digestion of brown rice.
How to serve Brown Rice
The recipe here makes 4 cups of cooked brown rice. It can be served in so many different ways. Pick a style that you will enjoy most.
- Indian: Serve this steamed brown rice with spinach dal, kale dal or just Gujarati dal for a wholesome meal.
- Asian: This brown rice makes a great side for curries. I like to serve it alongside Red Curry or Green Curry. Or make this poke bowl using the rice.
- Mexican: Use the cooked brown rice to make this burrito bowl a little more healthy! Or stuff them in enchiladas or quesadilla.
- Make Fried Rice: Use this instant pot brown rice to whip up recipes like Thai fried rice, mushroom fried rice or lemon rice.
More Instant Pot Recipes to try
Love this recipe? Please leave a star rating in the recipe card below & if you REALLY like it, consider a review in the comments whilst you are there, thanks!
Instant Pot Brown Rice
Instructions
- Rinse the Brown Basmati Rice under running water a couple of times. Drain the rice and add it to the steel liner of the Instant Pot.2 cups Brown Basmati Rice
- Add in water, salt and olive oil. Stir a little.2 ½ cups Water, ¼ teaspoon Salt, 1 teaspoon Olive Oil
- Close the lid of the instant pot and set the vent to sealing. Adjust mode to 'pressure cook' or 'manual'. Cook on high pressure for 24 minutes.
- Once the instant pot beeps, let ALL the pressure release on its own. Open the instant pot.
- Then fluff the brown rice with a fork.
- Enjoy warm with a curry or dal of your choice!
Video
Notes
- Rinse the rice thoroughly: It is important to rinse the rice grains well. This removes all the starch on them. Leaving the starch on them will make the rice sticky and mushy on cooking. Rinse it under running water in a strainer or in a bowl till the water is almost clear.
- Time to cook the rice: The time I use to cook my rice is 24 minutes. I have tried various times between 20 and 35 minutes and 24 minutes works best for the brands of basmati rice I have tried. Adjust it by a couple of minutes if you think the rice is undercooked.
- Release the pressure naturally: The pressure needs to release naturally to get fluffy rice each time. If you are in a rush, increase the cooking time by a couple of minutes and release the remaining pressure at the end of 10 minutes.
- Water:Rice ratio: For the water to rice ratio; 1.25:1 works the best. Rinse the rice, drain the water and add water. Use 1.25 cups of water for every cup of brown basmati rice. Yes, I use my measuring cup each time instead of eyeballing. I hate sticky rice and the proportion works like magic every time!
- Adding a fat: Adding some unsalted butter, ghee or oil is optional but highly recommended in the recipe. It adds a subtle flavor to the rice which is great. I add olive oil most of the time.
- Work with the appropriate instant pot size: A bigger batch size works better in this case. Use a 3 quart instant pot for a smaller batch (less than 2 cups). That will keep the rice from burning at the base. Use the 6 quart instant pot for 2 cups or more of rice.
Leave a Reply