Instant Pot Brown Rice Wellplated Com

Brown rice is surprisingly tricky to get right on the stovetop. I am embarrassed by the number of times I have tried to cook rice on the stove, only to end up with rice burned to the bottom of my pot, mushy rice, or a big mess of starchy water overflow. The answer: pressure cook your brown rice!

A pressure cooker like the Instant Pot can act just like a rice cooker, without the need for a separate appliance.While there is an Instant Pot rice setting, you don’t need to use it. The regular pressure setting is the best way to control the cooking and know you’ll have great results.Just add the brown rice, water, and a pinch of salt. Set your pressure cooker for 22 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes.It’s foolproof and will give you perfect rice every single time.

If you are a rice texture purist, cooking 2 cups or more of Instant Pot brown rice does give it the best texture. You will end up with double the amount of cooked rice as uncooked rice.

1 cup brown rice + 1 1/4 cups water = 2 cups cooked rice1 1/2 cups brown rice + 1 2/3 cups water = 3 cups cooked rice2 cups brown rice + 2 1/2 cups water = 4 cups cooked rice2 1/2 cups brown rice + 3 cups water = 5 cups cooked rice3 cups brown rice + 3 3/4 cups water = 6 cups cooked rice.

If you cook less than 2 cups of rice in the instant pot, it will turn out slightly mushier.That said, I almost always make just 1 cup because we are a smaller household, and we are very happy with it.

My other big tip: Add a pinch of salt to rice before cooking to season it.

Salt makes the flavor of the rice pop, not taste salty (the same is true of Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats).

How to Make Perfect Brown Rice in the Instant Pot

Of all of the Instant Pot recipes on my site, brown rice is what we make in our pressure cooker the most!

12 minutes building + 22 minutes cooking + 15 minutes release = 49 minutes.While not faster than the stove top brown rice, this Instant Pot brown rice recipe is easier to make and has a better final texture.

You can toast the rice in oil for a few minutes using the sauté function if you like, but I find that as long as I add a little salt, the rice tastes excellent.

The Ingredients

Rice. With its slightly nutty flavor and chewy texture, brown rice brings more to the table than just its ability to deliciously soak up sauces and fill our bellies. It’s also rich in fiber, vitamins, magnesium, and partial protein.

Water. The water-to-rice ratio is critical for achieving the fluffiest, most perfect rice.

Salt. Helps boost the flavor of the rice.

The Directions

How to Freeze Instant Pot Brown Rice

Cooked grains like brown rice are easy to portion and freeze. Go ahead and make a big batch in your pressure cooker, then freeze the rest for later, using these steps. Also, you can simply transfer the cooked, cooled rice to an airtight, freezer-safe storage container or ziptop bag without the pre-freezing method. The extra step just helps ensure your rice freezes flat for easy storage.

Ways to Use Instant Pot Brown Rice

Stir Fries. Serve this rice with Broccoli Tofu Stir Fry, Bourbon Chicken, Korean Beef Bowl, or any of these other stir fry recipes. Bowls. Use Instant Pot brown rice as the base for a Chipotle Bowl with black beans or Egg Roll in a Bowl.Burritos. Instant Pot brown rice is the perfect addition to a Vegetarian Burrito or Instant Pot Chicken Enchiladas.Casserole. Use the rice in this Chicken and Rice Casserole or Stuffed Peppers. As a Side Dish. Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken, Crock Pot Pepper Steak, Chicken Tikka Masala, and Chicken Cacciatore would all be tasty with a side of brown rice.

Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe

Instant Pot. Perfect for making this rice.Wooden Spoon. What I use to stir the rice before cooking. Measuring Cups. This set has all the sizes you’ll need.

I sometimes joke that our Instant Pot is mostly a fancy rice cooker, but there is a little truth to it. Leave a rating below in the comments and let me know how you liked the recipe. Enjoy your perfect Instant Pot brown rice and see if you feel the same!