Instant Pot Basmati Rice

Learn how to make perfectly fluffy, tender, and fragrant Basmati rice in the Instant Pot every single time with this quick and easy recipe!

Growing up in an Indian household, my mom would cook a batch of fragrant, tender, and fluffy Basmati rice on a regular basis. Whether she cooked it on the stovetop or a traditional Indian pressure cooker, it would be perfect every time. We’d enjoy it with chana masala, lentils, or any other Indian dish.

Basmati Rice in the Instant Pot

Naturally when I first purchased my Instant Pot, one of the first things I cooked it in was Basmati rice. I love this method for cooking rice (including brown rice and black rice) because the results are always predictable – perfect rice every time and it couldn’t be easier.

The perfectly cooked Basmati rice has the following characteristics:

• Each grain is visible – thus, no mushy rice!
• It’s aromatic
• It’s deliciously simple

The first key to making perfect Basmati rice is using the correct rice to water ratio. I use this simple formula when I’m cooking it in the pressure cooker:

For 1 cup of Basmati rice, use 1 1/2 cups of water.

The second key to making delicious Basmati rice is to rinse the rice before cooking it. This prevents the grains from sticking together.

The third key to making perfectly cooked rice is to sautee the rice with a little butter or oil before adding the water to cook it. This helps separate each strand and also deepens the flavor.

Use this hand-off method to set it and forget it until it’s done! Perfect for a side dish, base for the main dish, and excellent for batch cooking and meal prep. I love to make a batch to use in meals throughout the week or freeze for later.!

What You’ll Need

You only need a few things to cook Basmati rice, in addition to your Instant Pot:

• Basmati Rice: White long-grain Basmati Rice
• Water
• Butter (or Oil)
• Salt: for added flavor. Note that if you prefer not to add salt, this can be omitted.
• Bowl or Mesh Sieve: to rinse the rice in

How to Cook Basmati Rice in the Instant Pot

1. Soak the rice: In a medium bowl, combine the rice and water. Be sure to cover the rice with water by an inch as the rice will absorb and plump up slightly.

2. Rinse and drain rice: Drain the rice in a mesh sieve and rinse under cool water until it runs clear, running your fingers through the rice. This will take a couple of minutes.

3. Add ingredients to Instant Pot: Select the “Saute” button and add rice and butter (or oil). Sautee the rice for 3 minutes, stirring frequently, before pouring in the water. Turn off.

4. Pressure cook the rice: Close the lid of the pressure cooker. Set the valve to “sealing” and start the pressure cooker on “High” for 5 minutes. Once completed, let the pressure naturally release for another 5 minutes before quick-releasing the remaining pressure. Carefully open the lid.

5. Fluff and serve: Using a fork, fluff the rice. Scoop out and serve or store for later.

How to Store Cooked Basmati Rice

Store the rice in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. When ready to enjoy, simply warm it up in the microwave or in a saucepan.

Tips on Making the Best Basmati Rice

• Be sure to rinse the rice well before cooking it. The water should run clear when rinsing it. This usually takes a couple of minutes.
• Be sure to use the correct rice to water ratio, as described in the recipe.
• Sautee the rice in a little butter or oil before adding the water to cook it. This helps separate each strand and deepens the flavor. If you prefer not to use any butter or oil, sautee the rice with two tablespoons of water instead.
• Elevate the flavor of your Basmati rice by adding a couple of cloves, toasted cumin seeds, saffron, lemon juice, or ground turmeric.
• Add veggies to your Basmati rice such as finely diced carrots or green peas.

What to Serve with Basmati Rice

Basmati rice can be served with Indian curry, lentils, beans, and more. Here are some ways to enjoy it:

• Indian Chickpea Curry (Chana Masala)
• Cauliflower Tikka Masala
• Instant Pot Lentils
• Serve with any other Indian curry.
• Serve with pinto beans or any other kind of bean.

More Instant Pot Recipes

If you enjoy cooking in your pressure cooker, be sure to check out these recipes:

• Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
• Perfect Quinoa in the Instant Pot
• Instant Pot Carrots
• Instant Pot Beets
• How to Make Chickpeas in the Instant Pot
• Instant Pot Broccoli

Looking for other rice recipes to make in the Instant Pot? Check out brown rice, sushi rice, black rice, and jasmine rice.

I hope you love this Instant Pot Basmati Rice recipe as much as I do! Sign up for email updates to get delicious recipes delivered straight to your inbox. You can also follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!

Instant Pot Basmati Rice

★★★★★ 5 from 12 reviews

• Author: Sapana Chandra
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 2 servings 1x
• Category: Side Dish
• Method: Pressure Cooker
• Cuisine: Indian

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Description

Learn how to make perfectly fluffy, tender, and fragrant Basmati rice in the Instant Pot every single time with this quick and easy recipe! 

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Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 1 cup Basmati rice
• 1.5 cups water
• 1/2 tablespoon butter (or oil)
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

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Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, combine the rice and water. Be sure to cover the rice with water by an inch as the rice will absorb and plump up slightly.
2. Drain the rice in a mesh sieve and rinse under cool water until it runs clear, running your fingers through the rice. This will take a couple of minutes.
3. Select the “Saute” button on the Instant Pot and add rice and butter (or oil). Sautee the rice for 3 minutes, stirring frequently, before pouring in the water. Turn off. 
4. Close the lid of the pressure cooker. Set the valve to “sealing” and start the pressure cooker on “High” for 5 minutes. Once completed, let the pressure naturally release for another 5 minutes before quick-releasing the remaining pressure. Carefully open the lid. 
5. Using a fork, gently fluff the rice. Scoop out and serve or store for later.

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Notes

I’ve tested this recipe on both my Instant Pot Duo Mini 3-Quart and Instant Pot DUO 6-Quart with great results. However, you may need to tweak how long you cook the Basmati rice based on the size, model, and brand of your pressure cooker.

Keywords: Basmati Rice Instant Pot