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Fluffy Instant Pot Brown Rice Recipe

Fluffy Instant Pot brown rice recipe is here. How to make sure it doesn’t come out dry so you can enjoy this side dish with everything. Make in your Ninja Foodi or Crockpot Express too, any electric pressure cooker works just as great.

instant pot brown rice recipe

We cook white and this Instant Pot brown rice recipe at least once a week. It is an easy Instant Pot recipe that’s a cheap side dish everyone loves. It really is my go to pairing. Here’s a tip to making it moist and fluffy every time. (originally published 10/20, affiliate links present)

If you’ve never really cared for this style of rice, this may make you change your mind. It did for me. Crunchy and dry is the way it always came at restaurants but I wanted to give it another try on my own! I should’ve tried this so much sooner because now it’s a fave.

Ninja Foodi Brown Rice

You can use the directions and timing below with any brand of machine you may have at home. I have them all because I wanted to make sure there wasn’t a difference and there isn’t. The only button change is Crockpot Express says brown instead of saute and Ninja Foodi can air fry, you won’t need either of these functions.

FIRST – You should sign up for my free newsletter so you get new posts emailed to you twice a week and never miss out on anything! Now let’s start with a few basic tips:

For reference, this is the pressure cooker I have (a 6 quart) and use for all recipe creations.

star wars instant pot

Brown Rice in Instant Pot

You really don’t need much of anything to make this. Just like making Ninja Foodi white rice, it’s just water and if you want to add a pinch of salt. The biggest difference is the cook time. It is a bit more than double, but worth it.

  1. Uncooked brown rice
  2. Water
  3. Salt is optional but suggested

We always serve this with some soy sauce on the side but that is up to you. My husband prefers butter every time. It’s great alongside Instant Pot fish or air fryer salmon for sure.

If you follow the directions below very carefully, including the natural release time you too will likely cook it more and more often. Unlike white rice, this step is a necessity to get this and pressure cooker wild rice light and fluffy.

instant pot brown rice

Brown Rice Ninja Foodi

Here are a few questions you might have before getting started:

How do you steam brown rice in Instant Pot?

I don’t really refer to it as steaming, but I suppose you could. In just 22 minutes with a bit of a natural release, you too can enjoy this healthy side dish at your home. We will show you exactly how here.

How long does rice take in the Instant Pot?

Including time to pressurize the pot and release the steam Instant Pot white rice takes about 17 minutes.

Cooking brown rice in Instant Pot is closer to 45 min. Things like Instant Pot enchilada rice takes 22 with a bit of natural release.

How do you cook Instant Pot brown rice?

Add uncooked rice, water and a bit of salt into your pot. Swish around to separate pieces. Pressure cook for 22 minutes with a 20 minute natural release.

Should you rinse brown rice?

You can in order to remove any dust on the outside. Alternatively I usually just lift the pot up and “swish” the rice with the water to do the same thing. This helps it not come out clumpy as well. I do the same thing when making Instant Pot Jasmine rice.

how to make brown rice in instant pot

How to Make Brown Rice in Instant Pot

Ok so I am a bit lazy sometimes and I don’t always rinse my rice. I have found that if I don’t it turns out just as if I had if I swirl the pot once the water has been added. It makes it a bit cloudy as the dust washes off.

The rice is perfect every time I make it this way. You can double the recipe too if you want. It even fits in my smaller 6 quart with that amount.

And any type of electric pressure cooker works, including the Ninja Foodi.

  • Warm or cold water works just fine.
  • It turns out perfect either way.

I use Uncle Ben’s whole grain long grain brown rice for this and when we make slow cooker brown rice but any store brand is fine as well.

instant pot

Here are step by step directions for the recipe that works well for us every single week. Of course I have it again at the bottom where the recipe card is in fact printable. You can do that and store it in your recipe card box.

Ninja Foodi brown rice to water ratio

Time needed: 42 minutes

Instant Pot Brown Rice Recipe

  1. Add ingredients

    Pour uncooked brown rice and water in pressure cooker. Take pot out of inner lining and swirl around a few times with your hands.
    Sprinkle in a pinch of salt. Put inner pot back in.

  2. Cook

    Close lid and steam valve and set to manual or pressure cook, high pressure for 22 minutes.

    When done do NOT touch the pressure release valve, instead leave it for 20 minutes so steam can naturally release and keep rice moist and fluffy.

  3. Serve

    Remove lid, fluff perfect brown rice with wooden spoon and serve plain, with butter or soy sauce on top. You can also use this in a sort of stir fry with our air fryer fajitas.

It will stay warm in your pot for a while with the lid ajar. Just remember to unplug it or it will stay on warm and will start to burn the bottom of the pot.

how to cook brown rice

What to add to brown rice to make it taste better?

Instead of water you can use beef or chicken broth. Or drop a bouillon cube in with your water and stir until dissolved. We do this when making Instant Pot couscous too and comes out great.

  • Garlic salt is a great and easy addition.
  • Add a scoop of salsa in before you pressure cook it to give it a Mexican flavor. Somewhat similar to our Instant Pot Spanish rice.
  • Butter and some pepper on top is an option.
  • I add soy sauce myself.

Can you reheat cooked brown rice?

Yes, but fresh is always best of course. Rice always tends to dry out when stored, and especially when refrigerated.

Add a bit of liquid and cover bowl with a paper towel before microwaving to try and avoid it drying out even more.

Can cooked brown rice sit out overnight?

No. About 2 hours is max once it’s reached room temperature. After that store in airtight containers in the fridge to avoid the growth of bacteria.

pressure cooker white rice

Of course we have to include a link to how perfect Instant Pot white rice and Instant Pot risotto recipe instructions as well too right? My girls probably prefer this style because I guess they’ve eaten it more often.

Brown Rice in Pressure Cooker

Either way pressure cooker rice has been a game changer for me as far as being able to prepare an easy side dish with meals at dinnertime. Looking for other Instant Pot side dishes to cook on other nights?

  • You can make Instant Pot steamed vegetables. Mix a few different ones together and cook all at the same time. We will show you how to do it!
  • We make Instant Pot corn on the cob all the time. Fresh or frozen it is a cheap addition to every meal that is always a hit at the table.

And one of our favorite things to serve with pressure cooker brown rice is probably with a frozen roast in the Instant Pot.

roast

This packs our meal with a ton of protein while the rice has the fiber we need in our diets. Many people don’t realize the huge differences between the two styles of rice, but it is pretty big.

Is brown rice good for you?

Absolutely. The fiber from the outer husk that has been left on aids digestion and may reduce the risk of developing cancer, diabetes and high cholesterol.

When my LDL levels were elevated my doctor gave me a list of all the foods I should be integrating into my diet and this was top on the list. It wasn’t my favorite at first (so used to the white variety) but in time I learned to love it.

Which brown rice is best?

Any brand is better than not choosing whole grain period but they do say these are the top 3 when surveyed; Lundberg long grain, RiceSelect Organic, Pride of India’s extra long grain basmati brown rice (basmati isn’t my favorite).

Want to see a few of my favorite things that I am totally obsessed with?? Take a peek and see how many you might already have…twinsies!

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Instant Pot Brown Rice Recipe

Fluffy Instant Pot brown rice recipe is here. How to make sure it doesn't come out dry so you can enjoy this side dish with everything.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American, Japanese
Keyword brown rice, fluffy, instant pot, pressure cooker
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 229kcal
Author The Typical Mom

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Pour uncooked brown rice and water in pressure cooker. Take pot out of inner lining and swirl around a few times with your hands.
  • Sprinkle in a pinch of salt. Put inner pot back in.
  • Close lid and steam valve and set to high pressure for 22 minutes.
  • When done do NOT touch the pressure release valve, instead leave it for 20 minutes so steam can naturally release and keep rice moist and fluffy.
  • Remove lid, fluff with wooden spoon and serve.

Video

Nutrition Facts
Instant Pot Brown Rice Recipe
Amount Per Serving (2 oz)
Calories 229 Calories from Fat 18
% Daily Value*
Fat 2g3%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 14mg1%
Potassium 170mg5%
Carbohydrates 48g16%
Fiber 2g8%
Protein 5g10%
Calcium 24mg2%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Recipe Rating




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