How to cook 2 cups Instant Pot white rice in your pressure cooker to fluffy is here. How long to cook it, what liquid to use, and tips on serving the best tasting rice are here. Whether you are a beginner or use your machine daily this basic recipe will become your go to for dinnertime. Works the same for Ninja Foodi rice too.
Ok so I have been busy creating a ton of easy Instant Pot recipes since I got mine Christmas of 2016. I neglected to share the most basic one, Instant Pot white rice so here we go with the side dish we eat the most often with dinner. (affiliate links present)
Table of Contents
- Instant Pot Rice
- How to Make White Rice in Instant Pot
- Instant Pot White Rice 2 Cups
- White Rice to Water Ratio
- How long is the rice setting on an Instant Pot?
- How to Make 6 Cups of Rice in the Instant Pot
- Is Instant Pot good for cooking rice?
- How to Cook Rice in Insta Pot
- How to Properly Cook Rice in an Instant Pot
- White Rice in Instant Pot
- Rice and Peas Instant Pot
- Instant Pot Rice Cooker
- Is the rice setting on Instant Pot Low Pressure?
- How many cups of rice can you cook in an Instant Pot?
- Perfectly cooked rice
- Foolproof Rice Instant Pot
- Instant Pot White Rice Recipe
Instant Pot Rice
We make rice several times a week. You can use an IP, make Ninja Foodi white rice or Crockpot Express too. Almost all pressure cookers have the programmed timing for rice nowadays. If not we will explain how to do it without one too. A cheap and easy side dish everyone in your family will love. This goes with everything I tell you.
Maybe because I’m from Hawaii and it’s something we ate every day there, or what but I can’t get enough of it. You can add sauce to the top, enjoy it plain or mix it with meat and veggies for an entire meal. A naturally gluten free grain that is versatile enough for all the things. We have also added instructions to make Instant Pot jasmine rice too.
If you are new to pressure cooking we have a lot of easy one pot meal recipes for you here. To begin with let’s start with a few basic tips:
- Make sure to Bookmark our InstaPot recipes page. We add new ones each week!
- Then PRINT this —–> Instant Pot cooking times cheat sheet that will help you understand how long meat, vegetables and beans take to cook in your pressure cooker.
- I HIGHLY recommend you buy this non stick pot.
- You should know how to deglaze a pressure cooker after sautéing but it won’t have as many issues with this better liner.
For reference, this is the model I have (a 6 quart) and use for all recipe creations.
How to Make White Rice in Instant Pot
I guess you just assume it is easy but I remember the first time making it I had to adjust the amount of liquid a bit. What we use for liquid to achieve what we consider to be the best recipe for rice in the pressure cooker is a bit different too.
If you were using another brand like a Ninja Foodi would not make a difference. Remember that this is a grain that will more than double when it soaks up the liquids in that pot so you don’t want to scrimp on it. You can use water or any sort of broth for this depending on your preferences.
- We eat this a lot, like probably every other day. When I was growing up this was just a staple so I guess I assumed it was for everyone else too.
For those in the midwest I’ve heard their go to is potatoes with just about everything. Ours is white rice for sure. I used to use my good old fashioned rice cooker that I got at my wedding, the same one my mom had back in the day, but this is better. There IS in fact a difference in how fluffy it becomes when it is cooked correctly.
Instant Pot White Rice 2 Cups
So there are 5 of us with one who left or college, so 4 left in the house. When we are all eating, 2 cups of dry grains is just about rice for all of us to be full. Of course this would be served with a main dish, not just alone as a snack. If you have very large hungry boys you might need more, adjust accordingly.
White Rice to Water Ratio
I’ve had a rice cooker ever since I was a kid. I watched my mom cook it night after night this way or on the stove top.
- In that machine it was always a 2:1 ratio of water to rice (it isn’t the same for the IP).
- She always just used water and I never thought twice about it as a kid.
When I got married the first thing I put on my wedding registry was a rice cooker…a big one. That is how engrained white rice is in my life. lol. Later on I got to love pressure cooker wild rice but it does take a lot longer to cook this so I don’t do it as often.
How long is the rice setting on an Instant Pot?
That button will automatically set your machine to high pressure for 12 minutes. That is typically how long you will need so it just reminds you and saves you time I guess? You can do the same thing yourself with the pressure button and adjusting the time.
How to Make 6 Cups of Rice in the Instant Pot
You would just triple the amount listed below, but you would need a very large pot to do this. Never pass the line inside for over 3/4 of the way full.
At first it was a learning curve for sure and I made rice several times before I figured out the perfect rice recipe, then I wrote this post on how to use an Instant Pot to help everyone else out too! Why I love pressure cooker rice because;
- It’s inexpensive to make
- Everyone in my family enjoys it
- It’s a healthy side dish (if you aren’t watching your carb intake)
- White rice really goes with every protein
Is Instant Pot good for cooking rice?
There’s no better way! It’s quick and turns out perfect every single time. When I had a family and started cooking rice night after night I never thought differently, but once I got my Instant Pot it didn’t turn out quite the same. I made different versions of white like Jasmine, Instant Pot Arborio rice, etc in order to figure out the exact ratio of liquid to rice I needed. This was it!
How to Cook Rice in Insta Pot
We make 2 cups of uncooked rice for the 5 of us, you could cut this recipe in half if you needed to.
I got tired of swapping liners, or cooking my rice, emptying the pot, and then cooking my main dish in my Instant Pot so last month I broke down and bought this Instant Pot mini 3 qt. Now I can have the entire dinner done and on the table in under 30 minutes flat…I love it….so worth it!
How to Properly Cook Rice in an Instant Pot
Put the rice in a strainer and rinse it under some running water Jasmine is our favorite kind of rice. Add rice into your Instant Pot or pressure cooker. Use a little more than a 1:1 rice to water ratio when making white rice in your pot.
- We prefer to use a combo of water and a can of chicken broth + uncooked white rice. 2 c. uncooked rice + 2 1/2 cup of water seems like the perfect ratio for us to make the perfect Instant Pot rice.
- Use the rice setting or button (should automatically set the time to 12 minutes) & close steam valve. Allow to naturally release steam for 2 minutes, then quick release.
- Fluff and enjoy immediately for best results.
I have a recipe for how to make the perfect quinoa in your Instant Pot here too!
Like I said I make my rice now in my Instant Pot mini while my main dish is being cooked in my 6 qt. Instant Pot. I use my Instant Pot almost every night and make something new to add to The Typical Mom every single week.
White Rice in Instant Pot
However, I HIGHLY suggest you get a non stick pot because it’s 1,000 times easier to clean! I do recommend a few Instant Pot accessories such as a veggie steamer basket but nothing is necessary to make this one. If you’re looking to make Instant Pot brown rice, follow these instructions
- Rinse your rice, we still cook 2 cups at a time
- Dump rice into your Instant Pot
- Add 2.5 c. of water with your 2 cups of uncooked brown rice
- Set to high pressure for 20 minutes
- Allow to naturally release pressure for 10 minutes
- Release rest of pressure
- Fluff and serve
** Note – cook times differ depending on how you like the texture of your rice and your altitude, this timing works well for our tastes.
Rice and Peas Instant Pot
If you wanted to throw in 1/2 cup of frozen vegetables you could at the very beginning. Best choices would be firmer varieties, not broccoli. Reason being is it will be in there under high pressure for quite a bit of time so whatever you throw in needs to be able to withstand the heat and not turn to mush.
Instant Pot Rice Cooker
Instant Pot white rice goes with Instant Pot recipes such as the following dishes below, like;
- Instant Pot sesame chicken seen above!
- Or make Instant Pot taco bowls with some chicken on top
- Try our amazing Instant Pot teriyaki chicken thighs
- Honey Instant Pot chicken can be mild too
- Use ground sausage or hamburger to make Instant Pot dirty rice too
After you make your perfect Instant Pot rice you may want to make this just by itself, as a snack between meals. Topped with some soy sauce it is one of our faves.
Is the rice setting on Instant Pot Low Pressure?
If you don’t have an automated button that says RICE you can still make this well. You just need to use manual setting (older pots have this button you need to push), low pressure for 12 minutes. Some models don’t have the low option, that is okay just cook for 10 min. on high with a 2 minute natural release.
- I always recommend spraying the inside of your pot with non stick spray. Or put a bit of olive oil on a paper towel and rub the inside so it doesn’t stick.
- Better yet purchase a non stick pot if your pot didn’t already come with one. They’re life savers!!
There may be slight variations of the amounts of water you use but 2 cups rice to 2 1/2 cups water works for us every time.
My mom on the other hand who lives at a higher altitude says she needs to use close to 3 cups of water to get the same result we have. So…the first time you can decide if you need a tad more liquid or not and then enjoy! Here is a recipe for Instant Pot Spanish rice and Instant Pot mushroom rice too!
How many cups of rice can you cook in an Instant Pot?
- It depends on how large your pot is.
- Rule of thumb is to follow the ratio below and do NOT go above the max fill line inside your pot.
Looking to make Ninja Foodi rice?
You can cook this in any brand of electric pressure cooker like we did when we made this Ninja Foodi white rice. The directions for that particular pot are different though so follow these directions.
Perfectly cooked rice
Want to try our Instant Pot brown rice recipe too? It’s just as fluffy but has fiber that’s great for you.
Foolproof Rice Instant Pot
Instant Pot White Rice
Equipment
- 1 pressure cooker
Ingredients
- 2 c white rice, not instant rice, long grain
- 2 1/2 c liquid, you can use water or half chicken/beef broth half water, may need to increase to 2 3/4 c. for higher elevations
Instructions
- Use a strainer and rinse your rice.
- Pour rinsed white rice into your Instant Pot or pressure cooker.
- Pour water or broth on top of your rice.
- Close lid and steam valve, push rice button and wait until it beeps when done. (if you don't have that button set to low pressure for 12 minutes)
- Allow steam to naturally release for 2 minutes, then do a quick release and fluff rice with a fork
- Best when served and eaten immediately.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I always add about 1/2 cup more water than rice. I thought I was the only one that had to add more water than rice! I love cooking it in the instant pot…..I can never seem to get it right cooking it on the stove.
If I use 4 cups of uncooked rice and 5 cups water will i also have to double the time?
@Amanda Hindt, nope just use the Rice button. Should work just fine!
When you measure your water/broth do you use a regular measuring cup or the one that came with the instant pot? Iโve read that there is a difference.
I never use the one that came with the pot, doesn’t look really accurate.
Thanks, I have a Air Fryer and Insta Pot , the two of them make my life soooooo easy.
Choosing between them would like choosing between children, tonight Shish kebab in the Air Fryer, peas and buttered rice mixed together in Insta Pot. Invest in an Air Fryer you wonโt be sorry.
I just got my instant pot not to long ago and have been trying foods here and there. I tried your receipe and it was so good that for three adults eating a double batch of rice was not a challenge. I appreciate your step by step instructions
Thank you. It was a big hit
You say in the first set of instructions to use 2 1/3 cups of liquid, then in the recipe area it says to use 2 cups of liquid — you may want to edit it so that the instructions are the same in both places.
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Here is another way to avoid buying an extra Instant Pot to make rice:
I have a 6 quart Instant Pot, and I make rice in a 1 quart pyrex glass bowl — “pot in pot” style — placed on the trivet with 1 cup of water placed in the bottom of the inner pot (below the trivet).
That way, when the rice is done, all you need to do is lift the bowl out, and the inner pot is clean and ready to use for the next thing.
The recipe that works well for me is:
1. place the following in 1 quart pyrex glass round bowl/container
x (using a volume measuring cup) amount of rice (for example, 1/4 cup, 1/2 cup, or 1 cup)
x (using the same measuring cup) amount of water/liquid, plus a smidgen more
a shake of salt, if you want
2. put the Instant Pot trivet in the inner pot, put 1 cup of water in the inner pot (below the trivet)
3. put the pyrex bowl on the trivet
4. do not cover the bowl (I find that if it’s covered with foil, it takes longer to cook and the water can foam out over the edges of the bowl)
5. set the Instant Pot to cook on manual for only 5 or 6 minutes (the Instant Pot recipe book that came with my 6 quart Instant Pot in February 2018 says to cook rice for just 3 minutes on manual, but I have tested various times out, and I prefer 5 to 6 minutes)
6. when it’s done cooking, do not take off the lid or let the steam out — let it switch over to “keep warm” for 12-15 minutes (by that time, the natural release will probably have happened, but if it hasn’t, release the rest of the steam)
7. take the bowl out of the pot, fluff the rice up with a fork, then cover the bowl (say, with a small dinner plate or the pyrex plastic lid that comes with the bowl) to let the rice rest and steam for a few more minutes
8. dump out the remaining water that is at the bottom of the inner pot and rinse the pot out with running water
(If using it right away for a subsequent recipe, the inner pot usually doesn’t need to be washed with soap after cooking the rice in the glass bowl, because no food had touched the inner pot. Of course, if you are done using the Instant Pot for that meal, you can wash the whole thing with soap and water before putting it away.)
This is terrific! Thanks for sharing it and taking the time to explain it so well.
Thanks so much! This is exactly what I was looking for. my rice always seems to burn to the bottom of my Instant pot when I cook it directly in the stainless (and I don’t want to use the non-stick due to the chemicals). I was thinking there must be a way to cook it in the glass pyrex! You saved me some trial and error :-). I appreciate you taking the time to write this up.
Thank You Ginger for doing such a Great Job explaining
this. PLEASE do your own blog! I would love to follow it!
Amazing Job!
What is the maximum amount of white rice that can be cooked in the 1quart Pyrex bowl?
Does the time of 20 minutes include time for the pot to come to pressure?
That includes prep time so if you take that out yes total cook time would be 20 min including time to pressure.
Thanks for the tip!