Fluffy Instant Pot White Rice

This is how to make the perfect Instant Pot white rice in your pressure cooker. 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 Instant Pot daily this basic recipe will become your go to for dinnertime.

Instant Pot Rice

We make rice several times a week. You can use an IP or a Ninja Foodi 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.

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.

• 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.

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 to Cook Rice in Insta Pot

How to Make Rice in Instant Pot

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

• 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 Instant Pot white rice in order to figure out the exact ratio of liquid to rice I needed. This was it!

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!

Rice in 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 here though that have been helpful overall.

If you’re looking to make Instant Pot brown rice, follow these instructions

1. Rinse your rice, we still cook 2 cups at a time
2. Dump rice into your Instant Pot
3. Add 2.5 c. of water with your 2 cups of uncooked brown rice
4. Set to high pressure for 20 minutes
5. Allow to naturally release pressure for 10 minutes
6. Release rest of pressure
7. 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.

Instant Pot white rice goes with Instant Pot recipes

• Instant Pot sesame chicken seen above!
  • Or make Instant Pot taco bowls with Instant Pot risotto
• Try our amazing Instant Pot spicy teriyaki chicken thighs
• Spicy honey Instant Pot chicken can be mild too
  • Use ground sausage or hamburger to make Instant Pot dirty rice too
• Mild chili is always a winner

After you make your perfect Instant Pot rice a few times you might want to try some other side dishes

1. Instant Pot cheesy bacon ranch potatoes
2. Pressure cooker baked potatoes
3. Our green chile rice is amazing

Instant Pot Rice Cooker

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. We have also added instructions to make Instant Pot jasmine rice so check that out too.

Foolproof Rice Instant Pot