Instant Pot Brown Rice (Perfectly Cooked!)

While writing The Fresh & Healthy Instant Pot Cookbook, I spent a lot of time learning the best way to cook rice in the pressure cooker. Brown rice, in particular, is something I’ve avoided cooking too often, simply because it’s so time-consuming.

That’s no longer the case, thanks to the Instant Pot. You can press a button and walk away, while your rice cooks to perfection, without watching the pot or worrying about it burning to the bottom of the pan.

Today, I’ll show you two methods for cooking it: either directly in the stainless steel insert or in a separate bowl for easier cleanup.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Featured Review

“Wonderful! Thank you SO much – SO EASY & fast – the brown rice tastes so much better cooked in the Instapot compared to stovetop.” -Tina

Ingredients to Cook Brown Rice

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Brown rice. This variety of rice is available in both short-grain and long-grain forms. Either option should turn out well with this cooking method.
• Water. Use a ratio of 1:1 brown rice to water when cooking in the pressure cooker. Since there’s no evaporation with this cooking method, you don’t need as much water as you would when cooking on the stovetop.
• Salt. I like to add a 1/4 teaspoon of salt per 2 cups of dry brown rice. This boosts the flavor, without being overpowering.

How to Make Brown Rice in Instant Pot

Step 1:

Place the dry brown rice in a fine mesh strainer and rinse it under running water. You’ll likely see foam or bubbles on top of the rice at first. Continue rinsing until the bubbles disappear, which typically takes about 60 seconds.

Transfer the rinsed rice to the stainless steel bowl of the Instant Pot and cover it with an equal amount of water. (So, if you rinsed 1 cup of dry rice, add 1 cup of fresh water for cooking.)

Step 2:

Secure the lid on the Instant Pot and ensure the steam release valve is in the “sealing” position. Use the Manual or Pressure Cook button to cook at high pressure for 22 minutes.

It will take 8 to 10 minutes for the pot to pressurize, so the screen will read “ON” until then.

Step 3:

When the cooking cycle is complete, let the pressure naturally release for at least 10 minutes. This means you don’t have to do anything right away; wait until the screen reads L0:10, indicating that 10 minutes have passed. It’s okay if you wait a little longer, too.

Move the steam release valve to venting to release any remaining pressure. When the floating valve in the lid drops, it’s safe to remove the lid.

Fluff with rice with a fork, and it’s ready to serve warm.

“Pot-in-Pot” Instant Pot Rice

If you’d like to cook brown rice in a separate bowl in your Instant Pot, that’s called “pot in pot” cooking. This method is often used when you want to cook two dishes simultaneously, such as chicken on the bottom and rice on top.

Here’s how to do this:

• Rinse the rice. Just like the directions above, place the dry rice in a strainer and rinse well until you see no bubbles or foam on top.
• Use the right bowl. Transfer the rinsed rice to a heat-safe bowl that is no bigger than 7 inches in diameter when using a 6-quart Instant Pot. There must be at least an inch of space around the bowl when it sits in the stainless steel pot so pressure can properly build in the pot.
• Arrange the trivet. Pour 1 cup of water into the bottom of the stainless steel Instant Pot liner, then arrange a trivet over that. (My machine came with a trivet, so that’s what I use– no extra equipment needed.) Place the heat-safe bowl of rice on top of the trivet. There should be plenty of room around the bowl for steam to circulate in the pot.
• Pressure cook. Secure the lid and make sure the steam release valve is in the “sealing” position. Cook at high pressure for 22 minutes, then let the pressure naturally release.

When the floating valve in the lid drops, it’s safe to open the pot. Use oven mitts to remove the bowl of cooked rice, as it will be very hot. Fluff the rice with a fork, and it’s ready to serve.

More Recipes to Try

• Veggie Fried Rice
• Protein Rice Crispy Treats
• Socca Pizza with Roasted Veggies

If you try this recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below to let me know how it works for you.