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How to Use the Instant Pot Rice Setting

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Posted by:

Erin Lynch

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Updated:

February 3, 2026

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4.96 from 204 votes

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Instant pot rice button pinterest image.
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With this easy Instant Pot Rice recipe, you’ll see it’s simple to make fluffy rice with minimal measuring and perfect results every time. With directions for white rice, basmati, jasmine and brown. Plus, how to use the Instant Pot rice button.

Bowl of rice and small bowl of soy sauce next to instant pot.

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Today I thought I’d share with you my “method” for how to cook perfect rice in the Instant Pot.

Cooking rice in the instant pot is easy, hands free and simple. 

Table of Contents

  • Water to Rice Ratio
  • How to Make It
  • Instant Pot Rice Button Instructions
  • How Long to Cook Rice in the Instant Pot
  • Recipe Tips
  • How Much Rice Can I Cook in My Instant Pot?
  • Storing + Reheating
  • Serving Suggestions
  • Full Recipe

Reader

Love



5 stars
I followed your directions exactly and the rice came out perfectly! Thank you!

–

Beverly Hembree

Water to Rice: Ratio

  • 1:1 – While you generally use 1 cup rice to 1 ¼ cups water for stovetop rice, in the Instant Pot, that ratio drops down to 1:1, aka 1 cup of water for every one cup of rice.

The reason for the reduced water is that the Instant Pot is more “sealed” than a traditional cooking pot, meaning less evaporation of water during the cooking process.

How to Make It

  1. Rinse Rice: Rinse rice under cold running water until water runs clear.
  2. Add Ingredients to Pressure Cooker: Add oil to Instant Pot along with the rinsed rice, water and salt.
  3. Seal: Lock the lid and set the steam valve to seal.
  4. Cook: Cook white rice using the instant pot rice setting or follow the cooking chart below.
  5. Release Pressure: Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes and then release any remaining pressure.
  6. Fluff: Fluff rice with a fork and serve.
Cooked rice in instant pot.

Instant Pot Rice Button Instructions

  • Most Instant Pot models will have a “RICE” button – This is the perfect button to use if you’re cooking white rice. If you’re cooking any other type of rice, be sure to follow the timing chart below – The water to rice ratio will remain the same.

How Long to Cook Rice in the Instant Pot

  • White Rice: 4-8 minutes
  • Brown Rice: 22-24 minutes
  • Jasmine Rice: 4-8 minutes
  • Basmati Rice: 4-8 minutes
  • Wild Rice: 25-30 minutes

Total Time: Note that you still need to account for the time it takes for the Instant Pot to come to pressure, and then for the natural pressure release. It will take about 10 minutes for the pressure to build, and then we will let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes too. So, in reality, you should add 20 minutes to the cooking time below.

Dome of rice in ivory bowl.

Recipe Tips

  • Rinsing: Be sure to rinse the rice before adding it to the pot, to get rid of any additional starches. Just run it under water until the water is clear. The result is rice that’s light and fluffy.
  • Oil: I like to add in 1 teaspoon of oil for each cup of rice that I’m making – This not only prevents the rice from sticking to the pot, but it also cuts down on the foaming a bit so that your Instant Pot doesn’t sputter and spit.
  • Salt: I add a pinch of salt for each cup of rice that I’m cooking, to flavor the rice right from the get-go.
  • Adding Flavor: If you’d like to add even more flavor and nutrition you can cook it in broth instead of water. I love making parmesan broth, instant pot bone broth and slow cooker bone broth. All you need is some leftover parmesan rinds or meat bones and veggie scraps. 

How Much Rice Can I Cook in My Instant Pot?

The recipe below is for cooking 1 cup of rice, which will yield about 3 cups of cooked rice. But the recipe can be easily adjusted using the recipe card below (just click the 2x or 3x button).

Depending on the size of your instant pot, you can cook the following amounts of rice:

  • 6-Quart Instant Pot: You can cook up to 4 cups of dry rice, which will make about 12 cups of cooked rice.
  • 8-Quart Instant Pot: You can cook up to 6 cups of dry rice, which will make 18 cups of cooked rice.

Note: The water to rice ratio (1:1) and cook time will stay the same regardless of the amount of rice you are cooking.

Storing + Reheating

  • Storing – Let your rice cool to room temperature, then refrigerate it in an airtight container for 4 to 5 days. 
  • Freezing – Seal the cooled leftovers in a freezer-friendly bag or container and freeze for 4 to 5 months. 
  • Reheating – If frozen, thaw the rice in the fridge before reheating. If the grains seem dry, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water and reheat in the microwave in 30 second intervals. Repeat until the rice is hot and fluffy.
Chopsticks in bowl of rice.

Serving Suggestions

Rice is fantastic served hot or chilled. Use a hot and fresh batch of delicious rice to go with:

  • Spicy Peanut Tofu Bowls
  • Hibachi Fried Rice
  • Thai Beef Stir Fry 
  • Ginger Veggie Stir Fry
  • Turkey Swedish Meatballs
  • Mongolian Beef
  • Lamb Stir Fry with Green Beans 

You can also top your rice with one of these 15+ sauces for rice bowls.

Or, chill your rice to serve with: 

  • Shrimp Sushi Bowls
  • Salmon Sushi Bowls
  • Tuna Rice Bowl
  • 15-Minute Poke Bowls
  • Vegetarian Sushi
Bowl of rice and small bowl of soy sauce next to instant pot.

More Rice Recipes

  • Instant Pot Fried Rice
  • Instant Pot Mexican Rice
  • Toasted Rice Powder
  • Rice Cooker Rice
  • Instant Pot Red Beans & Rice
  • Bacon Fried Rice
  • Hibachi Fried Rice

More Perfect Whole Grains

  • How to Cook Perfect Quinoa in the Instant Pot
  • Rice Cooker Quinoa
  • The Best Instant Pot Farro
  • Instant Pot Oatmeal
  • Instant Pot Risotto 

More Instant Pot Recipes

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  • Weight Loss Cabbage Soup

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  • Instant Pot Pot Roast

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Browse More Instant Pot Favorites

Did you try out your instant pot rice button?

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Bowl of rice and small bowl of soy sauce next to instant pot.

Full Recipe

Instant Pot Rice

With these tips you’ll see it's simple to learn how to cook perfect rice using the Instant Pot rice setting. The result is fluffy & flavorful rice that’s easy to prepare with minimal measuring.
4.96 from 204 votes
Print Pin
Serves 4 people
Created by Platings and Pairings
Prep Time: 1 minute min
Cook Time: 8 minutes mins
Time for pressure to build and release: 20 minutes mins
Total Time: 28 minutes mins

Ingredients

  • 1 cup rice
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon cooking oil (olive oil, vegetable oil, canola oil)
  • 1 pinch salt

Instructions

  • Rinse rice under cold running water until the water runs clear.
  • Add oil to the Instant Pot along with the rinsed rice (still damp), water and salt.
  • Lock the lid and set the steam valve to its “sealing” position. Select the “RICE” button (if cooking white rice) or follow the cooking chart below. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes and then release any remaining pressure. Fluff rice with a fork and serve.

Notes

Cook Times: 
  • White, Jasmine & Basmati Rice: 4-8 minutes
  • Brown Rice: 22-24 minutes
  • Wild Rice: 25-30 minutes
Tip: Use the recipe card to adjust the number of servings you are making. The water to rice ratio (1:1) and cook time will stay the same regardless of the amount of rice you are cooking.

Nutrition

Calories: 168kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 3g | Sodium: 5mg | Potassium: 53mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 0.4mg
Did you make this recipe?Mention @platingsandpairings or tag #platingsandpairings!

This instapot rice recipe was originally published in 2017. It was updated in 2022 to add new photos, and again in 2023 to add new content.

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4.96 from 204 votes (147 ratings without comment)

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238 responses

  1. Chris
    December 30, 2017

    Not sure what’s wrong but with rice + vegetables, with RICE button selected, cook time takes about 30-40 minutes and seem to defeat the “instant” part of this instant pot. Why’s that?

    Reply
    1. Erin
      January 4, 2018

      I would bypass the “RICE” button and just use the manual button – Hope this helps Chris!

      Reply
    2. Frank
      January 6, 2018

      Yeah, that’s the biggest secret with IP; everyone hypes up the quick “cooking time” but forgets the “total time” is way longer. This recipe took me 35 minutes: 15 minutes for IP to “warm up,” 10 to cook (used “Rice” button), then 10 to release pressure. Where’s the time savings over a normal rice cooker? Do you have to cook a huge amount? At a minimum, could you please revise your noted “total time” on this recipe to at least 30 minutes?

      Reply
  2. Lu Anne
    January 9, 2018

    I”m confused about the directions “let the pressure…release naturally” . What does that mean? There are two places for the pressure thingy to be. Is it on the pressure side or the release side??

    Reply
  3. donald
    January 23, 2018

    Almost every recipe I see for the Instant Pot ignores the wait time for the pressure to be released. WHY do people not add this to the complete time of the recipe???

    Reply
    1. Ggh
      November 20, 2018

      5 stars
      Because the wait time varies greatly. If the ingredients are frozen, water is cold … it will take longer for the pot to come to pressure than when the ingredients and pot are hot. The time to pressurize also varies with the volume of ingredients in the pot.

      Reply
  4. Beverly Hembree
    February 4, 2018

    5 stars
    I followed your directions exactly and the rice came out perfectly! Thank you!

    Reply
    1. Erin
      February 5, 2018

      So happy to hear that Beverly!

      Reply
  5. Lynne STANFORD
    February 8, 2018

    Can I substitute butter for the cooking oil? TIA

    Reply
    1. Erin
      February 11, 2018

      Hi Lynne – Butter should work in this recipe as well.

      Reply
  6. Andy
    February 21, 2018

    4 stars
    One way to avoid all the rinsing: sauté the rice in oil first. I set my instant pot to sauté and when it’s hot I add a couple tablespoons of coconut oil. Add the rice and sauté for a couple minutes stirring the rice. Add the water, close the IP and start the pressure cooking process. Not only does the rice come out perfect with separate grains, you convert a small amount of the starches that would have made it sticky into “resistant starch”. You can’t digest resistant starches so they don’t contribute calories to your diet, but more importantly the gut bacteria that keep your colon healthy and operating correctly need that resistant starch to survive. Feed your gut!

    Reply
    1. Erin
      February 21, 2018

      Love the idea to use coconut oil Andy!

      Reply
    2. Kendall
      September 2, 2018

      Andy, I like this idea, as I don’t want to take the time or water to rinse the rice. Do you still use the 1:1 rice to water ratio?

      Reply
  7. Joshua
    February 25, 2018

    Why do so many recipes on the internet have to start out with a story or drawn-out explanation? I’m not interested in seeing all of the pictures or any backstory behind it. I just want the recipe and the instructions. Anything else is a waste of time.

    I’m not trying to be mean, it’s just way too often that this happens. I can’t be the only one who feels this way.

    Reply
    1. Erin
      February 27, 2018

      No worries Joshua – If you don’t feel like reading the whole post, there’s a handy button at the top to jump right to the recipe. Cheers!

      Reply
      1. Joanna
        August 11, 2018

        First, thank you for the recipe. I’m waiting to receive my IP, so I’m gathering recipes while I wait! Second, thank you SO MUCH for the handy button tip! I’m not a foodie, so I’m not interested in pics. I would just scroll down until I could find the recipe. Never noticed the jump button. You have saved me much scrolling time! Thanks! I look forward to following your blog.

        Reply
        1. Erin
          August 11, 2018

          Thank you so much Joanna – I’m so happy that’s helpful for you!

          Reply
  8. JL
    February 28, 2018

    5 stars
    I’ve mastered chili and pork carnitas, but needed to try rice and grains. Thanks for this! I followed exactly and the rice was perfection. I’ve never been able to get it to the right texture on the stove top and never bought a rice cooker. So this is great. If folks are wondering, I just used the Rice Button on my IP. When it was done, I set a timer for 10 mins and just took the lid off. Thanks again!

    Reply
    1. Erin
      February 28, 2018

      I’m so happy to hear that this worked out for you!

      Reply
  9. Dallas
    March 2, 2018

    I just got my ip don’t know how to do rice in it? can you tell me? Do I use extra water in it or just in the rice?

    Reply
  10. JENNIFER LIEBERENZ
    March 19, 2018

    I am so lost! lol. I can’t find the “time chart” mentioned? Was it removed?

    Reply
    1. Erin
      March 19, 2018

      Hi Jennifer – There is a timing chart right below the recipe. It’s not really a “chart” per se, I should probably change the wording.

      Reply
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Hi, I’m Erin!

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