Instant Pot Basmati Rice (Perfectly Cooked)

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This Instant Pot Basmati Rice turns out perfectly cooked every time. It’s the no-fail rice recipe you’ve been looking for that turns out fluffy and perfectly tender in just 8 minutes.

basmati rice

Why You’ll Love It

  • Simple: This is essentially a dump and cook recipe. There aren’t any really complicated steps or multiple modes of cooking. You really just put everything in the Instant Pot and let it do its thing.
  • Turns out great every time: If you’re used to cooking rice on the stovetop or in a rice cooker, you’ll be pleasantly surprised with how similar this recipes is, only without the possibility of failure or it taking too long. It’s super quick and I’ve never had rice turn out badly in the Instant Pot.
  • Versatile: Rice is a versatile addition to any meal. You can cook up a batch of this Instant Pot basmati rice to serve as a quick and easy side dish for your dinner recipes.

Anjali says: 5 stars Love this guide to making basmati rice in the instant pot! I’ve used it a few times now and my rice turns out perfectly every time!

MJ says: 5 stars LOVE cooking rice this way and won’t make it any other way! So fluffy every time.

What is Basmati Rice?

Basmati rice is a type of long grain rice that originates from India. It’s a slender aromatic rice that is often served with curries and Indian food. It has a slightly more nutty and floral taste to it and comes in both white basmati rice and brown basmati rice.

It can be more expensive than other types of rice, but it’s a great addition to your dishes, because of its aromatic delicate flavor.

Click to see a step-by-step instruction video.

Ingredients You’ll Need for Instant Pot Basmati Rice

Ingredients for basmati rice in the Instant Pot

Not surprisingly, this recipe consists of just basmati rice and water. It’s super simple. I use an even ratio of each. One cup of rice to one cup of water.

  • Basmati rice – Basmati rice is a type of long grain rice.
  • Water

Equipment Needed

Instant Pot Duo Plus
  • Instant Pot – I use a 6-quart Instant Pot Duo Plus to make all of my recipes, but you can use any size or brand of electric pressure cooker. If you’re using an 8-quart pot, you will need to adjust the amount of liquid accordingly, as it requires more water to build steam.

Expert Tips to Follow

  • For fluffy Basmati rice, use a 1:1 water to rice. For example, if you’re cooking 1 cup of rice, add 1 cup of water.
  • Carefully release any remaining pressure and open the lid. Gently fluff the rice with a fork to separate the grains.
  • Make sure to remove the rice from the heat immediately after releasing the last of the pressure. This means removing the inner pot from the Instant Pot.
  • Enhance the flavor by adding a pinch of salt, a drizzle of oil, or a few spices like cumin seeds or a cinnamon stick to the Instant Pot.
  • A lot of people ask if it’s absolutely necessary to rinse the rice. Rinsing removes dust, debris, excess starches, and prevent the rice in becoming too sticky or gummy.

» Check out Instant Pot vs Rice Cooker: Which is Better?

How to Make Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Basmati Rice

Step 1: Prep the rice

Combine the rice and water in the Instant Pot inner pot and stir to combine.

basmati rice in an instant pot

Step 2: Pressure cook

Lock the lid and set the vent to sealing.

Press the pressure cook button and set the time to cook the rice for 8 minutes. When the time is up, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then do a quick release.

cooked instant pot basmati rice

Step 3: Fluff and enjoy

Remove the basmati rice from the heat immediately. Stir the rice to fluff it up and serve.

Butter chicken over rice

What to Serve Basmati Rice With?

You can serve Basmati rice with any dish that requires rice. It’s a very nice tender rice that works well with all dishes, not just Indian dishes. However, it does go hand in hand with a great Indian curry or butter chicken. In my house, we also serve it with Beef & Broccoli or Panang curry, or just as a plain rice side dish.

>>Try one of these 11 Instant Pot Meals in Under 30 Minutes.

Want to Try Another Instant Pot Rice Recipe?

Whether you’re looking to make a simple side dish or a hearty main course, there are countless rice recipes you can make in the Instant Pot.

Questions About the Recipe

How is Basmati Rice different from other rice?

“Bas” in Hindi language means “aroma” and “mati” means “full of,” hence the word Basmati — or “full of aroma.” That explains one of the differences between basmati rice and other long-grain rice. It’s aromatic and has a stronger flavor. It also is higher in calories and carbs compared to regular white rice.

What is so special about basmati rice?

The Basmati grain is unique in that it expands more than twice its dry length during cooking. Unlike other types of rice, the grains only expand lengthways, which allows them to retain their characteristic length and slenderness when cooked.

What is the proper ratio of water to rice?

In the Instant Pot, you can rest assured that the correct ratio is a 1:1 ratio. When cooking rice in the Instant Pot, always use the same amount of water to rice and it will come out perfectly.

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Basmati Rice

Instant Pot Basmati Rice

With this recipe, you can make perfectly cooked basmati rice to go with any dish.

Note: Made in a 6-qt Instant Pot

4.94 from 48 votes
Prep Time 3 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Pressurizing Time 15 minutes
Total Time 26 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Indian
Servings 4 servings
Calories 169 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
 

  • 1 cup (185 g) basmati rice
  • 1 cup (237 ml) water

Instructions
 

  • Combine the rice and water in the Instant Pot inner pot. Stir.
  • Lock the lid and set the vent to sealing.
  • Press the pressure cook button and set the time to 8 minutes. When the time is up, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then do a quick release.
  • Remove the rice from the heat immediately.

Notes

  • For fluffy Basmati rice, use a 1:1 water-to-rice ratio. For example, if you’re cooking 1 cup of rice, add 1 cup of water.
  • Carefully release any remaining pressure and open the lid. Gently fluff the rice with a fork to separate the grains.
  • Make sure to remove the rice from the heat immediately after releasing the last of the pressure. This means removing the inner pot from the Instant Pot.
  • Enhance the flavor by adding a pinch of salt, a drizzle of oil, or a few spices like cumin seeds or a cinnamon stick to the Instant Pot.

Nutrition

Calories: 169kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 3gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 5mgPotassium: 53mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gCalcium: 15mgIron: 1mg
Keyword Rice
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

15 thoughts on “Instant Pot Basmati Rice (Perfectly Cooked)

  1. Anjali says:

    5 stars
    Love this guide to making basmati rice in the instant pot! I’ve used it a few times now and my rice turns out perfectly every time!

  2. Ann says:

    Wondering if the pressure setting you used is low, medium or high? Haven’t tried rice in the instapot before and would like to make it just like yours!

    • Angela Morris says:

      Rinsing rice removes the surface starch from rice making it less sticky in the end. It is a good idea with all rice because it also removes dust and debris.

  3. Margie says:

    3 stars
    I followed the directions exactly and the rice was mushy and stuck together. I made 5 cups of rice with 5 cups of water. I rinsed the rice first. Maybe the quantity was too much! Could that be the issue?

    • Laura Lynch says:

      It’s possible, I’ve never used that much rice. But also if the rice was still wet after rinsing, it can introduce more water to the ratio. I would also try experimenting with smaller quantities first, and try doing 3/4 instead of 4/5. Altitude and just type of Instant Pot can change things.

  4. Sally B says:

    I tried this ratio and the rice was not fully cooked. The next time I added a half cup of water and it was better. (6 qt instant pot).

    • Angela Morris says:

      Sorry that it didn’t come out perfectly for you. We have noticed that elevation can some times throw an Instant Pot recipe off. You can have to add a half cup of water to all the rice you cook in the Instant Pot. Thanks for letting us know.

4.94 from 48 votes (41 ratings without comment)

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