Learn how to perfectly cook the Indian long-grain white and brown Basmati Rice in an Instant Pot. You will love how each cooked grain is separate. Bye bye mushy rice plus no soaking required. Follow the steps below for a fail-proof way to cook super delicious white Basmati Rice & Brown Basmati Rice!

What is Basmati Rice?

Basmati rice is a type of long-grained rice originating from India. India produces about two-thirds of the worlds supply of Basmati Rice. It is considered a premium type of rice in most parts of India due to the aromatic fragrance, flavors, and fluffy texture. We like our Basmati rice to be individual grain, separate, and not mushy and I am sure you will like it that way too. Follow the steps below to successfully create super delicious Basmati Rice!

Should I soak Basmati Rice to get the perfect flavor & consistency

No, you don't really need to soak rice when making rice in an Instant Pot or pressure cooker. However, it is important to remove the starch of the rice before cooking it so it's important to rinse the rise atleast 3-4 times until you see clear water. This also helps avoiding the burn message. Also check out our post on Instant Pot Burn Message – What, Why and How to avoid it?

Do I use the Rice Button or Pressure Cooker button to make Basmati Rice?

After trying several settings and timings we have realized for best results the 'High Pressure' function is the best option. It certainly takes lesser time than the rice function and with the instructions shared below, we have had 100% success.

What Pressure Cookers have you tried the settings for cooking Instant Pot Rice?

We have tried these settings using the Instant Pot Duo (6Qt and 8 Qt) , Instant Pot Ultra (6 Qt), Mealthy Multi-pot (6 Qt and 8 Qt). Apart from this, we have tried these settings in three different countries (US, Germany and India), so we are confident that these settings work !

How long would Basmati Rice last in a refrigerator?

Basmati rice if stored in an air tight container can last easily for a week. Though we would not recommend freezing as it's so easy to make rice, but if you had to, it can last for around 2 months. Just follow the instructions for reheating to ensure it does not become dry.

Can Basmati Rice be reheated?

Yes, we can reheat Basmati Rice. This is one of the reasons we meal-prep our rice to last for the week. Reheating rice that has been kept in the refrigerator is not a big chore. You can transfer the rice to a microwave friendly container and sprinkle the rice with around 2 tea spoons of water. This ensures that the rice does not become too dry. Heat it for around a minute.

What Basmati Rice should I buy?

As you would have guessed it, the quality of the Basmati Rice you purchase has a huge impact on the final product. We love the Royal Brand of Basmati Rice and always have at least 2 bags of 20 Lb stocked in our pantry. We love our Basmati rice and want it to be cooked the right way.

Can I make the Basmati Rice a bit more soft?

Yes, you can slightly increase the content of water which helps it to go through the bran layer and have enough left for making it soft. Increasing the cook time will NOT change the texture and hence experiment with water and not with the cook time.

What is the water to Rice ratio for cooking Brown Basmati Rice or White Basmati Rice?

It is very easy to remember the ratio for ALL types of rice you make in the Instant Pot. It is always 1:1. Easy to remember isn't it? The reason for 1:1 ratio for the instant pot is that there is barely any evaporation that happens in an instant pot and it gives a constant and reliable pressure every time. The only thing changes is the time it takes the water to work its way through the bran layer.

Pro Tips for making Instant Pot Brown Basmati Rice

Rinse your rice at least 3-4 times to reduce starch and wash out the debris. This also helps in avoiding the burn notice.
Add some oil to help with the cooking process and get separate rice grains.
Fluff the rice with a fork to ensure that you don't end up breaking the grains.

Can I use the Pot In Pot method to prepare the Instant Pot Basmati Rice?

Yes. Pot in Pot method of preparing rice is an excellent way to prepare rice if you are afraid of the dreaded burn notice. In this method, you are adding the rice to another pot inside the main pot. This way the rice is not on the bottom of the pot and does not have any issues with burn notice. The rice to water ratio and cooking times remain the same.

How do I avoid getting sticky or mushy Rice?

If you are like me who likes each grain of the rice separate then adding a little oil or ghee definitely helps the starch of the rice from sticking them together. Exactly the reason you add oil when cooking pasta to avoid it from sticking to each other.

How to cook Instant Pot Brown Basmati Rice?

Rinse the basmati rice 3-4 times to reduce the starch.
Use the 1: 1 rice to water ratio
High Pressure option for 6 minutes for Basmati Rice or 15 minutes for Brown Basmati Rice.
Do not use the electric pressure's RICE button.
Once the rice is done, use 10 minutes natural pressure release to ensure the rice cooks thoroughly.
Fluff the rice using a fork. This ensures that your rice grains don't break

Perfect Instant Pot Basmati Rice Video Recipe

So we hope you try these Instant Pot Rice Recipes and let us know in the comments below how did the rice turn out for you? We would love to hear if you had to make any adjustments for your location. If you liked the Basmati Rice recipe, please rate it and leave us a comment. We love hearing from you.

Do check out our other Instant Pot Rice Recipes

We have over 100+ Vegetarian Instant Pot Recipes for you to try. From soups to Pasta and desserts.

Check out our recipes for Instant Pot Jasmine Rice & Instant Pot Brown Rice.

How To Make Perfect Instant Pot Rice?

Yield: for 2

Master the art of making perfect rice in your Instant Pot. Our failproof recipes to make Instant Pot Basmati rice, Instant Pot Brown rice, Instant Pot Jasmine Rice. No more uncooked, burnt or mushy rice. Yay!!! Video Recipe.

Ingredients

Instant Pot Basmati Rice / Zerra Rice

Instant Pot Brown Rice

Brown rice- 1 cup
Water -1 cup
Oil -1 teaspoon

Instant Pot Jasmine Rice

jasmine rice -1 cup
Water -1 cup
1 teaspoon oil

Instructions