INSTANT POT MUSHROOM RICE PILAF - A FILLING VEGETARIAN MEAL YOU CAN MAKE AHEAD
I love to show my family I love them by filling their lunches with healthy, comforting foods. I like to send them out the door with a lunch they can reheat easily that will feel like a hug in the middle of the day and give them the energy they need to make it through their afternoons. This easy mushroom rice pilaf does that perfectly.
ARE YOU NEW TO INSTANT POT?
With the Instant Pot Ultra cooking rice dishes like this Instant Pot mushroom rice pilaf is a snap. It cuts down the cooking time and makes this rice pilaf recipe easy to make in the mornings before school and work. Plus if you decide to make this delicious rice as a side dish on Thanksgiving, making it in the Instant Pot will save you time and stove-top space.
If you are looking at easy recipes to try, check out our 15+ Quick and Easy Instant Pot Recipes for Beginners. Also check out our 100+ Instant Pot Vegetarian Recipes for all your instant pot recipe needs. From soups to pasta to desserts everything under one umbrella!
Don’t get intimidated by your Instant Pot and all its buttons and function. If you find your head spinning trying to figure out what they all do, check out our complete beginner’s guide to the Instant Pot, called Master the Instant Pot in 3 buttons. You’ll be cooking Instant Pot rice like a pro in no time!
WHAT IS MUSHROOM RICE PILAF
Rice pilaf is a flavorful rice dish. Unlike plain rice, you normally cook the rice for rice pilaf in broth. Most rice pilaf recipes also include aromatics like onions and garlic. My mushroom rice pilaf recipe includes a cup of chopped onions and a healthy amount of garlic to give this dish plenty of flavors.
Mushroom rice pilaf, like other rice pilafs, is rice cooked in a bouillon based broth with aromatics. It just has mushrooms in addition to the aromatics and rice for an extra heartiness.
YOU WILL FALL IN LOVE WITH MUSHROOMS AFTER TASTING THIS MUSHROOM RICE PILAF
Do you think mushrooms are tasteless or sad? You’ll rethink that opinion after trying this mushroom rice pilaf. The mushrooms in this rice recipe are so full of flavor that you won’t be able to get enough of them. Because most mushrooms have a mild flavor, they pick up the flavor they are cooked with and taste delicious.
In this mushroom rice pilaf recipe, the garlic and onion provide the base of flavor for the mushrooms. The Better than Bouillon base adds to it and turns the mushroom into tender, flavor-packed bites throughout the rice.
HOW TO MAKE INSTANT POT MUSHROOM RICE PILAF
Making Instant Pot mushroom rice pilaf is a snap. Start by cleaning and rinsing the rice thoroughly. Once you’ve cleaned the rice, set it aside.
Next up, clean your mushrooms. Don’t clean your mushrooms by running them underwater. They will get sort of soggy and waterlogged. Instead, just take a damp paper towel and gently wipe each mushroom individually to remove any dirt. Then cut off the ends of the stems and slice the mushrooms.
Now, turn your Instant Pot on the saute setting by pressing saute. When the Instant Pot reads HOT, add the oil, garlic, onions, and sliced mushroom to the Instant Pot liner. Stir your aromatics and mushrooms and let it saute for 1 minute.
After you’ve sauteed the garlic, onions, and mushrooms, add in the mushroom or vegetable base, Basmati rice, half of the green onions, and salt and pepper. Pour in the water.
Stir everything and then press cancel. Now secure the lid and close pressure-release valve. Adjust to pressure-cook on high for 5 minutes. Then, let the pressure release for 5 minutes naturally then do a quick release. Fluff the rice with a fork. Top with additional green onions if you’d like.
HOW TO MAKE MUSHROOM RICE PILAF ON STOVE TOP
- In a large pan , add oil; melt over medium-high heat. Stir in the , garlic, onions, and sliced mushroom and cook for 5 minutes , stirring frequently, until mushrooms and onions are caramelized and tender.
- Stir in rice ,vegetable base, half of the green onions, and salt and pepper. Pour in the water and bring to a simmer.
- Reduce heat to Low and cover with a lid and cook for 15 to 17 minutes, or until liquid has evaporated.
- Remove from heat and stir in the more green onions.
- Fluff rice with a fork and serve.
HOW CAN YOU ADD MORE FLAVOR TO THE RICE?
While the base recipe is absolutely delicious as is, you can add even more flavor to the rice if you want. Some great ways to add extra flavor include:
- Substitute vegetable broth or stock for water
- Stir in extra herbs like parsley
- Finish the dish off with a squeeze of fresh lemon for extra brightness
- Sprinkle on toasted walnuts pieces for some crunch and nuttiness
CAN I USE BROWN RICE?
Yes of course! The time changes 15 minutes pressure cook .Basmati and jasmine would also be great here, comes out nice and fluffy like long grain rice. I find that medium and short grain rice is a bit sticky for my taste when cooked pilaf style. Risotto rice, sushi rice and paella rice are not suitable.
WHAT TYPE OF MUSHROOMS SHOULD I USE?
I use cremini mushrooms in this Instant Pot mushroom rice pilaf. Feel free to substitute another small mushroom for the cremini mushrooms. Baby Bella mushrooms, button mushrooms, and white mushrooms would all work well in this.
HOW TO STORE LEFTOVER RICE
- Transfer completely cooled rice to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- When reheating the rice, sprinkle a tablespoon of water over the top to help loosen stuck grains.
- Cooked rice can also be frozen for up to three months.
INSTANT POT MUSHROOM RICE PILAF AS PART OF A LOVELY VEGETARIAN THANKSGIVING
While I often eat and serve this dish as my meal, it also makes a lovely side dish and would be well suited for a vegetarian Thanksgiving dinner. I would serve this mushroom rice pilaf with:
- Whole roasted cauliflower A flavorful head of roasted cauliflower makes for a lovely vegetarian main course.
- Roasted Potatoes - German-style roasted potatoes with fragrant rosemary adds a heartiness to any meal.
- Lentil Salad with Butternut Squash . A lovely salad with the vegetable of fall pairs so well with the earthy mushroom pilaf.
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Bites Pumpkin cheesecake bites finish off any fall meal with pumpkin flavored treats.
Check out our 20 Plus Instant Pot Rice recipes your whole family will love, including the kids! Make stress-free meals with these Instant pot Rice Recipes. From Burrito bowl to Teriyaki fried rice, there’s a huge variety of easy and delicious recipes. Most of our instant pot recipes have video steps included
If you are a fan of healthy eating and have just purchased an instant pot, Try out our 80+Instant Pot Vegetarian Recipes. From Soups to Pasta and from Appetizers to Desserts and everything in between.
If you make this recipe, Don’t forget to come back and leave your feedback and star rating. We would be THRILLED if you would take a pic and tag us on Instagram @dbellyrulesdmind or Facebook @thebellyrulesthemind
Instant Pot Mushroom Rice Pilaf
Looking for a tasty rice dish? Take a look at this easy mushroom rice recipe. A great one-pot recipe with lots of flavors and perfect fluffy rice. A quick, healthy meal you can make ahead! This Instant Pot mushroom rice pilaf is a cozy alternative to boring sandwiches for lunch and is delicious even the next day. A dish the whole family will enjoy!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 2 cloves Garlic/ minced
- 1 cup Onions / finely chopped
- 10 oz Cremini Mushrooms / sliced
- 2 teaspoon better than bouillon mushroom base or vegetable base
- 1 bunch green onion / chopped
- Salt to taste
- 1 cup Basmati rice
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Clean and Rinse the rice and keep it aside.
- Clean the mushrooms and slice them.
- Press saute setting on an electric pressure cooker.
- When HOT add oil, garlic, onions, and sliced mushroom give it stir and let it saute for 1 minute. Add in the mushroom base, rice, salt, black pepper powder add in the water and sprinkle half of the chopped green onions.
- Stir and press cancel. Place the lid and close pressure-release valve. Adjust to pressure-cook on high for 5 minutes. Let the pressure release for 5 minutes naturally then do a quick release. Fluff the rice with a fork. If desired, serve with additional green onions.
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Nutrition Information
Yield 4 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 160Total Fat 7gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 6gCholesterol 0mgSodium 110mgCarbohydrates 21gFiber 2gSugar 5gProtein 4g
All information and tools presented and written within this site are intended for informational purposes only. We are not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on TheBellyRulesTheMind.net should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though we try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of our ability, these figures should still be considered estimates.
Julie Ann says
This is so delicious I will make it again! I came across this recipe just in time when I had tons of mushrooms needing to be eaten. We had no veggie or mushroom broth in the cupboard, so instead I doubled the recipe and used one can of coconut milk with one cup of water. Creamy and devoured! Next time I will make it with the broth and perhaps add some tofu. Thanks for sharing!
Soniya Saluja says
Thanks Julie for sharing your feedback with us.. hope you try other delicious rice recipes from.our blog
Crystal says
Just made this and it is delicious! I only had 4 oz white mushrooms so i also added a can of red kidney beans washed and drained. I added the beans when I added the rice and veg stock. I also only had jasmine rice. Oh and I used veg stock instead of water. I used 1.5 cup veg stock. My rice dried out too fast before it was done. So i guess I made it my own but delightful none the less! Would like to see what the serving size is. Says yields 4. Maybe 4 cups. I am on a low calorie diet so I had a half cup.
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Crystal, thanks for sharing your feedback with us.. hope you try other recipes from out blog ?
Heather says
This was so delicious! Really happy with this and will make it again!
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Heather, so glad to hear that.. do try our other IP recipes too xoxo
Gillian Travis says
This is so good! We routinely make your Instant Pot Minestrone and now this one will be a dinnertime regular as well! We had plenty of leftovers and it made a great lunch for my husband!
Sunny says
I’m confused about these instructions for stovetop. The first step is sautéing the onions, garlic, and mushrooms. Then the second step seems to say to continue using the same pan and add in the water and rice so that the rice is cooking with the onions and mushrooms, but then the fourth step says to add in the prepared mushrooms after the rice has cooked. Which is it? Seems like there would be more flavor if the rice cooks with the onions and mushrooms, but maybe they get too mushy/soggy that way?
Our InstantPot takes too much electricity to run on our boat, so I can’t use it here. Would love to make this recipe but I don’t want to ruin it.
Soniya Saluja says
Hey sunny, sorry about the confusion! It's a pretty straightforward recipe just making
it in your instant pot. Add everything and make it on the stove top. Just your water will double. Hope this helps. Enjoy your stay on the boat ;)
Sue Marie says
I made it last night and it was very good. I bet leftovers will be even better. Next time I will add peas because I'm a lover of peas with rice. Thanks for sharing!
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Sue, so glad to hear that?? if you are a peas lover then you should definitely try our peas pulav https://thebellyrulesthemind.net/best-peas-pulao-recipe/
Do share your feedback with us after you make it.xoxo
Julie says
I made this recipe twice in one weekend. Amazingly delicious, fast, and easy!
Soniya says
Hi Julie, We are so glad to hear that! Hope you try other recipes from out bloh :)
Chris says
During this lockdown rice risotto in Instapot has been our favourite. Similar to your recipe. But two cups of liquid to one cup of brown rice. 8 mins on pressure. I always add ground dry mushroom powder to the dish. When cooked I add chopped spinach or Chard and some peas. Yummy. To vary i added some cut up bacon to fry with the onions and garlic and that worked out well too
Miriam says
My reply was to the modification: Added some frozen peas in the end then kept it warm for 5 minutes. I used 1 and half cup of brown rice and 1 and quarter cup of aquafaba.
Miriam says
Thank you for the suggested modification! I made it per your adjustment, and it's delicious. I prefer my brown rice softer, though, so I am putting the rest back in the pressure cook for an additional 7 minutes. (I would normally pressure cook brown rice for 22 minutes.)
Jessica says
Do you think I could get away with less oil?
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Jessica, yes you can skip the oil :) I have made few time without oil and has turned out amazing. Hope this helps.
Thea says
I just made it and it's so delicious and tasty! Added some frozen peas in the end then kept it warm for 5 minutes. I used 1 and half cup of brown rice and 1 and quarter cup of aquafaba. Came out perfect! 15 minutes yummy.
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Thea, we are so glad to hear your feedback! Hope you try other recipes from our blog :)
Sandra says
Hi if I make two cups do I double the pressure time?
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Sandra, No! You can double it triple the recipe but the time remains the same. Do share your feedback with us after you make it❤
Satyavati says
I dont eat onions or garlic so I had to make some modifications. Also I added a little extra broth and cooked for 8 min because I like the rice a little softer. I used baby bella mushrooms. It came out great.
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Satyavati, so glad to hear that you tried it and liked it..Thanks for sharing your experience with us.. hope you try our other recipes on the blog ❤️
Katie says
This was sooo good. The rice was cooked perfectly. I used vegetable base and didn’t add any salt or pepper and the seasoning was great.
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Katie, Thanks for sharing your experience with us ❤️ hope you try other recipes from our blog ??
Tawnie says
So delicious thank you!!! Can’t wait to make it again!
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Tawnie, so glad to hear that ❤️
eschwarz2gmailcom says
I love everything about this recipe. So simple and straightforward, and I bet the flavor is amazing.
Sharon says
I am loving my instant pot so I'm always looking for new and delicious recipes. This rice pilaf would be great with salmon for dinner.
Beth says
It's like you know me! I am always on the lookout for quick, tasty side dishes - delish!
Taylor Kiser says
Another reason to love my Instant Pot! This looks really delicious!
Sara Welch says
This was such a flavorful and easy meal! Easily, a new family favorite recipe; everyone loved it!