Easy Instant Pot Spinach Rice is a healthy meal that I love to make for my family for lunch box meals. Full of nutritious ingredients and filling protein, this meal helps my loved ones power through their busy days. Making this spinach rice recipe in an Instant Pot turns it into a quick meal that I can put together even on my busiest days.
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WHY SHOULD I MAKE SPINACH RICE IN THE INSTANT POT?
The electric pressure cooker is perfect for making rice dishes like this spinach rice. It takes a fraction of the time than it takes to make rice on the stovetop. Most importantly the Instant Pot makes cooking this flavorful and healthy spinach rice dish easy and reliable.
Don’t let yourself be scared of the Instant Pot. While there are lots of buttons and functions, we’ve broken it all down for you in our article Is the Instant Pot Worth It. It will clear up any of the confusion you might have about using your Instant Pot and teach you how to use your Instant Pot like a pro in no time.
Plus, we break down exactly how to cook the perfect al dente rice in the Instant Pot in our in-depth post on how to make Instant Pot rice. With these resources and this easy to follow spinach rice recipe, you’ll be able to make mouthwatering rice dishes right away.
You’ll love these recipes too:
- Vegan Burrito Bowl
- Fried rice
- Spanish rice
- Mushroom Pilaf
- Teriyaki Fried rice
- Lemon rice
- Mushroom Risotto
- Jollof rice
WHAT IS SPINACH RICE?
My spinach rice recipe is based on an Indian rice dish called Palak Pulao. Palak pulao is a rice dish that includes rice and spinach along with a savory combination of spices. My spinach rice also includes chickpeas for a healthy shot of vegetarian protein.
SPINACH RICE / PALAK RICE IS SUPER EASY, QUICK AND DELICIOUS!
The combination of spices makes this palak rice recipe so delicious. My spinach rice recipe uses a delectable combination of aromatics and spices to create a stunning depth of flavor. For the flavor in this dish, I use:
- Onion
- Ginger & Garlic
- Garam Masala
- Tumeric
- Chili powder
- Cumin
- Lime juice
The result is a rice dish with a rich flavor profile and a shot of tangy citrus from the lime juice. Plus cooking it in the Instant Pot makes this a quick rice recipe with easy cleanup.
HOW TO MAKE SPINACH RICE IN AN INSTANT POT
Making spinach rice in the Instant Pot is very easy to make. It’s a great recipe for Instant Pot beginners or even those new to cooking in general.
To make Instant Pot Spinach rice, start by pressing saute mode on the Instant Pot. Add oil to the pot liner and let it heat. Once the oil is warm, add your onions and the mix of ginger and garlic. Give it a quick stir to mix together.
Now you can add your chopped spinach leaves, chickpeas, spices, washed rice, and water.
Then just put the lid on the Instant Pot and set the valve to the sealing position. Press the cancel button then set the pot to manual/pressure cook and set the timer for 5 minutes.
When the timer goes off, do a natural pressure release for 5 minutes and then a quick release. Remove the lid, being careful to avoid the steam from the pot. Mix well and serve with raita or plain yogurt.
That’s it! Quick and easy with not a lot of fuss.
WHAT TYPE OF RICE CAN I USE?
As written, this spinach rice recipe calls for basmati rice. However, you can also use brown rice or jasmine rice instead. If you use brown rice, you might want to substitute soaked dried beans instead of cooked beans for the best results.
WHAT BEANS CAN I USE IN THIS SPINACH RICE?
While my recipe uses chickpeas, you can use other beans in this spinach rice as well or instead of chickpeas. And if you use brown rice, you can use soaked beans instead of cooked beans in this recipe. You can find out everything you need to know about how to cook dried beans in the Instant Pot here
CAN I ADD OTHER VEGGIES TO THIS SPINACH RICE?
Yes! Add any other veggies that you like to this spinach rice recipe and make it to really suit your preferences. I like to add peas, corn, and chopped carrots. You can use one of the frozen mixed vegetable blends to easily add extra veggies to this dish with virtually no extra work!
HOW DO I SERVE THIS SPINACH RICE?
This spinach rice is delicious on its own. But if you are looking to add extra deliciousness to it, you can pair it with:
IS SPINACH RICE HEALTHY?
Spinach rice is a healthy source of nutrients and vegetarian protein thanks to the addition of chickpeas. According to Medical News Today, spinach is a superfood. It provides nutrients that are important for healthy bones, skin, and hair. Plus spinach is rich in vitamins and antioxidants. Medical News Today also cites a range of health benefits for chickpeas. Chickpeas are loaded with fiber and protein, making them very filling and good for blood sugar regulation. They also contain nutrients that support bone and heart health and help lower blood pressure and cancer risk.
IS SPINACH RICE A GOOD MEAL PREP RECIPE?
Spinach rice is a perfect meal prep recipe. It’s very easy to make and stores well in the fridge in an airtight container. It also reheats very well in the microwave, making it a good choice for making ahead and eating all week long.
CAN I FREEZE SPINACH RICE?
Yes! You can spinach rice. To freeze my spinach rice, let the rice cool and put the rice in an airtight freezer container. Seal the container as tight as possible and place it in the freezer. It should keep for several months in the freezer and reheat well in the microwave.
PRO TIPS AND TRICKS FOR THE BEST INSTANT POT SPINACH RICE
- Make sure you measure the water and rice and use the proper 1 to 1 ratio. When you cook rice on the stovetop the ratio isn’t as important as you can always adjust as you go. With the Instant Pot, you’ll want to get it right since you can’t adjust during cooking.
- Don’t skip rinsing the rice before you cook it. Rinsing rice removes the extra starch from the surface of the rice. If you skip rinsing it, the extra starch could make the rice gummy as it cooks.
- Adjust the salt and spices to your taste, but don’t be intimidated if you are worried this recipe will be too spicy. The Instant Pot dilutes flavors a bit so adding a little more than you would add on the stovetop will yield delicious, but not overly spicy, results.
INSTANT POT SPINACH PULAO VIDEO RECIPE
INSTANT POT SPINACH RICE RECIPE
Instant pot Spinach Rice / Pulao
Easy Instant Pot spinach rice is a healthy meal that I love to make for my family for lunch box meals. Full of nutritious ingredients and filling protein, this meal helps my loved ones power through their busy days. Making this spinach rice recipe in an Instant Pot turns it into a quick meal that I can put together even on my busiest days.
Ingredients
- 1 cup basmati rice rinsed and drained
- 3 cups fresh spinach/chopped
- 1 cup canned chickpeas
- One (1) medium onion diced
- 1 tablespoon ginger & garlic / finely chopped
- One (1) teaspoon garam masala powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- (1/4) turmeric powder
- Half (1/2) teaspoon red chill powder
- One tablespoon lime juice
- 1 cup of water
- One teaspoon oil
- salt to taste
Instructions
Electric pressure cooker Instructions
Stovetop Instructions
Notes
- Make sure you measure the water and rice and use the proper 1 to 1 ratio. When you cook rice on the stovetop the ratio isn’t as important as you can always adjust as you go. With the Instant Pot, you’ll want to get it right since you can’t adjust during cooking.
- Don’t skip rinsing the rice before you cook it. Rinsing rice removes the extra starch from the surface of the rice. If you skip rinsing it, the extra starch could make the rice gummy as it cooks.
- Adjust the salt and spices to your taste, but don’t be intimidated if you are worried this recipe will be too spicy. The Instant Pot dilutes flavors a bit so adding a little more than you would add on the stovetop will yield delicious, but not overly spicy, results.
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Nutrition Information
Yield 4 cups Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 143Total Fat 3gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 0mgSodium 154mgCarbohydrates 12gFiber 4gSugar 3gProtein 5g
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.
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Talin says
This was delicious! Whole family enjoyed it. It didn’t say when to add the lime so I squeezed it over each serving once I served. Thank you!
Amelia says
Would kale work in place of spinach here?
Susana says
When do you put the lime juice? It’s on the ingredients list but not in the instructions… ?
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Susan, Add it after the rice is cooked . You ca. Use lime or lemon.
Mary C says
I'm doing a personal cooking challenge and your spinach chickpea rice dish was tasty! I wrote an article about your dish here.
https://marychang-10894.medium.com/do-i-have-to-eat-all-of-it-eeab14eee9dc?sk=51087f993c0d3d9f7cbb938b3f8b294c
JoJo says
Do you mean 1 tablespoon of each garlic and ginger?
Does the garlic go in at the same time as the ginger?
When does the lime juice go in? Or is it for sprinkling before eating??
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Jojo, it's 1 tbsp of of both together and they go in together.
SHEETU BATRA says
Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe. We tried today and its very flavorful and hearty. Its a great school lunch box idea as well. I packed it for my daughter with some cucumber raita.
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Sheetu, we are so glad to hear that you enjoyed this recipe.. hope you try other recipes from our blog ?
Maria says
Followed exactly and it turned out great. Thanks!
Penny says
I’d love to try this tonight but have only frozen chopped spinach on hand. Could I use that? And how would it alter the cooking method and timing?
I do have frozen mixed vegetables as a fall back.
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Penny, toy can definitely use frozen spinach. The only difference you will be is the bright green color in your rice. Frozen tend to turn dark. No time changes! Do share your feedback after you try it.
Ambar says
@Soniya Saluja, thanks!! That was my question too. Will try this recipe today
Mimi says
Yummy ?!! Family licked their plates- thank you for sharing!
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Mimi, Thanks for sharing your experience with us ?
Sonal says
* Water
Sonal says
I tried this recipe in instapot. My rice got burnt at the bottom. Usually rice and waiter ratio 1:1.5 in Pulao, here it says 1:1. Don’t know what happened wrong.
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Sonal, there can be 2 reason. First starch from the rice. Was your rice multiple times till the water runs clear. Second after adding water make sure to scrape off all the bottom of the pot so nothing is stuck which can result in burn notice. Hope this helps.
Ananya Asula says
@Sonal, i did get a burn notice too - i added half a cup of water more and it was perfect!
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Ananya, there are only two reasons for the the rice was starchy ( try to wash and rinse the rice multiple time) and second some instant pot are just sensitive to rice? my old one makes amazing rice and the newer on throws the burn notice we have heard the same from many.
Melissa says
I am confused about the chickpeas. I assume the recipe calls for dried chick peas, as there would be no need to boil canned. But how long should I boil them? Do they need to be pre-soaked before the boil? Thanks!
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Melissa, you can use a can of garbanzo beans/chickpeas.
Alison M says
As a foodie with a keen eye for recipes, I foresaw blandness so doubled the spices (smart move).
Where to use lime juice isn't indicated in recipe so left it out (didn't miss it).
Dislike chickpeas so substituted cup of green peas.
Finally, substituted (nutritional) brown rice for (inflammatory) jasmine rice, bumping cook time to about 20 min.
Normally I don't eschew recipe reviews requiring multiple tweaks but made an exception since the (bumped-up) spices create a flavorful, easy dish for a beloved Instant Pot.
Next time, I'll add variety w/ veggies and/or white or black beans.
Leah says
I currently have a HUGE bag of white rice I'm trying to use up before I only ever buy basmati or jasmine rice. Could I use the white rice for this recipe?
Soniya Saluja says
Hi leah, definitely you can make this delicious spinach rice with white rice . Make sure youvessh and rinse the rice multiple times before cooking. Time 5 minutes .
Sue Marie says
I made it today and mine seemed under seasoned too. I added some soy sauce to it which also helped cut the lime, which I found overpowering. Since lime is added at the end, I'd try 1/2 tbsp and then taste it. I used jasmine rice and followed the advice in the comments re adding one minute of cooking time and 1/4 c. of water. The rice was cooked but some had already stuck to the bottom of the liner. I would add a bit more water.
Sue Marie says
I know this question is old, but in case someone new comes along with the same question, I just wanted them to know I found it with the regular spices in Walmart and it's McCormick's brand. It took me a while to find it in Canada as it wasn't always on the shelf.(labelled as such but no product available) Since then I've also seen it on Amazon.
Lisa says
I made this according to your instructions with soaked chickpeas and it turned out delicious. I cooked for 15 min and everything had the proper texture. Love this recipe and will certainly make it again!
Suki Frisch says
I made double the recipe, but it seemed under seasoned. Any suggestions?
Kathi Strichman says
Can I substitute cashews for chick peas? If so would you adjust any of the other ingredients? I think plan on serving with a ginger glazed Mahi-Mahi and hope they go well together.
Thanks for the easy recipe!
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Kathi, you can skip the chickpeas and add some roasted cashews after the rice is cooked. No changes in time or measurements . It will go very well with Mahi mahi. do share your experience after you try it XOXO
Lu says
You answered a question about when lemon is added, but the recipe says lime. Which is correct? Also, you corrected a question that asked about the amount of ginger and garlic. The recipe says tablespoon, but you corrected it to teaspoon. Finally, turmeric says 1/4, but is it teaspoon or tablespoon? Would it be possible to correct the recipe and put up a note indicating that? It sounds so good.
Bina says
Made this yesterday after seeing the link for the recipe in the instant pot group on Facebook and it came out perfectly and was a big hit! My personal favorite! Thank you so much and keep up the good work! :)
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Bina, Thanks for sharing your feedback with us and we hope you try our bother recipes too xoxo
Valeria Laitinen says
If I wan to double the recipe, do I need to adjust the cooking time?
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Valeria, you can double the recipe easily , The tine remains the same .
Barb says
I made this tonight using jasmine rice. While the taste was delicious, 5 minutes was not long enough. I tried to cook it for 2 minutes longer but I got a burn notice so I turned it off. The rice was more cooked but burned on the bottom. What should I do next time? Add more water?
Soniya Saluja says
HI Barb .. Thanks for sharing your feedback with us ! We are here to help :) The reason can be jasmine rice make sure you wash and rise it multiple time before you add + Add 1/4 cup addition and cook it for 6 mins next time. if you are not in rush let the pressure naturally release. Would love to hear your experience when you make it again .
Jenn says
Made this dish today and it was fantastic! Can’t wait to make it again. It was also a win with my 15 month old.
Soniya Saluja says
Hey Jenn! So Happy to hear that it was a hit with you and your family Specially your 15 month old <3 Hope you try other delicious , kids approved recipe on our blog . XO
[email protected] says
THANK YOU again, Soniya!! So everything the same and increase cook time to 15 minutes. I'll be back to you!!
Soniya Saluja says
Yes! 15 mins and let the pressure release naturally for 10 mins. Waiting for your feedback ?♀️❤
Kristen Kemp says
Is it possible to make this using brown basmati? Thank you!
Soniya Saluja says
Hi kristen, totally you ca use brown basmati rice, the cook time will change to 15 mins. Hipe you make it and share your feedback with us.
PAM says
I would want to use brown rice or jasmine brown rice which would need at least 15-20 minutes cook time - would the spinach not be overcooked?
Soniya Saluja says
Hey there Pam, you can definitely use brown rice or jasmine brown rice make sure tou use fresh spinach. You will fall in love with this recipe. Xoxo
Nan says
Hi the video or the recipe doesn’t say Garlic or lemon juice in the steps. Can you tell me when to add the lemon juice? (I assumed the garlic went with the ginger )
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Nan, sorry about that will edit the video. You are correct the garlic goes in with the ginger and lime or lemon juice after the rice is cooked. Hope you give it a try and share your experience with us.
Kristen Kemp says
Hello! I have an ingredient question. Am I using half a tablespoon of ginger and half of garlic or a tablespoon of each? I'm making this for a pot luck dinner party I'm attending on Sunday. Thank you!
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Kristen, half tsp of each .Do share your feedback with us after you make it. Xoxo
Patsy Daniels says
How many calories is this recipe
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Patsy, its 155 per serving.
David Garrett says
I made a pot of this today, I kind of went overboard with extra peas,carrots,corn and mushrooms.... had it with a burrito...my Son took a carton of this home with him.... very tasty it was to.... thanks for adding this recipe..... :-)
Soniya Saluja says
Hey David, we are so glad to hear that❤all the additional veggies makes it more delicious ??♀️Thanks for what your experience with us.
Nicole says
Is garam masala a spice that I would find in the usual spice aisle? Never heard of it.
Soniya Saluja says
Hi nicole, garan masala is a Indian spice blend .very easily available in any store like Walmart, Harris tetter .
Harmony says
Would cayenne pepper work for the red chili powder?
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Harmony, totally that would work !do share your feedback with us after you make it.
Calleigh says
This quick and easy spinach rice can elevate your everyday rice into an elegant and delicious side dish.. Luv it!!
Veena Azmanov says
This is surely a healthy and a nutritious dish and quick and easy to make in an Instant Pot. Love this comfort meal option.
Beth says
This looks so good! Love that you made it in the Instant Pot! Thanks for the tip about which rice to use!
Beth says
The fact that you make this in the instapot is perfect! Otherwise, it would take such a long time to cook! Great for a fast meal!