This Instant Pot Brown Rice is perfectly nutty and fluffy. Pair it with your favorite meals for a delicious weeknight dinner.
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The full recipe with ingredients/instructions is available on the recipe card at the bottom of the post. Important tips/tricks are also included in the blog post.
I used to avoid brown rice like it was an icky stranger in the dark. Fact is, most brown rice was either too crunchy or just didn’t taste as good as white rice. But once I started making my rice in the pressure cooker, my whole outlook on brown rice changed.
It’s perfectly nutty and fragrant and fluffy thanks to the pressure cooker.
There are a few things you should know about brown rice in a pressure cooker:
- It takes longer to cook than white rice. While white rice can have a minimum pressure cook time of 4 minutes, brown rice takes atleast 17 or up to 23 minutes on high pressure to cook.
- The ratio of water is better if increased a bit. With white rice, a 1:1 ratio generally works for fluffy rice. With brown rice, I use a 1:1.25 ratio. 2 cups of brown rice, 2 ¼ cups liquid.
- I always recommend rinsing rice (except for arborio) before placing it in the pressure cooker. It’s what mother taught me and mother knows best.
- Once you open the lid, the rice will look a little watery. It’s absolutely fine. Go on ahead and fluff the rice and the liquid will magically disappear.
How to make Instant Pot Brown Rice
I start my rinsing my brown rice and then placing it in the Pressure Cooker with water and salt.
I then cook on high pressure for 23 minutes, then natural release for 10 minutes.
Once I open it, I fluff it and serve with my favorite dish.
Notes
- As with all pressure cooking recipes, your location/altitude may affect how long the cook time needs to be. This pressure cooking altitude chart should help with any necessary adjustments.
- Chicken broth can be substituted for water if you want a more flavorful rice.
- I use the cheapest brand of brown rice I can find in the store (generally the store brand) and it works perfectly. As long as it’s not par-boiled or anything this method will work.
How long to cook brown rice?
This my friends depends. I’ve gone as short as 17 minutes and as long as 23 minutes of cooking brown rice on high pressure. Both yielded delicious similar results although I preferred the longer cook time a wee bit more. My husband could tell no difference. So if you’re short on time, 17 minutes on high pressure and a 10 minute natural release will be just fine.
Suggested meals to serve with brown rice:
Looking for other Instant Pot Rice Recipes? Try these out:
- Instant Pot Cajun Dirty Rice
- Homemade Rice a Roni
- Instant Pot Rice and Beans (Jamaican Style)
- Instant Pot Kale Rice
Pressure Cooker (Instant Pot) Brown Rice
Ingredients
- 2 cups brown rice rinsed
- 2 ¼ cups water
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Add rinsed brown rice, water, and salt to Pressure Cooker.
- Cover and set Pressure Cooker on high pressure for 23 minutes. Make sure the valve is set to "Seal."
- Once cooktime is done, allow the pressure cooker to naturally release for 10 minutes, then release any remaining pressure by moving the valve to "Vent."
- Once all the pressure is released, open lid and fluff rice with fork. Serve with your favorite meal. Enjoy 🙂
Jenni says
Would it still work if I leave out the salt?
Tanya says
Hi Jenni, yes, it will work but it may taste bland.
Marie says
I did this in my Ninja Foodie and it was cooked perfectly, and nice and fluffy. I set it for 23 minutes.
Tanya says
Thanks Marie, so glad you liked it.
Sharon says
It was perfectly cooked. Thank you!!
Karen R. says
Hi! Thanks for sharing your pressure cooker brown rice tips and experience. I'm making some right now to add to a pot of lentil soup for a perfect protein (something about lentils and brown rice eaten together). Such a great autumn meal.
About the measurements, if 1cup rice requires 1.25cups liquid, shouldn't 2cups require 2.5?
"With brown rice, I use a 1:1.25 ratio. 2 cups of brown rice, 2 1/4 cups liquid."
Tanya says
Hi Karen, thanks. The ratios won't scale so perfectly. I tried brown rice with both 2 1/4 cups and 2 1/2 cups but found that the 2 1/4 cup made the perfect brown rice.
lynda terry says
Perfect! Was amazing with my Dad's Hot Chicken Curry recipe, topped with mango chutney and chopped bananas of course.
Tanya says
Lynda, that meal sounds amazing!
Lori says
This was the best brown rice I have ever made! Like it was a store brand and I did it exactly the way you said, my natural release was like 11 minutes! It came out so good like I could have ate it by itself with nothing on it.
Tanya says
Thanks so much Lori! I actually do eat it by itself often, lol
Theresa says
This turned out perfect! Thank you ?
Michael says
Is the ratio 1:1.25 or 2:2.25? You said both of those as if they were equivalent.
Tanya says
Hi Michael, I said 2 cups rice, 2 1/4 cups water. Sorry for the confusion.
Kathy Anderson says
Thank you! I was leery of using the instant pot to cook brown rice, because if it didn't turn out, dinner would be postponed another 45 minutes while I cooked a new batch on the stove. Your instructions worked perfectly.
Tanya says
Hi Kathy, so glad it worked out for you 🙂