We’ve shown you a few different methods for making brown rice. In the oven. Boiling in a lot of water. And there’s always just making it on the stovetop. There are pros and cons to each, but I’ve recently started cooking brown rice in my Instant Pot. We’ve been hearing from a lot of people who got them for Christmas, wanting recipes, and rice is one of those essential ways that you can really put your Instant Pot to work. This Instant Pot Brown Rice is about as fast as the method that involves cooking it in a lot of water, but I also feel like it’s more forgiving. It’s a lot faster than cooking it in the oven (although there are times that I really like that method; it’s very comfort food-y) and cooking it on the stovetop is always kind of iffy…things spill over…rice burns…I say bad words…the rice is either overcooked or undercooked. Basically, I just need to never do that.
The first time I cooked it in my Instant Pot, I used the Instant Pot directions (which are more along the lines of stovetop water to rice proportions). I wound up with mushy, waterlogged rice. The next time around, someone told me that I needed to cut way back on the water, which gave me perfect, fuss-free brown rice. So now I make it likes this a few times a week and freeze any leftovers for easy use in the future.
You’ll need 2 cups of brown rice, 2 1/2 cups water (I use just shy of that because I don’t think I need that much at sea level elevation, but I think in higher elevations, 2 1/2 will be perfect), a little olive oil, and a little kosher salt.
Use the sauté setting on your pan to heat the olive oil, then add the rice and stir for about 30 seconds.
Add the salt and water…
And use the manual setting to cook for 22-24 minutes (22 for low elevations, 24 for higher elevations). Allow the pressure to release naturally (so don’t turn the valve) for 5-10 minutes, then fluff with a fork and serve.
Seriously, it couldn’t be easier!
How to Make Brown Rice in an Instant Pot
- Yield: 4 cups
Description
Failproof brown rice in a pressure cooker! It’s perfect every time!
Ingredients
- 2 cups brown rice
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Use the sauté setting to heat the olive oil for 2-3 minutes. Add the rice and stir for 30 seconds. Add water and salt. Use the manual setting to cook for 22-24 minutes (22 for low elevations, 24 for higher), then allow the pressure to release naturally (don’t use the release valve) for 5-10 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Leftovers freeze beautifully for later use.
Notes
*Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.
Questions & Reviews
Why isn’t the ‘rice’ setting used?
I like being able to customize–whenever I use the presets, things don’t come out quite right.
First of all, I want to thank you for this recipe. I use it to make a pot of brown rice every week and it comes out great every time. I live at 3000 feet and added an additional minute cooking time to 25 minutes. Each grain comes out perfectly cooked.
Thanks again! 😉
So glad to hear this!!
My question is why do you use the manual seeing instead of just passing the rice button and using the automatic program? I have not made rice in my IP yet but am curious to try!
You just have way more control over the actual cooking times when using the manual over the automatic buttons, plus then if something doesn’t turn out perfect you’ll know how to best adjust.
So easy and the best brown rice I have ever cooked. Thank you!!
My Brown rice has never tasted better! Thank you! I purchased a large bag of brown rice from Costco and didn’t realize it was short grain vs long grain. Would I need to change the water to rice ratio and time?
Nope, you should be fine with either variety! 🙂
I too have had soggy brown rice in my InstantPot, so thanks! I’m in southern California at sea level, so would you decrease the water by a tablespoon or so, or more like decrease the water by a 1/4 cup?
I’m at sea level, too–just leave it where it is 🙂
You’re right – it turned out great, thanks!
I’m at sea level, too, so the water in the instructions should be perfect! 🙂
Kate, have you ever tried doubling the recipe? Wondering if it would work. LOVE this beyond belief and make it at least once a week. <3
Yes–will totally work!! And it makes me so happy that you’ve had so much success with this recipe! 🙂
Hello 🙂
Manual setting has high/medium/low… did you just leave it on high? (the way it is set when you push the manual setting)
Thanks!
It depends on the pot–on mine, you can’t adjust, but I believe on some you can. I would just do high if you have the option. 🙂
I have a 6 qt. IP with a multigrain button. Would this do a better job with brown rice than the manual button?
I can’t say for sure, but the manual button does a perfect job–I like it because you can customize things a little more than you can with the preset buttons (I literally never use the presets–I like being in control, haha.)
Why the oil…the most caloric dense food known?
I like to sauté the rice before I add the water, and oil is necessary to keep it from burning and sticking. You can skip that step if you like. But. Oil isn’t the enemy, especially heart-healthy oils like olive oil. Especially in small quantities. You’re much more likely to run into trouble eating big bowls of rice. 🙂
I always lightly toast my brown rice in a dry pan until fragrant then add boiling water to pan.
Healthy oils, like olive oil and avocado oil, are very important tfor your heart AND brain health!
The oil will stop the rice from boiling up too much and making a mess when u release the pressure. I add oil/butter even for stovetop – never boils over.
My instant pot manuel setting has a low pressure and high pressure setting. I used the low pressure setting, 24 minutes and 2 1/4 cup water. I’ll try the full 2 1/2 cups water next time. I love that the Instant pot rice doesn’t burn on the bottom like my rice cooker is prone to do. I can use every last piece of rice!
The proportion of rice to water was perfect. I set the timer for 24 minutes and turned the Instant Pot off at the end of the cycle instead of letting it go to warmer mode. Best brown rice out of my kitchen. Thank you!
Thank you! The rice was perfect. My husband who only eats white rice liked this. The recipe proportions was exactly right!
I used a cup of leftover tomato soup in once of some of the water, along with some onions and spices, and it worked out great. Served with chicken and green beans.
I just used the instant pot for the first time to make two cups of brown rice and was disappointed as it seemed now properly cooked. I think the vent release may have been open and lost liquid. I am trying it again and crossing fingers. My question is – is it 2.5 cups of the rice measuring cup of water or 2.5 regular measuring cups of water? This second batch turned out much better (I had the knob Set to sealed) using same measuring cup for water quantity: i did not use any olive oil so I will continue to experiment with water quantities especially at different altitudes (we travel full time in a motorhome.
Yes, 2.5 measuring cups of water.
How long do you cook if living in Pennsylvania?
Same as me…you only need to adjust if you live at a very high altitude.
Do you cook it on the high pressure setting? How do you know when to use high or low pressure in general and does using lower pressure increase the cooking time?
It depends on the pot–some you can adjust high/low and some you can’t (like on mine). When in doubt, just use high. 🙂
Came out perfect!!!
I tried this tonight and it worked pretty well. I live at 4700 feet and so I used a full 2 1/2 cups of water and cooked on high pressure for 24 minutes. The rice was cooked through, but was a little bit watery still. I took the lid off and let it sit without a lid for about ten minutes to let some of the steam evaporate off and the texture improved. I loved how quick it was to have brown rice on the table. Thanks for giving me the confidence to try rice in the Instant Pot. I had heard too many horror stories and had been scared to try!
Is the ratio still the same for short grain brown rice?
Yep! 🙂
I know this might sound obvious, but would this work as well with white rice? Or would you change the proportions at all?
Let me check on the proportions and get back to you–not dumb at all!
Just made this. So good and easy. My stir fry and rice were done at the same time.
Thank you so much for this! I usually try and avoid rice recipes or end up eating it without or use white because brown rice takes so dang long to make and I never get it done in time! It’s like 2 hours in my rice cooker. 2 hours!!! I made this last night and it was perfect! Thank you thank you!
YES!!! This seriously made my night!
I just tried making my first brown rice in my 6 quart Smart duo PC. I tried only making one cup of rice , used one and 1/4 cups water, half a teaspoon of salt full tablespoon of the oil. I followed the rest of the recipe’s instructions. I got to within 3 minutes before it was going to kick over to warm and got the warning that the instant pot was too hot check to see if my food was burned. So I did a QR and yes it was scorched on the bottom. rice was of course undercooked. So now I’m a little timid to try the 2 cup 2 1/2 cups of water. But I’ll be brave, maybe just not today! LOL
You need to use 1 1/4 cups of water to 1 cup brown rice.
She said that she did use 1 1/2 cups water.
I’ve followed the brown rice recipe that came with my InstantPot and I’ve had perfect rice every time. It’s so funny to me that it turns out differently for each of us at one time or another. 🙂 I am in SLC, UT and I cook for 22 min on high pressure. Where I struggle is my chicken is mostly always dry in my IP… can’t wait for some suggestions to overcoming this… Love your site and your recipes. 🙂
I always have to cook chicken breast or boneless skinless thighs fully covered in liquid to get tender chicken. The nice part is at least the liquid is then sort of chicken broth I can use in recipes and it freezes well.
agree!!
It depends on your elevation. I’m at 5700’ and I have to multiple the time times 17% and add that amount. I found a nifty chart online that I screen capped to my ph so I always have it as my location changes.
I’ve been reading that for meats in the IP always make sure to NPR (natural pressure release).
Can I just half the recipe. I only want to make about two servings of rice 😉
You can, but some rice/pressure cookers don’t handle smaller quantities very well.
I use 1 cup of brown rice to 1 1/4 cups of water in my instant pot all the time! Works great.
Have you ever used quick cooking brown basmati rice? New to IP how long would it take? 10 or 15 min on high?
I freeze my left over rice in induvidual serving sizes in ziplock bags and then reheat the whoe bag in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes when I want it. It works great!
I can’t wait to try this! 🙂
This is probably a stupid question but if I increase the recipe size will it need to cook longer?
I don’t believe so. 🙂
Yes you will but not much. I cooked 4 cups rice with 5 cups of water for 24 minutes on High pressure and 17 minutes Low pressure (warm) and the rice was just a touch undercooked but not bad. Might want to do this much at about 26 minutes High pressure and 20 minutes Low.
Why is it a shorter amount of time for low pressure? Shouldn’t it be the opposite?
Nope–the higher the altitude, the longer the cook time. I have a recipe for Spanish Rice and when I lived in Utah (which is a high elevation), it took close to an hour to cook. When I moved to Louisiana (sea level or lower, sometimes), I scorched it the first time I made it–it only needed 20-25 minutes.
Thanks for the tip when doubling. It came out perfect.
I’d never heard of the Instant Pot so I googled it. Imagine my surprise at finding out it was invented by a group of Computer Science PhDs living right here in my community! The downside is that the larger, more recent versions aren’t available in Canada but only in the United States 🙁 That could explain why it was still a secret here.
I bought the larger one on Amazon and love it. I’m in British Columbia, Canada.
I got mine at Canadian Tire just before Christmas.
Thanks for posting this! I also had a brown rice flop the 1st time in the Instapot which I was super disappointed about as cooking brown rice quickly was one of my main motivations for buying one. I tried the recipe tonight and it worked great with the full 2 1/2 cups of water at 24 min here in SLC.
Yay!!! I’m so glad it worked!!
I am so glad to see it worked for someone at my same elevation! I’ll be trying this tonight with my curry!
Since brown rice takes so long to cook why not use multigrain setting?
I like being able to customize it…I never use the presets on my pressure cooker.
I’m so glad you posted this! I tried making brown rice in my instant pot and it was mushy and soggy. Now I know the right way and can finally get rid of my old rice cooker from college. Yay!
I love rice in my Instant Pot! It’s always so fluffy and perfect.