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Home » Blog » Course » Side Dish » Instant Pot Brown Rice

Instant Pot Brown Rice

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Published: Aug 8, 2022 · Modified: Aug 20, 2022 by Andrea + Stef ·

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our full Disclosure Policy for details.

Perfectly cooked Instant Pot brown rice that tastes like it was made in a rice cooker. It is rich in fiber and goes with almost any main dish.
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instant pot brown rice in a bowl.
instant pot brown rice in a bowl with spoon scooping out.

We love cooking Instant Pot brown rice, because it is a super easy and quick way to make perfectly fluffy rice each time. It’s as easy as combining all ingredients in the Instant Pot, setting the timer and coming back to perfectly cooked brown rice.

Table of Contents

  • WHAT IS INSTANT POT BROWN RICE?
  • INGREDIENTS
  • INSTRUCTIONS
  • RECOMMENDED TOOLS
  • HOW TO MAKE BROWN RICE ON THE STOVE
  • TIPS FOR THE BEST INSTANT POT BROWN RICE
  • HOW TO STORE
  • WHAT TO SERVE WITH BROWN RICE
  • FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
  • Instant Pot Brown Rice

Brown rice is slightly chewy, nutritious and goes well with almost everything. You can prepare it plain or with the addition of a flavorful spice blend that turns this fabulous side into the star of dinner. And best of all, with this convenient pressure cooking method, your rice is ready to enjoy in less than 30 minutes.

instant pot brown rice in a bowl with spoon scooping out.

This post may contain affiliate links to products. If you purchase products through those links we might receive a small profit.

Table Of Contents
  1. WHAT IS INSTANT POT BROWN RICE?
  • ❤️ WHY YOU'LL LOVE THIS BROWN RICE RECIPE
  • INGREDIENTS
    • RICE RECIPE VARIATIONS
  • INSTRUCTIONS
  • RECOMMENDED TOOLS
  • HOW TO MAKE BROWN RICE ON THE STOVE
  • TIPS FOR THE BEST INSTANT POT BROWN RICE
  • HOW TO STORE
  • WHAT TO SERVE WITH BROWN RICE
  • FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
  • Instant Pot Brown Rice
    • Optional Seasoned Rice Ingredients:

    WHAT IS INSTANT POT BROWN RICE?

    Brown rice is a whole grain. It is unpolished and still contains the fibrous bran and nutritional germ. It is therefore high in fiber, magnesium, potassium and Vitamin B6. Moreover, it has slightly nutty flavor and is a bit more chewy in texture. Cooked to perfection in the Instant Pot it will come out most similar to rice made in a rice cooker.

    ❤️ WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS BROWN RICE RECIPE

    ✔️ Notable: perfectly cooked, slightly chewy brown rice

    ✔️ Main Ingredients: brown rice, salt. Make it plain or add the optional seasonings!

    ✔️ Cooking Method: Instant Pot

    ✔️ Cooking Time: 15 minutes. Plus 5 minutes natural release time.

    ✔️ Pairs well with: most meat, fish and seafood dishes

    ✔️ Diets: gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian, vegan

    ✔️ Special Equipment Needed: Instant Pot

    bowl of brown rice in front of instant pot.
    close up of Instant Pot brown rice on a spoon over a bowl full of rice

    INGREDIENTS

    This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for Instant Pot brown rice, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements and printable instructions, see the recipe card below.

    You may have all of these brown rice ingredients in your refrigerator or pantry and not need to make a trip to the grocery store. See recipe card below for ingredient amounts and print the recipe.

    • Pantry Ingredients: brown rice
    • Refrigerated/Frozen Ingredients: butter (optional)
    • Spices: Salt; OPTIONAL: chicken bouillon, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, dried thyme, dried parsley

    RICE RECIPE VARIATIONS

    • Instant Pot Mexican Rice
    • Instant Pot Jasmine Rice
    • Cilantro Lime Rice
    ingredients for Instant Pot brown rice

    WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you love cooking rice in the Instant Pot then you’ll love our Instant Pot Jasmine Rice.

    INSTRUCTIONS

    This section shows how to cook brown rice in the Instant Pot, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique. For full step-by-step instructions, photos and nutritional information see the recipe in the recipe card below. You can print the recipe with or without photos.

    RINSE: In a mesh strainer, rinse rice for 1-2 minutes or until water runs clear and starch is washed off.

    COMBINE: Then place rice, water and salt in the Instant Pot and stir.

    water and rice added to the Instant Pot
    cooked brown rice in the Instant Pot

    COOK: Lock lid in place and turn vent to sealed. Set to high pressure and put 15 minutes on the timer.

    VENT: Allow a 5 minute natural release. Then vent the valve to release any leftover pressure. Unlock and remove the lid.

    fluffed up rice in the Instant Pot with a fork
    cooked brown rice in a bowl next to a bowl of broccoli

    FLUFF: Finally, fluff rice with a fork. Serve.

    WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you love seasoned rice dishes then you’ll love our Instant Pot Mexican Rice.

    RECOMMENDED TOOLS

    Instant Pot– This recipe requires an Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker. This Instant Pot isn’t the fanciest you can buy but we love it and it will work for most people’s needs. If you’re looking for one with all the bells and whistles, this 10-in-1 Instant Pot is amazing.

    HOW TO MAKE BROWN RICE ON THE STOVE

    For the stove top method, you’ll want to use 1¾ – 2 cups of water for every cup of rice.

    1. After rinsing the rice, place rice and water into a saucepan. Then, cover the saucepan and bring the water to boil. (This should take only a few minutes.)
    2. Reduce heat to the lowest setting and let the rice simmer for 35-40 minutes, or until all the water has been absorbed. 
    3. After turning off the heat and leave the saucepan covered for 10 minutes. 
    4. Uncover the saucepan and fluff the rice with a fork. Serve.

    TIPS FOR THE BEST INSTANT POT BROWN RICE

    Follow these tips to make the best brown rice.

    ✔️ Rinse the rice. This removes excess starch that can cause your rice to clump together.

    ✔️ Use the 1:1 rice to water ratio. This ratio will give you perfectly textured rice that isn’t mushy or too hard. Keep the size of your Instant Pot in mind if decreasing or increasing the amount of rice you cook.

    ✔️ Adjust cooking time as needed. Cook times may need to be adjusted if you increase the amount of rice you’re cooking.

    HOW TO STORE

    Refrigerate: Place brown rice in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

    Freeze: If you’ve got leftover rice or make extra ahead, you can store it in an air-tight freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months.

    Defrosting: Thaw frozen rice in the refrigerator overnight or on the countertop for 1-2 hours, depending on the amount of rice in the container.

    bowl of brown rice in front of an Instant Pot

    WHAT TO SERVE WITH BROWN RICE

    We love serving this amazing brown rice with Caprese Stuffed Chicken Breast, Cajun Garlic Butter Shrimp, or Chicken in White Wine Sauce with Mushrooms.

    • Bowl of white chicken chili with tortillas strips and cheese on top.
      Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
    • Balsamic glaze poured over caprese stuffed chicken in a skillet.
      Caprese Stuffed Chicken Breast
    • Lemon butter chicken thighs on a plate.
      Instant Pot Chicken Thighs with Lemon Butter Sauce
    • Instant Pot beef tips over mashed potatoes.
      Instant Pot Beef Tips

    FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

    For perfect results every time, here are answers to the most common questions about cooking brown rice in the Instant Pot.

    What is the ratio of water to rice in an Instant Pot?

    Unlike stovetop rice cooking, you’ll only need a 1:1 water to rice ratio when cooking long grain white rice in the Instant Pot.

    Do you ned to rinse rice before cooking?

    We highly recommend rinsing brown rice before cooking it to eliminate the excess starch that can cause the rice to clump together. Additionally, a thorough rinse will get rid of any dust or other impurities that might have gotten mixed in with the rice.

    Can you freeze cooked rice?

    Yes! We recommend storing rice in freezer bags in individual portions. Make sure you squeeze out most of the air, to save room in the freezer. Rice can be stored in the freezer for up 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the microwave with a splash of water.

    instant pot brown rice in a bowl.
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    Instant Pot Brown Rice

    Author Andrea + Stef

    Course side, Side Dish
    Cuisine vegan, vegetarian
    Prep Time 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time 25 minutes minutes
    Print
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    8 servings
    Perfectly cooked Instant Pot brown rice that tastes like it was made in a rice cooker. It is rich in fiber and goes with almost any main dish.
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    Equipment

    • Instant Pot
    • cooking spoon
    • fork

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 cups brown rice
    • 2 cups cold water
    • 1 teaspoon salt

    Optional Seasoned Rice Ingredients:

    • 2 teaspoon chicken bouillon
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • 1 teaspoon paprika
    • ½ teaspoon dired thyme
    • 1 tablespoon dried parsley
    • 3 tablespoon butter

    Instructions

    • First, measure, rinse and strain/dry rice.
    • Add rice, cold water and salt to the instant pot. For seasoned rice, add chicken bouillon, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, thyme, and parsley. Do not add the butter.
      water and rice added to the Instant Pot
    • Lock the lid on the Instant Pot and the turn valve to the sealed position.
    • Set the Instant Pot to cook at high pressure for 15 minutes. It will take about 8 minutes to build up pressure then the 15 minutes cooking will begin.
    • When it beeps, allow it to naturally release for 5 minutes. Then carefully turn the release valve to open. When the pressure has fully released, unlock the lid.
      cooked brown rice in the Instant Pot
    • Fluff the rice with a fork.
      fluffed up rice in the Instant Pot with a fork
    • For seasoned rice, pour melted butter over the rice and gently fluff together.
    • Serve.
      spoon full of brown rice over a bowl of cooked brown rice

    Notes

    • This method of cooking rice will turn out most similar to rice in a rice cooker. If you want a softer rice, add ½ cup more water.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 180kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 422mg | Potassium: 152mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 0.4g | Vitamin A: 39IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 1mg

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