Instant Pot Brown Rice

Instant Pot Brown Rice is a hands-off way to cook fluffy brown rice. This easy pressure cooker recipe helps to simplify dinner prep!

Cooked brown rice in a bowl with a spoon with instant pot in the background.

I cook a batch of brown rice nearly every week. It’s a nutritious, versatile whole grain that’s easy to incorporate into a variety of meals. Since I recently shared my recipes for Instant Pot Rice and How to Cook Brown Rice on the stove, I also wanted to share how I cook brown rice in the Instant Pot. This foolproof method is one I turn to often when making dinner for my family. I like to serve the rice with stir fry or salmon or use it to make Fried Rice.

Why You’ll Love This Instant Pot Brown Rice

Quick and Easy. Instant Pot brown rice takes less than 5 minutes of active prep time to make.
Hands-Off. Once the rice is cooking, the Instant Pot does the rest. I love that with this recipe, there’s no need to watch a pot on the stove.
Perfect Fluffy Texture. You’ll get fluffy, perfectly cooked brown rice, every time.

I have cooked this rice twice and it is amazing! I followed the recipe exactly and the rice was perfect.
Robyn

Cooked brown rice in Instant Pot with a wooden spoon.

Water to Rice Ratio

You’ll need 2 1/2 cups of water for every 2 cups of rice. (1 1/4 cups of water per 1 cup of rice.) Measuring carefully is essential when cooking brown rice in the Instant Pot. The water to rice ratio needs to be precise so that your rice turns out fluffy, not soggy or crunchy.

For added flavor, you can cook the rice in chicken broth or vegetable broth. I recommend using a low sodium broth so that the rice doesn’t turn out too salty.

How to Cook Brown Rice in an Instant Pot

Use this recipe to cook any variety of long grain brown rice, including basmati and jasmine rice.

Rince the rice. Place the rice in a fine mesh strainer and rinse it well under cool running water. This removes excess starch, which could make the rice turn out overly sticky.

Combine the rice and water in the Instant Pot.

Uncooked brown rice and water combined in Instant Pot.

Pressure cook at high pressure for 22 minutes.

Let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes. Then quick release any remaining pressure.

Fluff the rice, and serve!

Seasoning Ideas

When I make brown rice as a side dish I usually serve it plain, since that’s the way my family likes it. If you want to add more flavor, you can season the rice while it cooks. Try adding chopped onion or minced garlic, sautéing it in a little olive oil in the pot before adding the rice. Or stir dried herbs, salt, butter or other seasonings (garlic powder, ground cumin, chili powder, etc.) into the pot along with the rice before pressure cooking.

To add flavor after cooking, mix in fresh herbs such as parsley, cilantro or oregano, add a squeeze of lime or lemon juice, or sprinkle on toasted pine nuts.

Ways to Serve Instant Pot Brown Rice

I often serve this Instant Pot brown rice:

With Pineapple Chicken or a Vegetable Stir Fry.
In a burrito or Burrito Bowl.
With Grilled Pork Tenderloin or Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken.

Or, use it in one of these brown rice recipes:

Close up of brown rice on wooden spoon in Instant Pot.

Storage and Reheating

To cook rice for meal prep, be sure to refrigerate or freeze it promptly after cooking for food safety. Cool the rice before storing. To cool rice quickly, spread it out in a thin layer on a baking sheet.

To Refrigerate: Promptly store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
To Freeze: Promptly freeze cooled rice in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. I like to freeze rice in portion sizes that are enough for one meal.
To Reheat: I like to add a little bit of water to moisten the rice since it tends to dry out when stored. Then heat in the microwave or in a covered pot on the stove, stirring often, until steaming hot. Rice can also be reheated in the oven at 325° F. Place the rice in a baking dish, stir in a little bit of water, and cover the dish tightly with foil. Bake the rice until steaming hot, about 15-20 minutes.

More Easy Instant Pot Recipes

Cooking with my Instant Pot helps me to save time while getting delicious meals on my table. You might also enjoy these Instant Pot Recipes: