Cabbage Rice is a tasty Indian meal loaded with vitamin-packed cabbage. It is gluten-free and vegan with the perfect spicy kicky from fresh ginger and green chilies.
This is one of my mom's newest recipes that I got to taste and learn when she visited me this summer. When she first made it on the stove-top, I was not sure if it would be a good recipe for Instant Pot. As this recipe does not use a lot of water. The soaked rice is basically slow-cooked with little water and then all the juices from shredded cabbage. It did take us a couple of tries to achieve this perfect Instant Pot recipe!
Prep
We started with a whole head of cabbage bought fresh from the farmer's market. After chopping it into smaller pieces, we grated them in the food processor. We had about eight heaping cups of cabbage that we used in this recipe!
This recipe uses long grain Basmati rice and is cooked mostly in the water released from the cabbage. The rice button, which is a 12-minute low-pressure setting works perfectly for this recipe. And if there is some rice browned at the bottom, just scrape it and enjoy it.
Here is a good article I recently came across that explains asafetida or hing used as an optional ingredient in this recipe!
Pro Tips
- Use long-grain white Basmati Rice. I love Kohinoor Extra long grain Basmati Rice
- Soak Rice for 2 hours. Soaking removes extra starch and also makes the rice fluffy and light
- Use fresh ginger and curry leaves for the best taste
- Allergic to peanuts? You can add cashews or even substitute with chana dal
Step by Step Recipe
- Rinse the rice 2-3 times and then soak the rice in 4 cups of warm water for 2 hours. Drain the rice and keep it aside.
- Turn Instant Pot to Saute(more) mode and heat oil. Add asafetida, mustard seeds in the oil and allow the mustard seeds to pop. It may take 3 to 4 minutes for the mustard seeds to pop. Add peanuts and sauté for a minute. Add turmeric, curry leaves, ginger, and green chili. Mix everything together and cook until peanuts are golden brown.
- Add grated cabbage and salt. Mix again. Add drained rice and gently mix everything together. Add 2 cups of water.
- Close the Instant Pot lid with the pressure valve to sealing. Press the ‘Rice’ button. Allow Natural Pressure Release. Open Instant Pot and add lemon juice. Garnish with cilantro and coconut.
Serving
The flavor-packed cabbage rice tastes amazing as is. You can also pair it with some Indian pickle and yogurt or serve it with a cooling raita.
Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. To reheat simply microwave in a serving bowl for 1 to 2 minutes. This cabbage rice can also be frozen and comes in handy as a quick meal for busy weeknights.
I always keep cabbage stocked in my refrigerator. It is inexpensive, has a long shelf life and so easy to make quick meals.
Here are some of my favorite cabbage recipes:
- Cabbage Stir Fry - Indian style Patta Gobi Subzi
- Cabbage Salad - Spicy cabbage salad with an earthy tempering of mustard seeds
- Purple Cabbage Parathas - These parathas are easy and delicious. You can use either red or green cabbage
- Cabbage Slaw - Both red and green cabbage are perfect to make crunchy slaw for Tacos
Recipe
Cabbage Rice - Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 2 cups Basmati rice
- 2 tablespoons oil
- ¼ teaspoon asafetida optional for gluten free
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- ½ cup peanuts
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 20 curry leaves
- 2 tablespoons ginger grated
- 4 green chillies minced
- 8 cups shredded cabbage packed
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ cup cilantro chopped
- 3 tablespoons fresh coconut grated
Instructions
- Rinse the rice 2-3 times and then soak the rice in 4 cups of warm water for 2 hours. Drain the rice and keep aside.
- Turn Instant Pot to Saute(more) mode. Heat oil, add asafetida and mustard seeds and allow them to pop. This may take 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add peanuts and sauté for a minute. Add turmeric, curry leaves, ginger and green chili. Mix everything together and cook until peanuts are golden brown.
- Add grated cabbage and salt. Mix again. Add drained rice and gently mix everything together. Add 2 cups of water.
- Close Instant Pot lid with pressure valve to sealing. Press the ‘Rice’ button. Allow Natural Pressure Release. Open Instant Pot and pour lemon juice. Garnish with cilantro and coconut. Enjoy hot!
Video
Nutrition
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blondieaka says
Thank you for this recipe I have started a pinterest board for instant pot recipes as I am thinking about buying one for myself so these recipes are very helpful...Thank you 🙂
Archana says
That sounds great!! Share your Pinterest board. I also have a Pinterest board for IP that you can join.
Hans Susser says
Wow. This looks tasty and beautiful 🙂
Archana says
Thank you Hans!!
Megala says
Cabbage rice looks so beautiful !
Archana says
Thank you Megala!
Marcia says
Are you using brown or white basmati? This sounds so good! Just need to find curry leaves and get the rice and I can make it.
Archana says
Hi Marcia, I am using white basmati in this recipe.
chefkreso says
This is really a tasty recipe 🙂
Archana says
Thank you!
Lisa says
Archana - am I understanding that you need two cups of water added to the soaked rice along with the cabbage? That's not too much?
Archana says
Hi Lisa, First you soak rinsed rice in 4 cups of water for 2 hours. Then you drain the water out completely. Later when you add rice to the dish, you add 2 cups of water for the rice to cook. Hope this is clear.
Bella says
This sounds wonderful! I've been looking for a good cabbage recipe for the IP. I'm looking forward to making this, but I have a question about the liquids. You mention that it cooks mostly in the liquid from the cabbage (yum!), but in the recipe instructions, you mention adding two cups of water as well. Dry rice in the IP is usually cooked at a 1:1 ration, so is that not too much liquid then? The rice is already soaked, then cooked with an equal amount of water, PLUS all the liquid from the cabbage? Thank you!
Archana says
Hi Bella! I am using long Basmati rice and It needs about 1:1.5 ratio to cook properly. So in this recipe we are reducing some of that water to account for the liquids from cabbage. If you are using Jasmine rice, the water ratio will be much less, but I have not tried this recipe with Jasmine rice.
Bella says
Wonderful, thank you! This is now on my menu plan for next week.
Archana says
Awesome! I can't wait to hear how you like it!
Antonia says
This looks delicious Archana! I need to get an Instant Pot!
Archana says
Thank you Antonia!! You will love the new cooking experience in the Instant Pot
jeenybeen says
This was delicious! And our 7-month-old daughter loved it, too. 🙂
Archana says
So happy to hear this! Thank you for letting me know!
Rhonda Sittig says
wow Archana-- this looks so fresh and tasty!! I know most of the ingredients-- but what are curry leaves?? Can I make this without them, if I can't locate them? xo
Archana says
Hi Rhonda! So curry leaves are fresh herbs that are sold in Indian Grocery stores. If you do not find then you can just skip them for this recipe. Let me know if you have any questions.
G says
This turned out so TASTY! Thank you for sharing, my entire family loved it!
Archana says
Yay! Thank you for the feedback. I am so happy your family enjoyed this simple and delicious dish.
K says
This was delicious and came together so quickly ! Thank you ! We found there was too much ginger for our taste, was perfect otherwise.
Archana says
Thank you for your feedback. So glad you enjoyed this quick and delicious recipe. I love ginger and I can see how in this dish it could be a bit much. Def reduce it next time for your taste.
Palak says
Hi Archana, can I make this without soaking the rice? I come home from work in the evening and have about 40 min only to get dinner on the table. Would I need to increase the cooking time?
By the way, all of your photography is beautiful!
Archana says
Hi Palak! Yes it will work without soaking too! Just the rice will not be as separate and long as after soaking! I am in fact going to try it soon too!
Cassandra|Delectatus says
I love cabbage recipes, especially when it's cold! I'll be trying this soon with my new instant pot!
Archana says
Congrats on your new Instant Pot. Let me know how you like it
radhika says
i made the cabbage rice , and it was awesome. i just followed your recipe and it came out just right . my entire family loved it .
Archana says
Thank you for your lovey feedback. I am so happy that the entire family loved it.
Martin says
I'm making this right now. What kind of green chilies do you use? The little hot Thai ones or one specific to Indian cooking?
Archana says
Any hot chilies will work! Just dressed if you do not like too spicy
Radha says
Just made this for dinner
Turned out very tasty
Archana says
Hi Radha! Agree red cabbage also tastes Greta with this recipe
Deepa says
Hi Archana! Can I use pre-prepared minced ginger (the kind you buy in a jar)?
Archana says
Yes you can!
C says
This was delicious, even though I couldn't find curry leaves. I never liked cooked cabbage much, but I will be making this again for sure.
So many instant pot recipes are rich and heavy with lots of meat and cheese and canned soup. I was looking for something else and this feels so healthy! I can't wait to try some of your biryani recipes.
Archana says
Thank you! I am glad you enjoyed the simple flavors. It is a great way to use up a lot of cabbage. And l look forward to hearing how you like the biryanis.
Manasa says
If I cook rice varieties in rice mode the rice is becoming mushy. I tried couple of times. I am using IP ultra 9 in 1.
What are the changes I should make to attain seperated grains.
Archana says
Water to rice ratio. Depending on the recipe you are making you will different water ratio. For example for biryani I do 1:1 for plain rice even 1:2 works. Soaking rice also helps. If you follow this recipe exactly it should not come out mushy. Also take the inner pot out and put it on a hot plate so it does not continue to over cook.
Seema says
Thanks for the recipe Archana, I tried it and liked it too.
Archana says
Awesome! Thank you for the feedback.