Name: Instant Pot Basmati Rice Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1½ cups basmati rice; 3 cups water (See recipe instructions if cooking directly in the main pot ); 1½ teaspoon kosher salt; 1 cup water (added to the Instant Pot insert to help build steam )

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You asked and here it is! Sharing all of my tips and tricks to make the perfectly cooked, aromatic, fluffy, long grain Basmati Rice in the Instant Pot. A must-have side dish with Indian curries and dals, this is going to be your go-to recipe for Basmati rice.

Jump to:

What is Basmati Rice
Which Basmati Rice to use?
How to Prep Basmati Rice
How to Cook Instant Pot Basmati Rice - 2 Methods!
Tips to Make Perfect Instant Pot Basmati Rice
Storing Leftover Instant Pot Basmati Rice
Why is it hard to find a perfect Instant Pot Basmati rice recipe
Recipe Variations
Tips for Biryani, Pulao, and Khichdi:
Vegetarian Dishes to Serve with Basmati Rice
Non-vegetarian Dishes to serve with Basmati Rice
Recipe

What is Basmati Rice

Basmati rice is a type of long-grain rice known for its distinctive aroma, flavor, and elongated grains that remain separate and fluffy when cooked. It is widely considered to be one of the finest varieties of rice in the world and is popular in many cuisines, particularly in South Asian and Middle Eastern cooking.

The name "basmati" comes from the Sanskrit words "vas" meaning fragrance and "mati" meaning having, so together, "basmati" can be translated as "the one with aroma." This aromatic quality is one of the defining characteristics of basmati rice, and it is often described as having a nutty and floral scent.

Basmati rice is commonly used in dishes like biryani and pulao. Its distinct aroma and texture have made it a favorite ingredient for special occasions and celebratory meals. Plain steamed Basmati Rice is also a good meal prep idea as it can be served with curries, and lentils or can be used in fried rice recipes.

Which Basmati Rice to use?

Choosing the right basmati rice depends on your preferences and the specific dish you're planning to make. A few factors to consider when selecting basmati rice include grain length, aroma, and age.

I use the Kohinoor Extra Long Grain Basmati Rice that I buy from Indian grocery stores. I love the extra long-grain variety that cooks really well for Biryani and Pulao dishes. A few other good brands are Zafrani Reserve and Dunar. I have tried the Royal Basmati rice from Costco and found that it lacks aroma and overcooks easily.

How to Prep Basmati Rice

Simply rinse the rice under cold water and then drain it well. I prefer rinsing the rice in a wire mesh strainer so it's easy to drain out the water completely.

I usually soak the Basmati rice when I am making Biryani or Pulao recipes as these dishes traditionally have a drier texture than the cooked rice.

For plain Basmati rice soaking is not necessary and if you do decide to soak, do not soak it for more than 20 minutes.

Oversoaking makes these rice grains soft and easy to break resulting in a mushy texture.

How to Cook Instant Pot Basmati Rice - 2 Methods!

Method 1 - Pot in Pot (PIP)

Pot in Pot rice method is best when using less than 2 cups of rice. Since the Rice is not cooked directly in the main pot, this method is fail-proof. Plus a great way to cook a whole meal in one go especially when you cook it with another dish.

In this method, rice is cooked in a separate pot inside the main insert. The rice pot is placed on top of a short trivet over water or on a tall trivet that is placed over a dish such as chicken curry or spinach dal that cooks simultaneously in the main pot.

Rinse the rice well and drain all the water out
Use a 1 to 1.5 rice-to-water ratio, and add salt (optional)
Add 1 cup of water to the Instant Pot insert
Place the rice pot on the trivet and put the trivet with the rice pot inside the Instant Pot insert
Close the Instant Pot with the pressure release valve to sealing and Pressure cook (Hi) for 5 minutes followed by a 5-minute natural pressure release
Quick release the remaining pressure and open the Instant Pot

steps showing how to make pot in pot Instant Pot Basmati rice

Notes on Pot-In-Pot Method

If you are cooking Basmati rice with other dishes, the pressure cook time can vary from 4 to 10 minutes, with a 5 to 10-minute pressure cook release. For example, to cook PIP rice with Chicken Curry, the pressure cook time is 8 minutes followed by 10- minutes of natural pressure release. While for the easy spinach dal, the pressure cook time is 5 minutes followed by 5 minutes of natural pressure release.

Method 2 - Main Pot

Cook rice directly in the main pot. This method works best when you are using more than 1.5 cups of rice.

Rinse the rice well and drain all the water out
Add rice, water, and salt (optional) to the Instant Pot
Close the Instant Pot with the pressure release valve to sealing and Pressure cook (LO) for 5 minutes followed by quick release
Quick release the remaining pressure and open the Instant Pot

steps showing how to make Instant Pot Basmati rice

Notes

When using a lesser amount of rice, make sure to take out the inner pot soon after it's done cooking. If the pot sits longer in the stay warm mode, the rice may overcook, dry out or start sticking to the bottom of the pot.

For exactly 1.5 cups of Rice use a 1:2 rice-to-water ratio
For more than 2 cups of Rice use a 1:1 rice-to-water ratio

Tips to Make Perfect Instant Pot Basmati Rice

To me, how you handle the rice before and more importantly after it's done cooking is really important. Everyone will tell you about the cook times and water ratio but there is more to it than that:

Basmati Rice does not need soaking to make plain rice. Please do NOT over soak, simply rinse well and drain
Once you open the Instant Pot lid, transfer the inner pot to a trivet on your counter. This stops the rice from cooking further and helps prevent the rice from getting mushy
If the rice looks uncooked, simply put the inside insert back in, close the Instant Pot and allow the rice to sit for 5 minutes. The remnant heat will further cook the rice.
Do not mix the rice when it's steaming hot, this will start breaking the long grains. Allow the rice to cool a bit and then gently fluff it up using a silicone spatula
As the excess steam evaporates from the rice and the rice cools, it will get drier
Gently run a soft silicone spatula on the sides of the pot and serve
Rice can be easily made ahead when hosting. Take out cooked rice in a large tray and using your hands separate the grains gently, allowing it to cool down. If the grains seem sticky simply wet your hands with cold water which will make it easier to separate the grains. Reheat in the microwave, oven, or chaffing dish when ready to serve

Storing Leftover Instant Pot Basmati Rice

Once the rice has cooled down, refrigerate for up to 3 days. For extended shelf life, freeze the cooked rice in zip-lock bags or freezer containers. To defrost, simply keep the rice container in the refrigerator overnight.

Why is it hard to find a perfect Instant Pot Basmati rice recipe

Given there are so many different brands of white basmati rice with varying thicknesses of grains and ages of the rice; it becomes hard to give the exact rice-to-water ratio and the cook times. Also, each of us has a preference for how well cooked, soft/dry we like our rice. I am going to give you some more variations to try but remember you may need to experiment. Please let me know what works for you and the brand of rice you use.

Recipe Variations

One Minute Rice - Ok, this may sound crazy to you but hear me out! This is the latest method I have tried and it has worked for me. Add 1 cup of rice, 1.5 cups of water, and 1 teaspoon of salt to the main Instant Pot insert. Pressure cook (Hi) for 1 minute and then allow full natural pressure release, about 10 to 15 minutes. Open the Instant Pot and take the inner insert out. Allow it to cool down for 5 minutes before you gently take it out with a silicone spatula. Perfect Rice!!!
Is your rice still coming out mushy after following all of my tips and tricks? You have 2 options - first, reduce the water by ¼ cup per cup of rice, and second, reduce the pressure cook time from 5 minutes in my recipe card below to 4 minutes.

Rice needs different cooking times, depending on the other ingredients and type of rice.

Tips for Biryani, Pulao, and Khichdi:

For biryani dishes, it is best to soak the extra-long-grain basmati rice for 20 minutes. This removes some of the starch and also helps the rice cook so that it’s fluffy and long. With this method, a 1:1 rice-to-water ratio works well, as the biryani dishes also have marinated chicken or vegetables that release plenty of liquid.
For seasoned rice recipes, like Cumin Rice it’s best to rinse the basmati rice a few times and then drain. If you do not have time to presoak the rice, use a 1:2 rice-to-water ratio on low pressure for 5 minutes with a quick release. Transfer the inner pot to a trivet on your counter to stop further cooking to prevent the rice from getting mushy. Allow the rice to cool a bit and then gently fluff up with a fork or silicone spatula.
For traditional khichdi and Pongal, short-grain rice works well with a 1:3 rice-to-water ratio. Depending on the short-grain rice variety and the consistency you prefer, adjust the water ratio. I like the low-pressure Rice setting for dishes like these, which should be cooked soft. Tip: If the rice for biryani or pulao looks slightly undercooked when the cooking cycle is complete, gently fluff the top layer and close the lid for an additional 5 minutes on Keep Warm.

Often served with a dal or curry, basmati rice makes a gluten-free meal.

Vegetarian Dishes to Serve with Basmati Rice

Non-vegetarian Dishes to serve with Basmati Rice

Looking for more rice recipes? Check out this recipe for Instant Pot Jasmine Rice.

Recipe

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