Instant Pot Brown Rice Recipe

Instant pot brown rice is easy and works every time. It requires less than 5 minutes of preparation and you will end up with delicious and fluffy brown rice every time.

Now that we are working on instant pot recipes, I like to show you how to make simple and basic instant pot recipes such as instant pot hard boiled eggs in addition to full meals like Italian sausage pasta.

Instant pot brown rice recipe

Growing up in a Persian family, white rice was always a staple in our home. We had a rice cooker that we would use from time to time but my mom usually made the rice in a pot. However, I had never heard of brown rice until I moved to the US and once I tried it, I understood why it is so popular here. Brown rice is a delicious side for so many dishes and it’s so easy to make in your instant pot. If you own an instant pot and want to start making some basic recipes with it, this instant pot brown rice recipe should be on your list because it comes out perfect every time!

Why should I make brown rice in my instant pot?

There are a few good reasons for cooking brown rice in your instant pot:

• It’s a fool-proof, hands off method which means no rice baby sitting is needed.
• All you need to do is to put everything in the IP and set the timer.
• It comes out fluffy and perfectly cooked every time.

I suggest this Instant Pot if you don’t have one (affiliate). Instant pots come with different capacities and with different programs.

How much water do you use to make brown rice in instant pot?

Water to rice ratio is an important thing to know when using your instant pot to cook basically anything since the IP uses that water to cook the food; however, you don’t want your food to have excess water. So coming up with the right ratio is probably the most crucial step of this easy brown rice recipe.

I always use 2 cups of brown rice and 2.5 cups liquid which is usually half water and half stock. It’s the perfect ratio which gives you fluffy brown rice that’s nicely cooked and isn’t mushy at all.

How to make brown rice in instant pot

Rinse the rice three times to get rid of excess starch. Place the rice in the instant pot and add in olive oil and water. For more flavor, use vegetable or chicken stock instead of water to make brown rice in your instant pot. Secure the lid and make sure the knob is on “seal”.

Press the “pressure cook” button. Set it on “high” and set the timer for 24 minutes. Once the cooking time is finished, let the instant pot release the pressure naturally and then remove the lid. Fluff the brown rice using a fork and serve with your favorite main dish. You can use the exact same method to make brown basmati rice in instant pot.

Can I freeze cooked brown rice?

Absolutely. Frozen cooked brown rice is great for meal prep because you can easily heat it without thawing and add it to your meals. To freeze cooked brown rice, let it cool completely and then measure one cup and put it in a ziploc freezer bag. Spread the rice into a layer and freeze for up to 2 months.

To heat, take the block of rice out of the bag and microwave it or place it in a pan: it will heat pretty quickly.

What to serve with brown rice

Brown rice makes a delicious side dish to many different main dishes such as saffron chicken, Mediterranean chicken or quick Korean beef. You can make a rice bowl using cooked brown rice and some kind of protein such as salmon, chicken or beef.