Instant Pot Brown Rice
Published 11/11/2023 • Updated 3/17/2025
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We love making Instant Pot brown rice because it’s truly foolproof and comes out perfect every time. Make a large batch of brown rice in the Instant Pot using a 1:1 ratio of rice to water and cook on high for 20 minutes.
How many times have I made brown rice on the stove and it’s either bubbled over or stuck to the bottom of the pot? TOO MANY TO COUNT 🫠. But there’s no need to worry about burnt or mushy rice when you make brown rice in the Instant Pot! I love using this method when I’ve got lots of mouths to feed or to free up space on the stovetop.
Our quick and foolproof method: Our Instant Pot brown rice recipe comes together with 1 cup of rice and 1 cup of water and cooks on high for just 20 minutes.
top tips from the fit foodie kitchen ⤵️
Always rinse your rice: It is VERY important that you rinse rice before cooking it. You are rinsing off any dirt and excess starch, and it will leave you with a fluffier, less mushy rice.
1:1 ratio works for all brown rice: The 1:1 ratio of water to rice works for both short grain and long grain rice.
Yes, you can double the recipe: we’ve tested this recipe with 1 cup of water, 1 cup of rice and also with 2 cups of water, 2 cups of rice. Both work great with no change in cook time in a standard size Instant Pot.
What type of brown rice can you cook in the Instant Pot?
We tested this recipe multiple times with both long grain brown rice and short grain brown rice.
Our finding is that the long grain brown rice needed that extra time in the Instant Pot with a natural release whereas the short grain brown rice was fine with a quick release.
- Short Grain Brown Rice: short grain brown rice tends to be more starchy than long-grain brown rice. When cooked, the texture is soft, sticky, and fluffy. Cook time for short-grain brown rice is 20 minutes but you quick release the pressure.
- Long Grain Brown Rice: long grain brown rice is less starchy than short grain brown rice and when cooked the texture is a bit drier than other rices. Cook time for long grain brown rice is 20 minutes but you must let the pressure natural release for 10 minutes.
Storage
To store Instant Pot brown rice, you want to remove the rice from the Instant Pot and let it cool completely before putting it in an air-tight storage container. Brown rice can last up to 7 days in the refrigerator.
Can you freeze brown rice?
Yes, you can freeze Instant Pot brown rice. Freezing brown rice is a great way to have cooked rice on hand at all times. To freeze Instant Pot brown rice, let the rice cool completely and then place it in a freezer-safe bag and place it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Foolproof Instant Pot Brown Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown rice, short grain or long grain
- 1 cup water, or broth
Instructions
- Add the brown rice to a fine sieve and rinse under cold water until the water runs clear.
- Add the rice and water to the Instant Pot and stir the rice and water together. Be sure that all the rice is covered in water.
- Cover and seal the Instant Pot's pressure valve. Set the Instant Pot to high pressure and cook for 20 minutes.
- Long grain rice: naturally release the pressure for 10 minutes and then release any leftover pressure from the Instant Pot.
- Short grain brown rice: quick release the pressure.
Tips & Notes
- Feel free to double or triple this recipe.
- For more flavor, swap the water for broth.
Watch It
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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The second sentence has a glaring typo.
“All you need is and Instant Pot”.
I also want to thank you for having a “jump to recipe” option. Really helps with the intrusive ads that are all over even the mobile version of this page.
Thank you, Great recipe!
You should join this Instant Pot Tips & Recipes Facebook group. I got a lot of new ideas and recipes. highly recommended! Here is a link to the group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/434020724110015/
If you double the recipe do you have to increase the time?
You shouldn’t have to!
You don’t know the actual answer?
This turned out great! Just wondering if you’ve ever tried doubling recipe?
Rice turned out perfectly! I wasn’t sure which type of grain I had, and so I averaged it out a bit!
Such an easy method, right?!