Paint The Kitchen Red

Easy Chinese-style Instant Pot Fried Rice

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If you’re looking for that last-minute accompaniment to complete your dinner menu and you don’t have a lot of time, this Instant Pot Fried Rice is perfect for you.  This pressure cooker rice recipe calls for frozen vegetables and ingredients you probably have on hand and requires minimal prep work.  Add some sriracha sauce to give it that extra zing!

Instant Pot Fried Rice - bowl of rice with vegetables garnished with green onions in blue bowl on blue napkin with chopsticks

This recipe should be called Instant Pot ‘Unfried’ Rice because it’s actually not fried at all. But although it may not be fried, it is quick, easy and very tasty.

 

I make this rice often because more often than not, evenings at my house are super busy and this recipe goes well as a side dish with any kind of cuisine, but especially Asian dishes.

 

If you want a mostly hands-off Instant Pot recipe with hardly any cleanup, this Instant Pot recipe is for you. If you want an authentic Chinese-style fried rice, I suggest you get out your wok. Stir-frying the rice in the Instant Pot, which I know some recipes do suggest, doesn’t work for me – the rice becomes glutinous and sticky.

 

Another change from my traditional wok fried rice recipe is that I fry the eggs separately and add to the rice at the end. This avoids the sticky mess that can happen when you fry an egg in the Instant Pot!  But the downside is that you do have another pan to clean.

[Also Read: Instant Pot Jasmine Rice and Instant Pot Rice using Pot in Pot Method]

Tips and Substitutions

I like to use Jasmine rice for this Instant Pot fried rice recipe. If you substitute other types of rice, you might need to change the cooking time.

I use frozen peas and carrots for convenience. You can use fresh vegetables if you prefer.

If you want your vegetables to be less cooked and have more crunch, saute the veggies first in the vegetable oil, remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add back in once the rice is cooked.

If you’d like to make Instant Pot Fried Rice with Chicken, briefly saute the bite-size chicken pieces (no need to cook through), then proceed with the rest of the recipe as written.  And if you wanted to do shrimp fried rice instead, stir-fry the seasoned shrimp at the beginning, remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add back in once the rice is cooked.

I’m partial to cilantro, and like to sprinkle some chopped cilantro on the rice before serving.

To spice up the rice, add 1 to 2 teaspoons of sriracha sauce with the other fried rice sauce ingredients before pressure cooking.

If you’re a pure vegetarian, then you can substitute vegetarian oyster sauce for the regular oyster sauce.

If you’re new to the  Instant Pot and aren’t familiar with how to use it, please read the Instant Pot  DUO Beginner’s Quick Start Guide or the Instant Pot ULTRA Beginner’s Quick Start Guide first and then come back here to learn how to make this Instant Pot Fried Rice.

GO DIRECTLY TO RECIPE

Instant Pot Fried Rice Ingredients

Instant Pot Fried Rice Ingredients - water, sesame oil, oyster sauce, soy sauce, vegetable oil, pepper, ginger, rice, frozen vegetables, garlic, onion

 

How to Make Instant Pot Fried Rice (Step-by-Step Instructions)


Instant Pot Ultra Duo Saute Function collage - arrows pointing to Saute in Duo and Ultra - Paint the Kitchen Red

  • Instant Pot DUO:  Select the ‘Saute’ function.
  • Instant Pot ULTRA:  Select the ‘Saute’ function and press ‘Start’.

 

Instant Pot Fried Rice Instructions 1 collage - oil in Instant Pot, onion garlic and ginger cooked, added rice

  • Once the Instant Pot has heated up, add vegetable oil to the Instant Pot inner pot.
  • Saute onions till translucent, about 2 minutes.
  • Press Cancel. This will allow the Instant Pot to cool down while you do the next steps.
  • Saute ginger and garlic for 30 seconds.
  • Stir in rinsed Jasmine rice until coated with oil.
  • Deglaze inner pot with a tablespoon or two of water if there’s anything stuck to the bottom.

 

Instant Pot Fried Rice Instructions 2 collage - rice, sauce ingredients, vegetables added, stirred - Paint the Kitchen Red

  • Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, black pepper, sesame oil, frozen vegetables, and water.
  • Stir to mix.

 

Instant Pot Duo Manual mode 5 minutes collage - close lid, press manual, press - or +, display shows 5 - Paint the Kitchen RedInstant Pot DUO Pressure Cook:

  • Close the lid and make sure steam release handle is in ‘Sealing’ position
  • Press ‘Manual’ (or ‘Pressure Cook’) and ‘+’ or ‘-‘ until display reads ‘5′ (5 minutes).

 

Instant Pot Ultra pressure cook 5 minutes collage - close Instant Pot Ultra, set time to 00:05 and select Pressure Cook, press start - Paint the Kitchen Red

Instant Pot ULTRA Pressure Cook:

  • Close the lid.
  • Select Pressure Cook mode and adjust time to 5 minutes (00:05).
  • Press ‘Start’.

 

Instant Pot Duo Pressure Cooking collage - display shows On, float valve is down, display shows L0:00 - Paint the Kitchen Red Instant Pot Ultra pressure cooking collage - Ultra display shows On, float valve is up, display shows 00 00 - Paint the Kitchen Red

  • Instant Pot display will change to ‘On’.
  • Once the Instant Pot is pressurized, the float valve will go up.
  • The display will count down from 5 to 0; it will then switch to ‘Keep Warm’ mode and display ‘L0:00’  or ’00 00′ and begin to count up.

 

Instant Pot Ultra and Duo 10 minute Natural Release (NPR) Paint the Kitchen Red

  • Wait till the count-up timer reads 00:10 or L0:10 (10 minutes) and release any remaining pressure manually using the Quick Release (QR) method.  This is called a 10 minute Natural Pressure Release (NPR).

 

Instant Pot Duo natural release cancel and open collage - float valve is down, arrow pointing to Cancel, lid is open - Paint the Kitchen Red Instant Pot Ultra Natural Release Cancel and Open collage - arrow pointing to float valve down, press cancel button, lid is open and Instant Pot Ultra display shows Off - Paint the Kitchen Red

  • The float valve will now be in the down position.
  • Press ‘Cancel’ and open the Instant Pot.
  • Let the Instant Pot Fried Rice rest for a few minutes.

 

Instant Pot Fried Rice Instructions 4 collage - beaten eggs in bowl, eggs in frying pan, scrambled eggs in frying pan

  • Break eggs into a medium bowl and beat with a whisk.
  • Heat a large nonstick frying pan over medium heat.
  • Add 1 tsp vegetable oil and stir to coat.
  • Pour eggs into frying pan allow to set for 30 seconds to a minute.
  • Using a silicone spatula, gently break up the eggs and flip until scrambled and cooked through.

 

Instant Pot Fried Rice Instructions collage 3 - cooked rice and vegetables, add eggs, stir all - Paint the Kitchen Red

  • Add eggs to the inner pot.
  • Sprinkle with chopped green onions before serving.
  • Gently stir the Instant Pot Fried Rice.

Instant Pot Fried Rice - bowl of rice with vegetables garnished with green onions in blue bowl on blue napkin with chopsticks

Instant Pot Fried Rice

If you're looking for that last minute accompaniment to complete your dinner menu and you don't have a lot of time, this Instant Pot Fried Rice is perfect for you.  Quick and easy, the recipe calls for frozen vegetables, Jasmine rice, and ingredients you probably have on hand and requires minimal prep work.
4.31 from 13 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Sides
Cuisine: Asian, Chinese
Keyword: fried rice, instant pot
Main Ingredient: rice, vegetarian
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 187kcal
Author: Paint the Kitchen Red

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Select the Saute function and allow the Instant Pot to heat up.
  • Rinse and drain rice; set aside.
  • Add 1 Tbsp vegetable oil to the Instant Pot inner pot.
  • Saute onions till translucent, about 2 minutes, stirring often.
  • Press Cancel.  This will allow the Instant Pot to cool down while you do the next steps.
  • Saute ginger and garlic for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
  • Stir in rinsed Jasmine rice until coated with onion mixture.
  • Deglaze inner pot with a tablespoon or two of water if there’s anything stuck to the bottom.
  • Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, black pepper, frozen vegetables, and water.
  • Stir to mix.
  • Close the lid and pressure cook for 5 minutes.
  • Let the pressure release naturally (NPR) for 10 minutes and then release any remaining pressure using the Quick Release (QR) method.
  • Open the lid and let the Instant Pot Fried Rice rest for a few minutes.
  • Heat a large nonstick frying pan over medium heat on the stove.
  • Coat the frying pan with remaining vegetable oil and pour in the eggs.
  • Scramble the eggs by gently breaking up the eggs and flipping until eggs are set.
  • Add eggs to the rice.
  • Add green onions and stir the rice gently to mix together all ingredients.

Video

Notes

  • Prep time does not include steps that are already accounted for in the ingredient list, e.g. minced garlic, cut vegetables, etc.
  • See the blog post for more detailed recipe tips

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 187kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 93mg | Sodium: 915mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g
Have you made this recipe?I love seeing your photos! Tag me on Instagram @PaintTheKitchenRed hashtag #paintthekitchenred

I am not a certified nutritionist.  I provide my best estimate of nutritional information merely as a courtesy to my readers.  If you depend on nutritional information for dietary or health reasons,  I suggest using your favorite online nutrition calculator to confirm the nutritional value of this recipe based on the actual ingredients that you use.

If you loved this recipe, please give it a 5 Star rating in the comment section below and please share it on social media using the social media share buttons at the top and bottom of this post. Thank you so much!

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You might also like to try these Instant Pot Recipes:

 

Instant Pot Jasmine Rice in white bowl on flowery colorful napkin and straw placemat with a spoon- Paint the Kitchen Red

 

Instant Pot Brown Fried Rice L1 - black bowl of fried rice with carrots peas and green onions with a serving spoon in the middle of bowl - Paint the Kitchen Red

 

Instant Pot Panang Curry with chicken, green beans, red and green peppers, Thai basil in a white bowl on a light wood background

Instant Pot Jasmine RiceInstant Pot Brown Fried RiceInstant Pot Panang Curry


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Reader Interactions

Comments

    • Paint the Kitchen Red

      July 24, 2018 at 10:19 pm

      Hi Anna, that’s so sweet of you to say. I actually used to share my recipes on that sub (user paintthekitchenred) but I often got complaints about self-promotion and also they didn’t like the fact that my GO DIRECTLY TO RECIPE link was not right at the top. I am a wimp, and I couldn’t handle the criticism (to the point of tears!) and so I stopped sharing my recipes on there. But I really appreciate you taking the time to let me know and most importantly, I’m really glad you found me.

      Reply

  3. Shristi

    August 1, 2018 at 1:01 pm

    This recipe is great! I dice up Spam and cook it in a large pan that I later “fry” the rice in. My husband lived in Hawaii for a few years so he loves Spam in his fried rice :). Thanks for another great recipe! I’ve loved everything I’ve tried on your site!

    Reply

    • Paint the Kitchen Red

      August 5, 2018 at 7:59 pm

      Hi Dev – you absolutely can do without the eggs. If you’re vegetarian, use vegetarian oyster sauce. I would add some sriracha sauce at the end, or saute some sliced serrano chili peppers with the onions.

      Reply

  7. Jen

    August 28, 2018 at 10:12 pm

    We really enjoyed this! I added frozen peas at the end while the rice was resting, so they stayed bright green, and added a bit of leftover roasted chicken and a splash of fish sauce. The recipe worked perfectly.

    Reply

  8. Karen Magno

    August 29, 2018 at 3:18 pm

    Looking forward to trying this it I might add some diced chicken. Should I add cooked chicken at the end or can I cook the raw chicken at the same time as the rice?

    Reply

  9. Dorothea

    October 14, 2018 at 3:57 pm

    OMG! Just got my 9 in 1 instant pot and this was my first recipe. The beginner tips were helpful too as it’s book is a bit confusing. I added chip to,this dish along with basil and heat to make more like Basil n chic fried rice. Hubby loves it and it was done in less than 30mins to include prep. A few questions:
    1. If I double, how much more water do I need?
    2. If I use steak strips vs chip, should I leave while cooking or keep aside as you suggested for shrimp?
    Thanks for making it less scary!

    Reply

    • Paint the Kitchen Red

      October 15, 2018 at 3:23 pm

      Dorothea, if you double the recipe, you’ll double the water. Make sure you don’t go over the 1/2 full mark because you’re cooking rice (as per the Instant Pot safety precautions). If you’re adding cooked steak strips, I’m not sure they’ll cook completely with the stated cooking times. You might have to saute them until half cooked and then pressure cook the rest of the way. Enjoy your new Instant Pot, and thank you for your comment!

      Reply

  11. Froggie Doodle

    November 25, 2018 at 7:03 pm

    Made this for my small group. It was delicious! Didn’t have oyster sauce. Could I have used fish sauce? I find it a bit too strong.
    Only thing, I forgot to bring extra soy sauce and Sriracha. Everyone like it!! Thank you for a great recipe!!

    Reply

    • Paint the Kitchen Red

      November 26, 2018 at 8:32 am

      Thanks for your comment! I don’t think that fish sauce would be a good substitute because oyster sauce has a sweet flavor base and fish sauce plus soy sauce would be too salty. Hoisin is a good substitute. Or you could replace the soy sauce with fish sauce plus a bit more, add a smidge of sugar, and omit the oyster sauce.

      Reply

  12. Heather

    December 30, 2018 at 10:17 am

    Thanks for this recipe! My 13 yo has been begging for fried rice and I’ve been doing everything in my IP lately. I didn’t have any oyster sauce so I left that out…had to add some more soy sauce at the end to give it a bit more flavor. I did leave my frozen veggies out until the end because I didn’t want them mushy. I think maybe I stirred the rice too much to incorporate the frozen veggies as my rice got sticky and glutinous. Very easy and tasty, tho! Next time I’m going to try and follow this recipe to a T!

    Reply

  14. Emme

    January 23, 2019 at 6:03 pm

    I just stumbled onto this site and it’s so refreshing to see a clear written out recipe. I know how much extra work it must be, but I really appreciate the step-by-step photos instead of 30 glamour shots of the final product most food blogs have. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply

  16. Jodi Portnoy

    February 12, 2019 at 7:35 pm

    The recipe did come together pretty easily. I added frozen raw shrimp on top before I sealed the pot, and they were terrific when done. However, the rice was very soft – I think maybe overcooked and waterlogged, and it was pretty bland. I wish I had added a lot more garlic, ginger and onion than what was called for, and less liquid. I may try to make it again but I will definitely make some adjustments.

    Reply

    • Paint the Kitchen Red

      February 12, 2019 at 8:17 pm

      Jodi, there are a few reasons you had issues with the recipe. When you use frozen foods, you need to reduce the quantity of liquid in a recipe. The frozen item contributes liquid and that is the reason your rice was overcooked and mushy. And having too much liquid is the #1 reason why pressure cooked foods taste bland. If you try the recipe again, I would suggest using thawed shrimp but it would probably overcook at 4 minutes. So instead you can open the lid after the rice has cooked, add the thawed shrimp and let it cook in the residual heat. Hope you’ll give it another try.

      Reply

    • Nancy

      February 25, 2019 at 12:18 pm

      For rice in the IP, you are supposed to use a 1:1 ration of liquid. This recipe calls for more than that with 1.5 cups rice to 1.75 cups water, and then another quarter cup of liquid with the soy and oyster sauces. There may be a slight amount of wetness added from the onions and other vegetables, and then the added water from the frozen things you are putting in. I would suggest starting out with less water, such as either cut it down to 1.5 cups of water and then there is still the extra from the sauces. Or just go with 1.25 cups water plus the extra 1/4 cup from the sauces which will get you the 1:1 ratio. You can just play around with it as well to get it to your liking. Also, this rice made in the IP will not have the same texture as actual fried rice and will definitely be more soft than fried rice. I’m actually making this tonight, although I tweaked the recipe a bit for some of our dietary issues.

      Reply

      • Paint the Kitchen Red

        February 25, 2019 at 12:55 pm

        Nancy, the ratio for rice is different based on the type of rice I use. Jasmine is generally 1:1.25. I’m fairly sure that the frozen shrimp was the biggest contributor to the issues this reader had. Anyway, I hope the recipe works for you with your modifications and thanks for your response to this reader.

        Reply

  17. shristi sargent

    March 17, 2019 at 5:27 pm

    I’ve made this so many times and my family all loves it! I add more soy sauce and spices to our taste.

    Also, after I do npr, I take the IP inner pot and put it on top of my stove burners (with rice still in it) and let it cool completely. My husband does not like mushy rice at all, so letting it cool helps it to be more fluffy. Then a few hours later, I cook the eggs and whatever meat I’m using and mix it all up in a hot pan. Top with Sriracha, green onions, cilantro, and sesame seeds.

    We love this and so many other recipes from this site! Thank you Neena!

    Reply

    • Paint the Kitchen Red

      March 28, 2019 at 11:59 am

      Megan, did you stir the rice in or let it sit on top? Did you deglaze well so that nothing burnt was stuck to the bottom? Have you successfully cooked other meals without getting a burn error? It’s possible you need to add more water to the recipe. Your Instant Pot may just run hotter than others – this is a known issue I’ve seen with other users. Sorry you had trouble.

      Reply

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