Learn how to cook perfect Instant Pot brown rice every time, quick and easy. A step by step guide on how to cook brown rice in the Instant Pot using the Pot in Pot (PIP) method. The PIP method allows you to pressure cook brown rice in smaller quantities in the serving bowl, with minimal cleanup.
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Table of Contents
Introduction
I frequently get questions about how to make Instant Pot brown rice. I thought it’s high time I share my recipe for pressure cooker brown rice.
I’m sharing with you my way of making brown rice using the pot in pot or PIP method. If you want to know how to do it directly in the inner pot, I tell you how in the tips section and the recipe card below.
So is brown rice really better than white rice? Well, brown rice and white rice have similar amounts of calories and carbohydrates. However brown rice is a whole grain where the outer hull is removed but the bran and germ are retained. As a result, it’s a good source of nutrients and is high in fiber.
When white rice is processed, the hull, bran, and germ are removed, and that removes most of the fiber and nutritional value.
The disadvantage of brown rice over white rice is that brown rice takes almost an hour to cook on the stovetop, and the results can be far from perfect – undercooked, overcooked, or unevenly cooked.
But now you can use the Instant Pot to make perfectly cooked pot in pot brown rice every time. And it’s so easy.
I really like using the Pot in Pot (PIP) method when I’m cooking smaller quantities of rice and I want to serve the rice in the bowl I cooked it in. Cleanup is minimal with the PIP method!
[Read More: Instant Pot Trivet – What is it and How to Use it]
If you’d like to make a larger quantity, you can cook the rice directly in the inner pot using the same timings and ratio. See my Instant Pot Jasmine Rice recipe for more details on the method.
Brown rice is a great choice if like me, you love rice and are trying to reduce carbs or if you’re looking to add fiber and whole grains to your diet. I like to use brown rice in a rice bowl or any recipe that calls for rice.
Here are some recipes to accompany Instant Pot Brown Rice:
– Instant Pot Korean Beef
– Instant Pot Carne Asada
– Instant Pot Carnitas
– Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala
– Instant Pot Thai Fish Curry
– Instant Pot Chicken Shawarma
Tips and Substitutions
What Type of Container to Use
The pot in pot method requires a container or bowl that will fit in the Instant Pot without touching the sides. I have no issues with a Pyrex 7 cup bowl. I’ve used it for over 5 years in my 6 quart Instant Pots.
You can also use a stainless steel container for pot in pot cooking. If you own a 3 quart Instant Pot, the 3 quart inner pot fits in the 8 quart for pot in pot cooking.
Rinsing the Rice
I always rinse the rice before cooking it. I find the rice to be less starchy when I rinse it first. Drain the rice before adding it to the inner pot.
How to Cook Brown Rice Directly in the Instant Pot
If you don’t want to use the pot in pot (PIP) method or you want to pressure cook a larger quantity of brown rice you can make the brown rice directly in the inner pot:
- Lightly coat the inner pot with some oil.
- Add equal quantities of rinsed brown rice and water to the inner pot. Depending on your Instant Pot model, you’ll need to cook at least 1 ½ cups of rice to avoid the Burn Message.
- Pressure cook on High Pressure for 22 minutes.
- Do a 10 minute natural pressure release. Find out more about the different pressure release methods.
What to do if the Rice is Too Wet
If the rice is slightly wet, let it sit open for about 10 minutes. This allows some of the moisture to evaporate.
Chewy vs. Well Done Rice
I like brown rice to be tender but a bit on the chewy side rather than well done. If you like your brown rice well done, allow for a full natural pressure release (NPR). If you like the brown rice to be chewier, do a 5-minute natural pressure release.
Increasing the quantity of water by 25% will also yield softer rice. So play around with the recipe to see what works best for you.
Different Types of Brown Rice
This recipe works well for short grain, medium grain and long grain brown rice. I frequently make brown basmati rice and have made brown Jasmine rice in the Instant Pot with this recipe.
If you’re using parboiled brown rice such as Uncle Ben’s Whole Grain Rice (the ingredient list will say parboiled rice), you do not need a long pressure cooking time. Pressure cook for 6 minutes and do a 10 minute natural pressure release.
Water to Rice Ratio
I really like the consistency of the brown rice using my ratio of 1:1. Try it out once as I’ve detailed and the next time if you want the rice to be softer, you can change the ratio at 1:1.25. So for 1 cup of rice use 1.25 cups of water. For 2 cups of rice use 2.5 cups of water, etc.
If you’re new to the Instant Pot and aren’t familiar with how to use it, you might find it helpful to first read one of the following guides and then come back here to learn how to make this recipe.
- Instant Pot DUO Beginner’s Manual
- Instant Pot ULTRA Beginner’s Manual
- Instant Pot DUO EVO PLUS Beginner’s Manual
- Instant Pot DUO NOVA Beginner’s Manual
- Instant Pot DUO GOURMET Beginner’s Manual
- Instant Pot DUO CRISP Beginner’s Manual
- Instant Pot PRO Beginner’s Manual
- Instant Pot PRO CRISP Beginner’s Manual
Instant Pot Brown Rice Ingredients
- Brown Rice
- Water
How to Make Brown Rice in the Instant Pot (Step by Step Instructions)
- Rinse rice and add to a serving bowl
- Place serving bowl on a trivet
- Pressure cook
- Do a 10 minute natural pressure release
- Fluff the rice
Rinse Rice and Add to a Serving Bowl
- Rinse the brown rice thoroughly.
- Add brown rice to a bowl that will fit in your Instant Pot without touching the sides.
- Add water to the rice.
Place serving bowl on a trivet
- Add 2 cups water to the Instant Pot inner pot.
- Place trivet in the inner pot.
- Place the bowl of rice on the trivet.
Instant Pot Duo Pressure Cook 22 minutes
- Close the lid and make sure the steam release handle is in the Sealing position.
- Press Manual (or Pressure Cook) and + or – until the display reads 22 (22 minutes).
Instant Pot Ultra Pressure Cook 22 minutes
- Close the lid.
- Select Pressure Cook mode and adjust the time to 22 minutes (00:22).
- Press Start.
Pressure Cooking Process (Duo and Ultra)
- Instant Pot display will change to On.
- Once the Instant Pot is pressurized, the float valve will go up.
- The display will count down to 0; it will then switch to Keep Warm mode and display L0:00 or 00 00 and begin to count up the number of minutes since pressure cooking completed.
How to do a 10-minute Natural Release of Pressure
- Allow the Instant Pot to stay in Keep Warm mode for 10 minutes.
How to Release any Remaining Pressure on the DUO
- Move the steam release handle to Venting. Any remaining steam will come out of the steam release handle.
- When your Instant Pot is depressurized, the float valve will be in the down position.
- Press Cancel and open the Instant Pot.
How to Release any Remaining Pressure on the ULTRA
- Press down on the Steam Release Button until it locks into place, and any remaining steam will come out of the Steam Release Valve.
- When your Instant Pot is depressurized, the float valve will be in the down position.
- Press Cancel and open the Instant Pot.
[Find out more about the pressure release methods and how and when to use them. ]
Fluff the Rice
- Carefully remove cooked rice from Instant Pot.
- Fluff the rice with a fork.
Perfect Instant Pot Brown Rice
Ingredients
- 2 cups brown rice
- 2 cups water to cook rice
- 2 cups water for inner pot of the Instant Pot
Instructions
To Cook Using the Pot in Pot Method:
- Rinse the brown rice and drain thoroughly.
- Add brown rice to an oven safe serving bowl that fits in the Instant Pot without touching the sides.
- Add water to the rice.
- Add 2 cups water to the Instant Pot inner pot.
- Place trivet in the inner pot.
- Place bowl on the trivet.
- Close the lid and pressure cook on High Pressure for 22 minutes.
- Do a 10 minute natural pressure release (NPR 10 minutes). [Read More: The Different Pressure Release Methods]
- Press Cancel and open the Instant Pot.
- Carefully remove bowl of cooked rice from Instant Pot using silicone gloves.
- Fluff the rice with a fork.
- Allow the rice to sit for about 10 minutes to allow extra moisture to be absorbed.
To Cook Directly in the Inner Pot (Without Pot in Pot)
- Coat inner pot with some vegetable oil or use a spray oil.
- Rinse the brown rice and drain thoroughly
- Stir together brown rice and water in the inner pot.
- Close the lid and pressure cook on High Pressure for 22 minutes.
- Do a 10 minute natural pressure release (NPR 10 minutes). [Read More: The Different Pressure Release Methods]
- Press Cancel and open the Instant Pot.
- Fluff the rice with a fork.
- Allow the rice to sit for about 10 minutes to allow extra moisture to be absorbed.
Notes
- This recipe can be used to make Instant Pot brown basmati rice, medium grain rice or short grain rice.
- If you like your rice to be well done, do a full natural pressure release (NPR).
Nutrition
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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.
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More Instant Pot Rice Recipes
Instant Pot Arroz Con Pollo | Chicken and Rice
Easy Instant Pot Jambalaya
Instant Pot Wild Rice with Cranberries and Pecans
Vinnie
Do you ever use homemade chicken broth in pip method for brown rice? If so, any changes other than two and a half cups of water for 2 cups of Mahatma brown?
Paint the Kitchen Red
Vinnie, I don’t think I’ve used broth with brown rice. You might want to give it an extra couple of minutes of cooking time just to be sure.
Deborah
Hi do you think I could cook 1/4 cup short grain brown rice in pip. I need 1/2 cup cooked rice for a recipe. How much water ? Maybe 2 cups in the instant pot bowl and 1/2 cup in with 1/4 cup of short grain rice in the small glass Pyrex bowl??? How long would you cook it? Any. Natural release? Thanks.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Deborah, yes you should be able to cook 1/4 cup of rice + 1/4 cup water in a small pyrex bowl. Same cook time, about 22 minutes but this may vary slightly based on your model. Full NPR or at least 15 minutes NPR. Good luck!
Madonna
My first PIP attempt, and it was perfect. I would never have believed that simple brown rice could be so delicious!! So much tastier than on the stove top! Thanks for sharing!
Paint the Kitchen Red
I agree with you – I was never a big fan of brown rice and now I make it all the time. So easy! I have a wild rice recipe coming up soon that you might want to check out!
Mary
can this method be used on rice that’s been soaked overnight? I like to pre-soak my rice for digestibility and to reduce phytic acid.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Mary, you should be able to cook pre-soaked rice the same way but I think you’ll want to reduce the cooking time.
Heide
This was my first attempt at cooking brown rice in the IP and it was a total success! Plus I had the IP ready to cook my next item, no need to wash since the rice was in a separate glass container. Thank you!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Thanks for your comment, Heide! You might want to try out the brown “fried” rice too.
Suzanne
I would like to try Bryani in IP. would you advise it? thank you.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Suzanne – yes, you can cook biryani in the Instant Pot but you won’t have the layering that traditional biryani has. I have a lamb biryani recipe that you can look at to get an idea about technique in case you already have a biryani recipe you use. Good luck!
Carl Medgaus
If I want to substitute brown rice for the white rice in your Jambalaya recipe, how would you adjust the amount of liquid and time to account for the brown rice? Thanks in advance.
Paint the Kitchen Red
Carl, the only concern would be the vegetables being overcooked. Brown rice cooks in 22 minutes with the same amount of liquid. If you look at previous comments I have mentioned to others that they could par-cook the brown rice, drain, and proceed with the recipe. But this might be a pain….
Shannon
What’s the smallest amount you’ve made with the PIP method and did you change the rice-to-water ratio? I’d like to do this for meal prep but I don’t need 6 cups of cooked rice (12 servings) as I’m likely the only one in my family to be eating it and it would go bad before I could finish it. Do you think it would work if I divided the recipe by 3 so I end up with 2 cups of cooked rice?
Paint the Kitchen Red
Shannon, I’ve made as little as 1 cup of rice using the PIP method. Just use the same ratio and you should be able to cook any amount. Btw, I freeze rice 🙂
Bergandi
What type of bowls do you use when doing the PIP method? Just wanting sure what I use is pressure cooker safe!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Bergandi, I use oven-safe (thick) Pyrex, ceramic and stainless steel bowls. But I urge you to follow manufacturer’s directions for the glass bowls because some people have had issues with them cracking. I have had no issues myself.
Carol
Super easy and less cleanup, nice
Linda Foster
I would have never eaten brown rice before using your PIP instructions, I actually had a big bow very good. Usually cook only for dogs meals…
THANKS
Paint the Kitchen Red
You’re welcome Linda – your comment made me chuckle 🙂
Linda Foster
OMG, for the first time cooking brown rice PIP and I previously wouldn’t have had a bowl of brown rice ever (make for the dogs) WELL drum roll, it is fluffy and delicious, SHOCKED, my white rice which I love Jasmine never comes out good (for me). will look at your directions. THANK YOU FOR A DELICIOUS BROWN RICE.
AGAIN THANK YOU
Paint the Kitchen Red
Linda, thank you for your review! You’ll be pleasantly surprised by the Jasmine – I make it every week, perfect every time. And you’re pretty funny, btw 🙂
Raj
May I know what brand of brown rice you use? Thanks!
Paint the Kitchen Red
Raj, I’ve used different brands including Indian brown basmati (e.g. Royal brand) and Mahatma brand
Rose
if we want to make rice in some large quantity than?
Paint the Kitchen Red
Rose, if you want to make a larger quantity, you should cook it directly in the inner pot. I use the same proportions and timings, maybe slightly more water.