Instant Pot basmati rice is a hands-off way to make perfect, fragrant rice with your pressure cooker! Best of all, there’s no need to rinse or soak!

If you want a failproof method to get perfect basmati rice in the Instant Pot, this recipe is just the ticket! Find out my preferred rice to water ratio, cook time, how to use the pot in pot method, and more!

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I love the versatility of rice, and it’s a pantry staple in my home, for good reason.

You can top it with almost any sauce, various meats, veggies, or use it in a casserole or soup.

The trouble is, I used to be terrible at making it correctly. I know what you’re thinking–how hard can it be?

I always used the stove top method of preparation, usually following the instructions on the bag. But that process left me always a little underwhelmed, as the rice was usually either too wet or too mushy or just not quite right.

Since buying my Instant Pot a few years ago, I have given up cooking the rice on the stove top in favor of pressure cooking the rice.

Seriously, it has been a game-changer. SO much easier, and the rice is perfect EVERY time.

This Instant Pot basmati rice is just one example rice perfection!

And BONUS: If you make a big batch or have leftovers, it’s easy to learn how to reheat rice in the Instant Pot!

What is Basmati Rice?

Basmati rice is a long grain white rice commonly used in Indian or Southeast Asian cooking.

It’s a fragrant rice with a nutty taste. It’s somewhat similar to jasmine rice, but slightly softer.

It makes a tasty addition to so many different meals!

If you have regular long-grain white rice on hand, use my Instant Pot white rice recipe instead!

Instant Pot Basmati Rice to Water Ratio

The proper rice to water ratio will boil down to your personal preference. Personally, I like my rice to be slightly soft, so I use a ratio of 1:1.25, or 1 cup of rice to 1 1/4 cups of water.

However, if you prefer your rice to have a little bit more of a bite, you can decrease the ratio to 1:1, or 1 cup of rice to 1 cup of water.

This ratio stays the same, even if you double or triple the recipe. Just be sure to measure carefully and be sure you don’t exceed your pressure cooker’s capacity.

It’s also worth noting that, in general, white rice triples in volume when cooked, so one cup of dry rice will yield about three cups of cooked rice.

Do You Need to Soak or Rinse Basmati Rice?

Traditionally, basmati rice is rinsed and/or soaked, as a way to remove excess starch and prevent the rice from being too sticky.

However, I have never soaked my basmati rice. Sometimes I rinse it and sometimes I don’t. I don’t find it to make a big difference either way, and I am always pleased with the texture, never finding it to be too sticky.

So no, you don’t have to do either of those steps.

However, if you prefer to rinse your rice first, feel free to rinse it in a fine mesh sieve. Then, decrease the amount of water per cup by 3 Tablespoons, since the rice will still have some water on it even after it is drained.

How to Make Basmati Rice in the Instant Pot

Following these simple steps will help you achieve perfect basmati rice in the Instant Pot!

In the insert pot of the Instant Pot, combine rice and water. If desired, add some salt.

Close the lid and set the vent to the sealed position. Select a 6 minute cook time at high pressure.

After the cook time is complete, allow a natural release of pressure for 10 minutes, followed by a quick release of any remaining pressure.

Fluff the rice with a couple of forks and serve as desired!

How to Make Instant Pot Basmati Rice Using the Pot in Pot Method

The pot in pot method of cooking allows you to cook the rice in a separate dish within the insert pot of the Instant Pot.

This is nice for a couple of reasons. For starters, it’s less messy. You can often serve the rice from the dish it’s cooked in, meaning less dishes.

Also, it allows you to potentially cook more than one food in the Instant Pot at the same time, as you can see in this Instant Pot Kung Pao Chickpeas recipe.

Not only that, but it’s an ideal method if you want to prepare a smaller amount of rice.

For instance, my recipe calls for 1 cup of rice, which expands to about 3 cups of cooked rice. Because you need a minimum amount of water in the Instant Pot, you can’t just cut the recipe in half (doing so would be too little water).

However, you can use the pot in pot method to cook a smaller amount of rice, say 1/2 cup of rice, which will expand to about 1 1/2 cups of cooked rice. This is possible because the water used to achieve pressure is under the pot containing the rice and water. So you can still build enough pressure without making more rice than you want.

To prepare basmati rice using the pot in pot method, you’ll simply pour 1 cup of water into the insert pot of the Instant Pot and place the trivet in the insert pot.

I have a list of pot in pot cooking accessories, but all you need for making rice is a heat-safe baking dish that will fit in your Instant Pot, combine the rice and water (and salt, if using).

Lower the baking dish into the insert pot and place it on the trivet. At this point, the cook time and pressure release are the same as if you were cooking directly in the insert pot!

I like to use my bundt pan for making rice in the Instant Pot, but you could also use a Pyrex dish or other baking dish.

More Basic Instant Pot Rice and Grain Recipes:

• Failproof Instant Pot Brown Rice
• Perfect Instant Pot Jasmine Rice
• Instant Pot Parmesan Risotto
• Instant Pot Rice a Roni
• Instant Pot Spanish Rice
• Instant Pot Yellow Rice
• Easiest Instant Pot Wild Rice
• Perfectly Fluffy Instant Pot Quinoa

Should I Use the Instant Pot Rice Setting for Cooking Basmati Rice?

The Instant Pot’s rice setting is an automatic setting that adjusts cook time based on the amount of water and rice in the insert pot.

It also cooks at low pressure, instead of high pressure.

For these reasons, I don’t personally use the rice setting–I like to manually control the cook time. But you’re welcome to use it if you want to give it a try.

It’s also worth noting that the rice setting is only for white rice, so it doesn’t work properly for cooking brown rice in the Instant Pot.

Also, since the rice setting adjusts time based on how much rice and water are in the insert pot, I don’t think it would work correctly if you are following the pot in pot method, though I have not tried this myself.

More Instant Pot Recipes that Use Rice:

• Creamy Instant Pot Chicken and Rice
• Kung Pao Chickpeas and Rice in the Instant Pot
• Mexican Stuffed Peppers in the Instant Pot
• Instant Pot Sweet and Sour Chicken with Rice