Brown Rice Instant Pot Recipe

Calendar icon Published: Sep 25th 2022 by Sarah Leadon
Clock icon Last updated: Dec 20th 2024
Read time: 4 mins
Cuisine:
This recipe, developed through the collective effort of at least 6 experts, underwent meticulous research and testing for over 3 months. Learn more about our process in the art and science behind our recipes or read how we use AI responsibly. This post may contain affiliate links. Read our Disclosure Policy.
Front View of Brown Rice Instant Pot

Brown rice is a hearty filling whole grain. It is just like white rice, as it has the hull removed. However, brown rice still has the bran and germ attached to the grains, hence the brown color and brown rice. Most people avoid brown rice because it takes much longer to cook than white rice. Brown rice takes about 45 minutes to cook, while white rice cooks in 20-25 minutes. However, what if I told you that you could cook brown rice faster than white rice? That's right; you can cook brown rice in an instant pot. This Brown Rice Instant Pot cooks for 18 or 22 minutes if you prefer softer rice. It is flavored with salt to make it taste amazing, as well as ground thyme, onion powder, and garlic powder to give the brown rice a delicious savory flavor. You can serve this brown rice with Briam Greek Roasted Vegetables or Morrocan Chickpea Stew to keep things vegan. You can also do the brown rice with Air Fryer Fish or Goat Stew if you want more protein. All in all, this delicious brown rice will pair perfectly with any dish you serve it with. 

How long does brown rice take in an Instant Pot?

The cooking time of brown rice depends on how soft you want it to be. It will take 18 minutes for al dente rice and 22 minutes for softer rice. 

 

What is the ratio of instant brown rice to water?

Typically, the proportion of rice to water is 1 cup of rice to 2 cups of water. However, instant pot brown rice is a little different. Less water will evaporate from the instant pot as the brown rice cooks. Therefore, you don't need that much water to cook the brown rice. Thus, the ratio of brown rice to water is a cup of water for every cup of brown rice. 

 

Is brown rice healthier than white rice?

Brown rice is healthier than white rice since it has the bran and germ attached. As a result, Brown rice has fewer calories than white rice and contains more nutrients like fiber, protein, and magnesium. In contrast, white rice is fortified with nutrients. 

 

How do you make brown rice fluffy?

Once the brown rice is done cooking, could you remove it from the heat? Cover the brown rice with a tight-fitting lid and let the rice sit for 10 minutes undisturbed. As the rice rests, the steam in the pot will cause the rice to become fluffy.  

 

Author: Sarah Leadon
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Time & Serves

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
35 mins
Serves
4 persons

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Long Grain Brown Rice

     

  • 2 cups Vegetable Broth

     

  • 1/2 teaspoon Iodized Salt 

     

  • 1/2 teaspoon Ground Thyme

     

  • 1 teaspoon Onion Powder 

     

  • 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder 

Instructions

Place the brown rice into a fine-mesh sieve. Wash and rinse the rice under cold running water. Soak the rice for 10 minutes.



 

Sieving the brown rice

Place the brown rice into an instant pot, and add the vegetable broth, salt, thyme, onion, and garlic powder. Using a cooking spoon, stir to combine and spread the brown rice in an even layer. 

Add seasonings to the rice

Place the lid on the instant pot. Switch the valve to sealing, press the pressure-cook or manual setting, and set the timer for 20 minutes. For softer rice, put in the instant pot for 21-25 minutes. 

 

Set time to 20 minutes

Once the brown rice is finished cooking, let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes. Then, switch the valve to the venting position. Carefully take the lid off of the instant pot and fluff the rice. 

Fluff the cooked rice

Place the brown rice into a serving bowl. Enjoy!

Serve the Instant pot brown rice
Sarah Leadon
Author:
Senior Recipe Developer & Food Writer

More posts by Sarah Leadon

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