I love my Instant Pot for many reasons, but one of my favorite ways to use the pressure cooker is cooking whole grains. Among my go-to Instant Pot recipes like Wild Rice, Forbidden Rice, and Quinoa, brown jasmine rice has quickly become my new favorite.
Ingredients
Instant Pot brown jasmine rice is a 2-ingredient recipe. But I added a few additional flavorings and seasonings to give it that much more personality. We will need:
- Brown jasmine rice: Brown jasmine rice is a long grain rice with the outer coating (bran and germ) still intact. Look for brown rice, sometimes labeled Thai jasmine brown rice, in the international aisle at the grocery store, specialty Asian markets, or online sellers, such as Amazon. My favorite brands are Lundberg Organic brown jasmine rice (affiliate link) and Mahatma Jasmine Brown Thai Fragrant Whole-Grain Rice (affiliate link). This instant pot jasmine brown rice was tested using these two brands of rice.
- Cooking liquid: Use water for a clean, neutral flavor, or opt for Vegetable Broth, Chicken Stock, or Veggie Scrap Stock. Omit the salt if using stock instead of water.
- Olive oil: A mere teaspoon of olive oil gives the rice a nice glossy sheen. Feel free to swap it out for avocado oil, coconut oil, or ghee.
- Kosher salt: A little salt enhances the natural flavor of the rice and makes it that much more delicious.
- Black pepper: Freshly ground black pepper is best sprinkled on top at the end of cooking to preserve those natural oils.
- Fresh herbs: While not mentioned in the recipe card, fresh herbs or complimentary flavors really enhance the flavor of the rice and give balance to your meal. A few popular herbs and seasonings include fresh cilantro, basil, mint, green onions, lime juice, or sesame seeds.
Brown Jasmine Rice to Water Ratio for Pressure Cooker
If this is the first time cooking jasmine brown rice in the Instant Pot, there are keynotes to point out when it comes to the rice-to-water ratio. Here’s what I have discovered:
- Firmer rice: If you prefer your rice on the firmer side, with a bit more bite to it, use a 1:1 ratio of water to rice. In other words, for every 1 cup of brown rice, use 1 cup of cooking liquid and adjust the cooking time to 20 minutes.
- Softer rice: If you prefer soft rice that is bouncy with a chewy texture, use a 1:1.25 ratio. As in, for every 1 cup of rice, use 1 ¼ cups of cooking liquid and set the cooking time to 23 minutes (this is my preferred rice and the recipe that is written in the recipe card).
How to Cook Brown Jasmine Rice in Instant Pot?
This Instapot brown jasmine rice recipe is so easy and virtually hands-free you’ll wonder why you never started cooking rice in the pressure cooker in the first place. Much like the rice setting on your rice cooker, this Instant Pot jasmine rice recipe is ready after the push of a button. Here are the step-by-step instructions:
- Rinse the rice: Place the rice in a colander and rinse under cold water, stirring with your fingers (or a spoon) until water runs clear, 20-30 seconds.
- Add ingredients to Instant Pot: Into the steel inner pot, add brown jasmine rice, your choice of cooking liquid, olive oil, and Kosher salt. Give it a good stir.
- Close lid: Secure the lid and set the pressure release to the “Sealing” position.
- Pressure cook: Select “Manual” on high pressure and set it to 23 minutes of pressure cooking time. It should come to full pressure within the next 5-7 minutes.
- Release pressure: Natural pressure release (NPR) for 10 minutes, and then manually release the remaining pressure.
- Fluff and serve: Carefully remove the Instant Pot lid and fluff with a fork. Season with black pepper and serve.
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat?
This Instant Pot brown jasmine rice recipe bodes wonderful for meal prep, or simply any time you want to have whole grains on hand. Here’s how I like to store, freeze and reheat:
- Storage: Leftover rice will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. To speed up the cooling process, spread the cooked brown rice out on a baking sheet (this prevents clumps from forming as the rice cools).
- Freezing: Once completely cool, transfer to a heavy-duty freezer bag or freezer-safe airtight container with some room at the top for expansion. (If you regularly meal prep, package the rice in 1-2 cup portions. This way, you only pull out what you need.) Label, date, and freeze for up to 1 month.
- Thawing: Thaw frozen brown rice overnight in the refrigerator.
- Reheating: Add a few tablespoons of water to the rice. Then, steam or stir-fry with your recipe in a skillet on the stove or microwave on high in 30-second intervals, stirring each time in between, until warm.
What to Serve it With?
Instant pot Brown rice is a nutritious and delicious side dish that can be served with vegetables alongside any main dish. With a delicious nutty flavor, it pairs beautifully with meat or vegetable-based dishes. Some of my favorites are:
- Thai: Really celebrate the floral, aromatic qualities of brown jasmine rice with Thai dishes like Thai Lemongrass Chicken, Thai Beef Curry, Chicken Teriyaki Stir Fry, and Cauliflower Curry.
- Beef: Give it a classic, all-around touch by serving alongside Pot Roast or Beef Tenderloin.
- Chicken & Turkey: Serve with your choice of poultry, like Turkey Meatballs, Baked Chicken Kebobs, or Slow Cooker Butter Chicken.
Expert Tips
For the absolute best Instant Pot brown jasmine rice recipe, be sure to take note of these expert tips:
- Rinse before cooking: Rinsing the brown rice prior to cooking washes away excess starch on the surface, resulting in perfectly fluffy brown rice. The best way is to rinse the rice in a fine mesh strainer, stirring with your hands or a spoon, until the water runs clear.
- Natural release: When the cooking time is up, allow the Instant Pot to naturally release the pressure for about 10 minutes. This allows time for the rice to cook further through.
- Do not overfill: If you are doubling or tripling the recipe, avoid filling the steel pot more than halfway. Rice expands when cooked, and too much starch can clog the vent when the pressure is released.
- Fluff with a fork: Make sure to fluff the rice with a fork as soon as it is done cooking. Fluffing actually helps steam to release, resulting in a lighter, softer texture.
FAQs
Cook time depends on the desired texture. For firm brown rice, set the pressure cooking time to 20 minutes and adjust the ratio to 1:1. For a softer texture, set the pressure cooking time to 23 minutes and use a 1:1.25 ratio of rice to liquid.
I do not soak brown rice, but according to Healthline, soaking brown rice helps to remove some of the naturally occurring phytic acid (antinutrients) present in whole grains. This makes it easier for digestion and promotes increased nutrient absorption. Soaking brown rice also reduces the cooking time.
Brown rice has a slightly more earthier and nuttier flavor compared to white jasmine rice because brown jasmine rice retains the bran layers and germ, which contributes to its richer taste.
Other Rice Recipes You Might Also Like:
If you are a fan of rice as much as I am, you might like the following basic rice recipes from the archives:
If you try this basic recipe for Instant Pot Brown Jasmine Rice, please take a minute to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. And if you took some pictures, be sure to share them on Instagram using #foolproofeats so I can share them on my stories.
Instant Pot Brown Jasmine Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup Brown Jasmine rice*, rinsed thoroughly
- 1 ¼ cup water, vegetable stock, or chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, optional
Instructions
- Place rice in a colander and rinse under cold water until the water runs clear, 20-30 seconds while stirring with your fingers or a spoon.
- Place brown jasmine rice, your choice of cooking liquid, olive oil, and Kosher salt in the insert of the Instant Pot. Stir to combine.
- Secure the lid and set the pressure release to the “Sealing” position.
- Select “Manual” on high pressure and set it to 23 minutes* of pressure cooking time.
- It should come to full pressure within the next 5-7 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, and then manually release the rest of the pressure.
- Carefully remove the lid. Fluff it with a fork.
- Season with black pepper and serve.
Notes
- Yields: This recipe yields approximately about 3 cups of cooked long-grain brown rice, which is ideal for 4 servings. The nutritional values below are per serving.
- Rice: We tested this recipe using two national brown jasmine rice brands, Lundberg and Mahatma. They delivered similar results in terms of cooking time, taste, and texture. Please keep in mind that the timing might be slightly different based on the brand.
- Cooking liquid: If you want your rice to be flavorful, you can vegetable broth or chicken stock in place of water.
- Rice to water ratio and time of cooking: The recipe, as written (1 to 1 ¼ rice to water ratio cooked for 23 minutes), yields soft and chewy brown rice. However, if you prefer it to be on the firmer side, with a bit more bite to it, use a 1:1 ratio of water to rice. In other words, for every 1 cup of brown rice, use 1 cup of cooking liquid and adjust the cooking time to 20 minutes.
- Storage: If you have any leftovers, bring them to room temperature and store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: To freeze, cool completely by spreading the rice on a baking sheet. Transfer to a freezer-safe airtight container, label, date, and freeze for up to a month.
- Reheat: You can reheat it in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals, mixing after each time until it is thoroughly heated.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I came to your website for grain free recipes.
Rice is a grain.
Krystal,
This was an error on my part. I mistakenly categorized this recipe as grain-free.
I am sorry for my mistake.
It is now classified correctly.
Thanks for bringing this to my attention.