Who needs a rice cooker when you can get perfect results from the pressure cooker! Here, we show you two ways to steam rice perfectly: The classic way, right in the pot that usually works for most pressure cookers; and, the Bain Marie way, also called pan in pot, for troublesome pressure cooker/cooktop combinations or to create a one-pot meal (like in our chickpea curry and brown rice one pot).
Grains, and in particular rice, demand precise amounts of time and liquid for perfect pressure cooker results. Too much of either of these will get you soupy gummy rice… really fast. Too little will result in little inedible hard or carbonized rocks.
It’s important to note that some of that cooking time is actually taking place during the natural release. The rice continues to cook in the residual heat, steam, and pressure in the cooker. Don’t be impatient and release all of the pressure right after the cooking time is up! Each rice variety has its own time and liquid requirements which are listed in the table below.
Pressure Cooker Rice Pressure Cooking Times & Liquid Ratios
| Arborio Rice (risotto) | 2 cups (500 ml) | 5 | 5 | 7 | High or Low | Slow Normal |
| Basmati Rice | 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) | 3 | 3 | 3 | High or Low | 10-Min. Natural |
| Basmati Rice (rinsed) | 1 1/4 cups (315 ml) | 1 | 1 | 1 | High or Low | 10-Min. Natural |
| Basmati Rice (soaked) | 1 cup (250 ml) | 1 | 1 | 1 | High or Low | 10-Min. Natural |
| Black Rice (see Brown Rice) | ||||||
| Brown Rice | 1 1/4 cups (315 ml) | 22 | 20 | 18 | High | 10-Min. Natural |
| Cargo Rice (see Brown Rice) | ||||||
| Carnaroli Rice (see Arborio Rice) | ||||||
| Forbidden Rice (see Brown Rice) | ||||||
| Jasmine Rice (rinsed) | 1 cup (250 ml) | 1 | 1 | 1 | High or Low | 10-Min. Natural |
| Jasmine Rice (un-rinsed) | 1 1/4 cup (312 ml) | 1 | 1 | 1 | High or Low | 10-Min. Natural |
| Parboiled Rice (Uncle Ben's) | 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) | 5 | 5 | 5 | High or Low | Slow Normal |
| Red Rice (see Brown Rice) | ||||||
| Risotto (see Arborio Rice) | ||||||
| Romano Rice | 2 1/4 (560 ml) | 5 | 5 | 5 | High or Low | 10-Min. Natural |
| Sushi Rice (rinsed) | 1 1/2 (375 ml) | 7 | 7 | 7 | High or Low | 5-Min. Natural |
| White long-grain Rice | 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) | 3 | 3 | 3 | High or Low | 10-Min. Natural |
| White short-grain Rice | 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) | 8 | 8 | 8 | High or Low | Slow Normal |
| Wild Rice | 3 cups (750 ml) | 30 | 25 | 20 | High | Natural |
Rice cooking times are mainly the same for both stovetop and electric pressure cookers, the only exception is for very dense grains.
NOTE: Although the measurements are in cups (equivalent to 8 oz. or 250ml), the quantities can be measured using any vessel, such as a glass or mug. What is important is that the ratio of grain to liquid stay within the recommendations. Cooking time does not increase with quantity – so 1
cup or 2 cups of rice will require the same pressure cooking time.
Classic Pressure Cooker Steamed Rice
Just add the ingredients directly in the pressure cooker and go.
| 4 L or larger | none | 3 min. | High(2) | 10-min. Natural |
Pressure Cooker White Rice
Recipe type: pressure cooker
Cook time: 15 mins
Total time: 15 mins
- 1 cup (250 ml) long grain white rice (such as Basmati)
- 1½ cups (375 ml) Water (or vegetable liquid)
- 1 teaspoon olive oil (or butter) -optional
- To the pressure cooker add the rice, water and oil.
- Close and lock the lid of the pressure cooker.
- For electric pressure cookers: Cook for 3 minutes at high pressure.
For stove top pressure cookers: Turn the heat up to high and when the cooker indicates it has reached high pressure, lower to the heat to maintain it and begin counting 3 minutes pressure cooking time. - When time is up, open the pressure cooker with the 10-minute Natural release method - move the cooker off the burner and do not remove the lid. Instead, count 10 minutes for the contents to finish cooking and steaming using the cooker's residual heat. For electric pressure cookers, when cooking time is up count 10 minutes of natural open time. Then, release the rest of the pressure using the valve.
- Fluff with a fork and serve.
Bain Marie Pressure Cooker Steamed Rice
With this method, the rice is actually steamed in a heat-proof dish which is then placed inside the pressure cooker. This method is particularly useful when pressure cooking something that you’ll be serving with rice – as in this pressure cooker brown rice and chickpea curry recipe. Or, rarely, to compensate for a low-quality pressure cooker or a particularly strong heat source that consistently results in burned rice using the classic method.
| 6 L or larger | steamer basket, heat-proof bowl | 3 min. | High(2) | 10-min. Natural |
Pressure Cooker White Rice - Bain Marie Method
Author: hip pressure cooking
Recipe type: pressure cooker
Prep time: 2 mins
Cook time: 15 mins
Total time: 17 mins
- 1 cup (250 ml) long grain white rice (such as Basmati)
- 1½ cups (375 ml) water
- 1 teaspoon oil (or butter) - optional
- Prepare the pressure cooker by adding 1 cup of water, or the minimum required by the cooker to maintain pressure. Then, lower the steamer basket into the cooker.
- To the heat-proof bowl add the rice, water and oil.
- Lower the un-covered bowl onto the steamer basket in the pressure cooker.
- Close and lock the lid of the pressure cooker.
- For electric pressure cookers: Cook for 3 minutes at high pressure.
For stove top pressure cookers: Turn the heat up to high and when the cooker indicates it has reached high pressure, lower to the heat to maintain it and begin counting 3 minutes pressure cooking time. - When time is up, open the pressure cooker with the 10-minute Natural release method - move the cooker off the burner and do not remove the lid. Instead, count 10 minutes for the contents to finish cooking and steaming using the cooker's residual heat. For electric pressure cookers, when cooking time is up count 10 minutes of natural open time. Then, release the rest of the pressure using the valve.
- Remove the heat-proof bowl from the pressure cooker, fluff with a fork and serve.