Name: Instant Pot Long Grain White Rice
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 28 min
Ingredients: 1 ¼ cups water; 1 cup long grain white rice; 1 tablespoon olive oil; ½ teaspoon salt

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Stop guessing at rice! This Instant Pot long grain white rice recipe makes fluffy, tender rice every single time.

You may also like my ranch chicken and rice and unstuffed cabbage recipes.

If you’ve ever made rice on the stovetop and thought, “Why is this either crunchy or gluey with no in-between?”, welcome. You and I are going to get along great! The Instant Pot takes a lot of the guesswork out of it, especially when you use the rice button (aka the rice setting or rice function).

This is my go-to Instant Pot white rice method for long grain rice. It’s simple, it’s consistent, and gives you fluffy rice every time.

Why cook rice in an Instant Pot?

The Instant Pot is basically a little rice miracle for busy nights. You can cook rice in an Instant Pot without babysitting a pan on the stove. You don’t have to set a timer to pull if off the heat at the exact perfect second, and the texture is consistent once you lock in what your household likes.

Also, if you’re new to pressure cooking, rice is one of the easiest ways to get comfortable with the basics: liquid + lid + sealing valve + pressure release. It’s really one of the easiest beginner recipes.

Instant Pot white rice recipe ingredients

Long grain white rice: Jasmine and basmati work, too! (Rinse it if you want less starch or if it has debris.)
Water: You’ll need this for obvious reasons. Both for cooking the rice and to keep the pressure cooker from getting a burn notice.
Olive oil: Helps with texture and reduces foaming.
Salt: Adds some flavor so the rice isn’t bland.

How to cook Instant Pot long grain white rice

Add the rice, water, olive oil, and salt to the inner pot. Stir once so the rice is covered by liquid.

Close the lid and set the valve to Sealing.

Press the Rice button (the Instant Pot rice setting) and toggle to Low Pressure for 12 minutes.

Top down view of rice and water in an Instant Pot.

Top down view of rice, water, and oil in an Instant Pot.

When the cook time ends, let it naturally release pressure for 6 minutes (this matters for texture).

After 6 minutes, switch the valve to Venting to release the remaining pressure. Remove the lid.

Fluff with a fork and serve.

Top down view of cooked rice in an Instant Pot.

Fluffed white rice in an Instant Pot liner.

How to cook rice in Instant Pot without the rice button

Some models don’t have a rice setting, and you’ll need to cook the rice using another button. Here’s the best way:

Use Pressure Cook (or Manual) instead:

Press Pressure Cook and toggle to Low Pressure.
Cook for 12 minutes.
Let it natural release 6 minutes.
Then vent the remaining pressure and fluff.

Instant Pot rice setting: Is it low or high pressure?

If you’ve ever Googled “instant pot rice high or low pressure,” you’re not alone. The short version:

The rice button on Instant Pot is commonly designed around low pressure and an “auto” approach that way it acts similar to a rice cooker.
High pressure methods usually use a shorter cook time, followed by a longer natural release.

My recipe is developed specifically around low pressure plus a short natural release. I’ve found this method is the best for foolproof white rice.

What’s the water to rice ratio for Instant Pot white rice?

For this pressure cooker white rice recipe:

1 cup rice : 1 ¼ cups water

A lot of people use 1 cup of water for every 1 cup of rice, but I’ve found that the rice is undercooked. The extra ¼ cup of water is perfect! That being said, you’ll want to test it in your own pressure cooker and adjust as needed.

Scaling up: 2 cups of rice in Instant Pot

If you want to cook 2 cups of dry rice in Instant Pot, double everything:

2 cups rice
2 ½ cups water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt

Keep the same pressure and time. In most cases, the cook time does not change when you increase the quantity (the pot takes longer to come to pressure, not longer to cook).

Troubleshooting Instant Pot rice

Rice is mushy:

Use a touch less water next time.

The Rice is undercooked or has crunchy spots:

Make sure the valve was truly set to Sealing and isn’t leaking steam.
Add 1–2 tablespoons water, put the lid back on, and let it sit on Keep Warm for 5 minutes, then fluff again.

Rice is stuck to the bottom:

Make sure you added the oil.
Don’t skip the quick stir at the beginning so the rice gets evenly distributed.

“Burn” warning:

Make sure you used the correct amount of water.
Check that the sealing ring is seated properly.
Avoid very starchy buildup by rinsing the rice once or twice.

Easy variations for Instant Pot rice

These are some easy swaps and additions you can make to the rice that won’t affect how it’s cooked.

Use chicken broth: Swap water for low-sodium chicken broth for more flavor.
Butter rice: Replace the oil with 1 tablespoon butter (add more after it cooks if you want it really buttery).
Garlic rice: Add ½ teaspoon garlic powder or 1 small minced garlic clove.

Can I cook minute rice in an Instant Pot?

Yes, but that’s a different recipe. I wouldn’t use this recipe for Minute rice. Minute rice is par-cooked and behaves differently. You can, but it’s easy to overdo it.

Storage

Store leftover rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

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