If you’re wondering what the best rice for pressure cookers is…
It really boils down to the type of dish you’re cooking.
Yup– the best rice for pressure cookers varies depending on whether you’re making plain rice, fried rice, risotto, or rice pudding.
So, in this post, we’ll cover the best rice you can put in a pressure cooker based on the dish you’re cooking!
Instant Pot VS Pressure Cooker
Just in case anyone’s confused (because I was at first)…
Instant pot is a type of pressure cooker.
Technically, it’s better described as a multi-cooker.
But since its primary cooking function is to pressure cook, we’ll also include Instant Pots whenever we mention pressure cookers in this article.
Best Rice for Plain Rice in a Pressure Cooker
If you want to achieve that classic bowl of plain white rice with your pressure cooker, your best rice options are long-grain white rice, Jasmine rice, and Basmati rice.
Long-Grain White Rice
For that classic neutral-tasting bowl of fluffy rice, long-grain white rice is the best option for your pressure cooker.
This grain is as plain as rice can be, which means it pairs with pretty much all kinds of main dishes with no problem.
Plus, it’s very cheap and incredibly easy to find!
Jasmine Rice
Jasmine rice is my personal go-to option when cooking a plain bowl of rice using a pressure cooker.
Thanks to its subtle floral aroma, this grain transforms “plain” rice into something much more enjoyable to eat.
It’s also more tender, which I oftentimes prefer, especially when I’m pairing rice with stews.
Basmati Rice
Whenever I’m cooking dishes from the Indian, Middle Eastern, or Pakistani cuisines, I make sure to cook plain Basmati rice in my pressure cooker.
This long-grain rice is extra fluffy, has a likable nutty fragrance, and is also quite common in big grocery stores.
Best Rice for Fried Rice in a Pressure Cooker
Whether you’re cooking fried rice on a stovetop or in a pressure cooker, Jasmine rice is always the best option.
Or, more specifically, day-old Jasmine rice.
Its subtle aroma and great flavor absorption qualities make it the perfect base for fried rice dishes.
And, despite being a “sticky” variety, its texture (once it has adequately rested before cooking) is perfectly soft yet still firm enough for fried rice.
Almost always, I use Jasmine rice for fried rice.
But based on experience, Basmati rice for fried rice also works well!
Best Rice for Risotto in a Pressure Cooker
I typically cook risotto on a stovetop.
But, every now and then, I use the pressure cooker to cook this delicacy.
In both instances, the best rice for risotto is always Arborio rice or Carnaroli rice.
For home cooks, the former is the golden, classic choice. It’s easily accessible, relatively affordable, and still yields creamy risotto.
Carnaroli rice, on the other hand, is the more premium option. It levels up all the good qualities of Arborio rice for risotto in exchange for a higher price point.
Best Rice for Rice Pudding in a Pressure Cooker
On a stovetop, my go-to rice for rice pudding is Arborio rice.
However, when I cooked this lovely dessert on a pressure cooker, I found that Arborio rice resulted in a mushy rice pudding, which isn’t really ideal.
Since then, I’ve used Basmati rice or Jasmine rice for rice pudding cooked in my Instant Pot instead.
Both of these grains are aromatic, with the former having a nutty aroma and the latter smelling more floral.
No Pressure: Choosing Rice is a Pleasure
There you have it, the best rice varieties for the most common rice dishes I (and many others) cook in a pressure cooker.
With the right recipe and cooking style, these grains are bound to elevate each rice dish towards perfection!
Perfect Bowls of Instant Pot Rice Every Time
Whether you’re using Jasmine rice, Basmati rice, or long-grain white rice, this recipe will yield perfect beds of fluffy white rice!
Ingredients
- 2 cups of white rice
- 2 cups of water
Instructions
- Using a strainer, rinse the raw white rice until the water runs clear.
- Add the rinsed rice into your pressure cooker or Instant Pot, followed by the same amount of water.
- Make sure the raw rice is leveled out in the pressure cooker.
- Seal the Instant Pot. Set it to manual high pressure and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Give the pressure cooker 10 minutes to naturally release the pressure, followed by a quick release.
- Fluff the rice using a fork and serve with your favorite main dish!
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