How To Cook Rice in Instant Pot – Easy step-by-step instructions

Cooking perfect rice can sometimes feel tricky, especially when you want soft, fluffy grains without making them sticky or mushy. If you are wondering how to cook Sona Masoori rice in Instant Pot, you are in the right place. Sona Masoori rice is a popular lightweight and aromatic rice variety commonly used in Indian households for everyday meals like dal, sambar, curry, and pulao.

With an Instant Pot, you can prepare perfectly cooked rice quickly and consistently without standing near the stove. In this guide, you will learn the ideal water ratio, cooking time, step-by-step process, and expert tips to make soft and fluffy Sona Masoori rice in Instant Pot every single time.

White Rice (Basmati or Regular Rice) – Cooking in Instant Pot

Ingredients – Cooking in Instant Pot

• 1 cup rice
• 1 to 1.25 cups water
• Softer rice → 1.25 cups water
• Firmer rice → 1 cup water
• Optional: pinch of salt or 1 tsp oil/ghee

Steps

• Wash the rice 2–3 times to remove extra starch.
• Add rice and water to the Instant Pot inner pot.
• Close the lid.
• Move the steam valve to Sealing.
• Press Pressure Cook (or Manual).

Time Settings for Instant Pot

• White rice / regular rice: 4–6 minutes
• Basmati rice: 4–5 minutes

Instant Pot Pressure Release

• Let it sit for 10 minutes naturally after cooking.
• Then carefully turn valve to Venting.

Cooking in Instant Pot – Final Step

• Open the lid.
• Fluff the rice gently with a fork or spoon.
• Let it rest for 2 minutes before serving.

Visit Instant Pot Official Website for product details, manuals, and cooking basics.

Brown Rice Cooking in Instant Pot

• 1 cup rice + 1.25 cups water
• 22–24 minutes pressure cook
• 10 minutes natural release

Quick Rice Formula

1 cup rice = 1 to 1.25 cups water + 4–6 minutes

Visit Healthline – Rice Nutrition Guide for Nutritional benefits of rice.

For Sona Masoori rice in an Instant Pot, the water ratio and time depend on whether it is raw rice or aged rice, but this works well for most Indian cooking:

Sona Masoori Rice (Perfect Everyday Rice) Cooking in Instant Pot

Ingredients

• 1 cup Sona Masoori rice
• 1.75 cups water (soft rice)
• 1.5 cups water (separate grains)
• Optional: ½ tsp salt or 1 tsp ghee/oil

Steps

1. Wash rice 2–3 times.
2. Optional: soak for 15–20 minutes for softer rice.
3. Add rice and water to the inner pot.
4. Close the lid and set valve to Sealing.
5. Press Pressure Cook (High Pressure).

Time

• 4 minutes → separate grains
• 5–6 minutes → softer rice

Pressure Release

• Let it rest for 10 minutes natural release.
• Then switch valve to Venting carefully.

Best Everyday Setting

Most people use:

1 cup Sona Masoori + 1.5 cups water + 4 minutes + 10 minutes natural release

You’ll usually get fluffy rice that pairs well with dal, curry, or sambar.

If your rice turns out too soft or too hard, tell me your exact rice brand and I’ll help fine-tune the ratio.

Visit BBC Good Food Rice Guide for Rice cooking tips and methods.

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