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    Home » Recipes » Instant Pot Recipes

    Brown Rice with Quinoa (Instant Pot)

    Published: Apr 10, 2020 · Modified: May 16, 2024 by Jenny Meier

    Jump to Recipe

    This easy Instant Pot brown rice and quinoa is fluffy and perfectly cooked. Use white or red quinoa. To make wholesome and delicious burrito bowls, just add black beans, shredded cabbage and cheese.

    Cooked Brown Rice and Quinoa this recipe

    "I've made this a few times as written - cooking for 22 minutes and then QR after 10 min. The only change is I saute the garlic in a little bit of broth rather than the oil. This is one of my favorite recipes!" - Caroline

    This healthy blend of brown rice and quinoa is so easy to make in your Instant Pot. Light and fluffy with a pinch of salt and a hint of garlic, it's a versatile side dish or a base for grain bowls, salads and burritos.

    You can use either white or red quinoa for this recipe.

    If you'd like to just cook quinoa in your pressure cooker, try my recipe for Instant Pot quinoa.

    If you'd like to just cook brown rice, try my recipe for Instant Pot brown rice.

    More grains that are easy to cook in you Instant Pot include farro or barley, millet and buckwheat.

    Instant Pot Quinoa

    Quinoa cooks perfectly in a pressure cooker. If you'd like to only cook Instant Pot quinoa, try this recipe for Instant Pot quinoa.

    However, in this recipe, the quinoa cooks for a longer amount of time than it usually would because it's cooked in the same pot as brown rice. The quinoa is soft and tender, magically blending into the brown rice.

    Brown Rice and Quinoa Burritos

    White bowl filled with Instant Pot brown rice and quinoa topped with black beans, shredded cabbage and grated cheddar cheese

    To make burrito bowls (or healthy burrito filling), this recipe includes additional spices and instructions.

    First, cook the brown rice and quinoa with garlic powder, cumin and chili powder.

    When the rice and quinoa are cooked, then add canned beans, cheese, and shredded cabbage. Plus, all the burrito toppings you love - sour cream, avocado, salsa, and green onions.

    More Ways to Serve Rice and Quinoa Blends

    This blend of brown rice and quinoa is really versatile. It can be served plain as a side dish with chicken, salmon or tofu. You can also turn it into a salad or main course.

    To make a salad or main course quinoa bowls, consider adding:

    • Roasted vegetables
    • Roasted sweet potato
    • Tofu
    • Salmon and green beans
    • Chopped parsley, cilantro or basil
    • Crumbled feta cheese or goat cheese
    • Olives
    bowl of brown rice and red quinoa

    Questions & Answers About This Recipe

    Can either white or red quinoa be used in this recipe?

    Yes, you can use either white or red quinoa for this recipe and follow the same ingredient amount and instructions.

    Won't the white quinoa be overcooked?

    It's true that white quinoa cooks very quickly in a pressure cooker.  When cooking white quinoa alone in the Instant Pot, I use recipe for Instant Pot quinoa to cook it for just 1 minute. When white quinoa is cooked for 22 minutes with brown rice, it gets very soft and blends right in to the brown rice.  My kids, who aren't huge quinoa fans, like it this way, and I like sneaking protein-rich quinoa into the rice!

    What about red quinoa?

    Instant Pot red quinoa cooks fully in about 15 minutes. When red quinoa is used in this recipe, which cooks for 22 minutes, the quinoa remains visible and is soft but still has a slightly chewy texture.

    Can I use any type of brown rice?

    Yes, any variety of brown rice should work fine.

    Can the brown rice and quinoa be used in a salad?

    Yes, this blend makes delicious brown rice and quinoa salads. Just chill the grains after they cook, then add your favorite dressing and other salad ingredients.

    Can I use stock instead of water?

    You can, but it's not really necessary. Just water and salt add plenty of flavor.

    Can I use white rice for this recipe?

    No, the cooking time and amount of water for white rice is different. To make plain white Instant pot rice, follow my recipe and tips for Failproof Instant Pot rice.

    More Quinoa Recipes

    • A bowl of quinoa
      Easy Instant Pot Quinoa (white or red)
    • Bowl of quinoa fried rice with tofu
      Quinoa Fried Rice
    • A bowl of black bean sweet potato chili.
      Instant Pot Sweet Potato Chili
    • Bowl of corn, potato and quinoa soup garnished with parsley with a bright yellow napkin next to the bowl
      Instant Pot Quinoa Soup with Corn and Potatoes
    Print

    📖 Recipe

    Brown Rice with Quinoa (Instant Pot)

    bowl of brown rice and white quinoa
    Print Recipe
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    4.6 from 8 reviews

    Easy Instant Pot brown rice and quinoa, fluffy and perfectly cooked. Use white or red quinoa.

    To make healthy burrito bowls, follow the recipe below that adds spices, black beans, shredded cabbage and cheese.

    *This recipe was updated on 3/24/21 to decrease the amount of water from 2 cups to 1 ¾ cups. 

    Total Instant Pot Cooking Time: 10 minutes to reach pressure + 22 minutes cooking time + 10 minute natural release

    • Author: Jenny Meier | Kitchen Skip blog
    • Prep Time: 8
    • Cook Time: 22
    • Total Time: 30 minutes
    • Yield: 6 servings
    • Category: Vegetarian
    • Method: Instant Pot
    • Cuisine: American
    • Diet: Vegetarian

    Ingredients

    Units Scale

    Basic Brown Rice and Quinoa 

    • 1 tablespoon oil (avocado oil, sunflower oil, olive oil)
    • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
    • 1 ¾ cups water
    • 1 cup brown rice (long or short grain)
    • ½ cup white or red quinoa
    • ½ teaspoon salt

    Brown Rice and Quinoa Burrito Bowls

    Use all the ingredients above for Basic Brown Rice and Quinoa and also add...

    • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon cumin
    • 1 teaspoon chili powder

    After the brown rice & quinoa have cooked, then add: 

    1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
    1 to 2 cups shredded cabbage (green or purple)
    1 to 2 cups grated cheese 

    Complete your burrito bowls by adding salsa, avocado, green onion, etc...

    Instructions

    1. If the package of quinoa doesn't say that the quinoa is rinsed or pre-washed, make sure to rinse it briefly under running water. I use a mesh strainer for this.
    2. Heat the oil in the Instant Pot, using the Saute function.
    3. Add the garlic and saute about 30 seconds.
    4. Add the water, brown rice, quinoa, and salt. Stir. 
    5. If making burrito bowls, also add garlic powder, cumin and chili powder.
    6. Press the Manual button and program the Instant Pot to cook for 22 minutes on high pressure. Make sure the lid is locked in place and the steam valve is in the sealed position.  
    7. After the cooking time is done, let the pressure release naturally for about 10 minutes. 
    8. If you're making burrito filling, stir in the black beans, shredded cabbage and grated cheese. 

    Notes

    Brown Rice Cooking Time: The cooking time for brown rice in the Instant Pot ranges from 20 to 25 minutes. I find that 22 minutes is just right, but if you like your brown rice a little more firm and chewy, then you might want to cook this recipe for 20 minutes. 

    Quinoa Cooking Time: White quinoa cooks very quickly in a pressure cooker.  When cooking white quinoa alone in the Instant Pot, I use this Instant Pot quinoa recipe to cook it for just 1 minute. Red quinoa cooks fully in about 15 minutes. So the cooking time of 22 minutes for this recipe is to make sure the brown rice is fully cooked. When white quinoa is cooked for this long, it gets very soft and blends right in to the brown rice.  My kids, who aren't huge quinoa fans, like it this way, and I like sneaking protein-rich quinoa into the rice! When red quinoa is used in this recipe, it remains visible and adds a slightly chewy texture. 

    Do I have to rinse the brown rice and quinoa? Rinsing the brown rice is optional. Some people do, to wash away any dust or odd bits. Rinsing quinoa is recommended because it has a natural outer coating called saponin that can make the cooked grains taste bitter. Rinsing the quinoa removes this coating. These days, however, a lot of packaged quinoa is already pre-washed. I only rinse it if the package does not indicate that it is pre-washed. 

    Can I use red quinoa for this recipe? Yes, you can use either white or red quinoa. White quinoa will almost disappear into the brown rice. Red quinoa will remain visible and add a slightly chewy texture. 

    This recipe was tested in a 6-quart instant Pot

    Please rate and review this recipe!

    Your reviews help other readers. They also help me provide the best recipes possible. Thanks!

    More Delicious Recipes

    • a bowl of cooked brown basmati rice.
      Instant Pot Brown Rice (Basmati and Jasmine)
    • a bowl of beef stew made in an Instant Pot
      Instant Pot Beef Stew
    • a bowl of macaroni and cheese
      Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
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      Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas

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    1. Jessica says

      August 16, 2024 at 1:52 pm

      Thanks for this recipe, it looks great. It would be a good idea to tell people to wash the rice though, to reduce the arsenic that ends up in your food.

      Most rice around the world is grown in soils high in arsenic, and rice is very good at uptaking the arsenic. Unwashed white rice is high in arsenic, and brown rice has even more. Fortunately arsenic is water soluble and it really works to wash the rice. If kids will be eating it, or if you eat rice often, it's essential to add in the washing step.

      Put the rice in the pot, add water to generously cover, swish, and drain. Repeat twice more and then continue with the recipe. Happy eating!

      Reply
    2. Caroline S. says

      September 02, 2023 at 9:07 am

      I've made this a few times as written - cooking for 22 minutes and then QR after 10 min. The only change is I saute the garlic in a little bit of broth rather than the oil. This is one of my favorite recipes!

      Reply
    3. Adriane says

      December 28, 2021 at 12:11 pm

      Last time I made this it was a little soggy. Do you know how to fix this? I used short grain brown rice and cooked it for the 22 minutes and let it naturally release for about 3 minutes and then released the pressure.

      Reply
      • Jenny says

        January 05, 2022 at 4:16 pm

        Hi Adriane, sorry to hear it turned out soggy. If this happens again, you can absorb some of the moisture by draping a cloth dish towel over the Instant Pot (turn it off first) then set the lid over the towel. Let the pot sit for 10 minutes, then stir with a fork to fluff. I do this with both rice and grains to absorb moisture and make it fluffier. Also, I re-tested this recipe using only 1 1/2 cups water and it still worked without sticking to the bottom of the pot. So you can try less water in the future. Using less water makes the brown rice a little bit chewier, if you're okay with that.

        Reply
    4. Gayle says

      July 12, 2021 at 12:59 pm

      I used my instant pot preset for rice, and it was perfect. 12 minutes and slow release. I can't imagine how overcooked it would be a 22 minutes and don't plan to find out.

      Reply
      • Jenny says

        July 15, 2021 at 5:12 pm

        I'm glad it turned out for you. I'm curious if you were cooking white or brown rice when using the Instant Pot preset for rice?

        Reply
    5. Rachel says

      May 19, 2021 at 8:27 am

      I didn't know you could cook the two grains together in an instant pot! Such a time saver!

      Reply
    6. Angela says

      May 19, 2021 at 8:17 am

      Thanks for the info. What a great way to cook rice and quinoa! I love to have both on hand for easy meal prep.

      Reply
    7. Wanda says

      May 19, 2021 at 8:00 am

      We eat brown rice and quinoa all the time but never tried it in the IP! Can't wait to make this recipe!

      Reply
    8. Beth says

      May 19, 2021 at 7:16 am

      Such an easy, healthy meal. We love our IP and I'll definitely be making this soon! Thanks.

      Reply
    9. Teri Spoor says

      April 22, 2021 at 7:37 pm

      I did use the tricolored quinoa with the brown rice and it turned out good!

      Reply
      • Jenny says

        April 23, 2021 at 11:49 am

        Great, thanks for letting me know!

        Reply
    Kitchen Skip foodblogger and recipe developer Jenny Meier

    Hi, I'm Jenny!

    I'm a food blogger with a culinary degree and a busy Mama of two who now works full-time in education. I create easy dinner recipes for busy parents like you!

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    White bowl filled with Instant Pot brown rice and quinoa topped with black beans, shredded cabbage and grated cheddar cheese
    A bowl of Instant Pot Brown Rice & Quinoa topped with grated cheddar, black beans, green onion and sliced lime
    Cooked Brown Rice and Quinoa
    bowl of Instant Pot brown rice and quinoa