This fluffy and flavorful Instant Pot Basmati Rice is an aromatic and lightly seasoned blend of rice, chickpeas, herbs and spices. An easy, tasty side dish that pairs really well with chicken.
This seasoned Instant Pot basmati rice with canned chickpeas is a simple side dish that's both flavorful and filling. Gentle, aromatic spices and a sprinkle of fresh herbs turn basmati into a more interesting side dish than just plain old white rice.
You might also love Instant Pot Turmeric Coconut Rice or Instant Pot Brown Rice and Quinoa or Instant Pot Turmeric Chicken and Rice.
To make plain white Instant pot rice, follow my recipe and tips for Failproof Instant Pot rice.
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Ingredients
How to Make Seasoned Instant Pot Basmati Rice
Step 1: Rinse the rice.
Step 2: Saute onion and spices (coriander, cumin, turmeric and cinnamon).
Step 3: Add water, rice, chickpeas and salt.
Step 4: Cook on high pressure for 6 minutes, with a 10 minute release.
Gently fluff the rice with a fork before serving. For more flavor, add fresh herbs like parsley, dill or cilantro. You can also add dried fruit, like currants or golden raisins.
What Foods Pair with Basmati Rice?
Don't hesitate to serve basmati rice with whatever type of protein you're making for dinner. It pairs especially well with chicken.
Truly, though, this blend of rice and chickpeas is really versatile. I often serve this rice with just store bought hummus, cucumber yogurt sauce and pita bread for a simple dinner.
Basmati rice is most often served with South Asian meals. Any type of curry or dishes with Indian spices would be delicious. I also like this rice with Yogurt Flatbread and roasted vegetables.
Because this recipe includes Middle Eastern spices, this rice also pairs well with main courses like Mediterranean Grilled Chicken with Cucumber Yogurt Sauce.
FAQ
Basmati is a long-grain rice, simply meaning that the individual grains of rice are longer in length. It has a mild and pleasantly nutty flavor.
For this recipe, I use 1 ½ cups water to cook 1 ½ cups basmati rice. That's a 1:1 ratio of water to rice.
When you cook basmati rice in a pressure cooker, the 1:1 ratio makes fluffy basmati rice that cooks into individual grains that are tender but not overly soft.
If you prefer softer rice, then use 1 ¾ cups water for this recipe. The rice won't be quite as fluffy and will clump together a little bit, but it's still tastes really good and has a softer texture.
On the stovetop, more water is generally used to cook rice because the water evaporates while the rice cooks. In a pressure cooker, the water won't evaporate so you can use a 1:1 ratio.
Rinsing rice cleans the rice and also removes starch from the outside of the rice. Rinsing off this excess starch helps the rice cook into fluffier, individual grains.
Is rinsing basmati rice absolutely necessary? This depends on how particular you are about the texture of rice. I think basmati rice turns out better when it's rinsed. However, if you're in a hurry, it's okay to cook rice without rinsing it first. Just know that if you don't rinse basmati rice, the rice might be a little stickier and clump together more.
I rinse rice using a fine mesh strainer. Put rice in the strainer, then run water over the rice. I move the rice around with my fingers, to make sure the water runs over all of the grains. I usually rinse the rice for about 30 seconds, although longer is even better.
Shake as much water as possible off of the rice, so that you're not inadvertently adding additional water to the Instant Pot.
The second method for rinsing rice is more similar to soaking rice, in that the rice is covered with water in a bowl. Swirl the rice around with your fingers, making the water white and cloudy with starch. Drain off the water then fill the bowl again and repeat the process until the water is mostly clear, not cloudy.
I don't personally soak basmati rice before cooking it, but some recipes include soaking the rice in water for up to 30 minutes. There are several reasons that some cooks like to soak basmati rice.
1. This can serve the same purpose as rinsing the rice, which removes starch and prevents the rice from clumping or getting sticky. 2. Soaking helps grains of rice re-hydrate and plump up. 3. Some also believe that soaking rice helps remove toxic substances, like trace arsenic.
The "Rice" button on an Instant Pot is a generic setting that cooks rice for 12 minutes at low pressure. This setting works pretty well for most types of white rice, but if you're cooking a specific type of white rice (like basmati) you'll get better results by using a very specific cooking time, like this recipe does.
Also, the "Rice" setting takes longer because it's cooking on low pressure. If you want to get dinner on the table faster, cooking the rice for a shorter amount of time on high pressure is a better option. This recipe cooks basmati rice for 6 minutes at high pressure.
Sure, you can use this recipe to make plain basmati rice in your Instant Pot. Just follow the recipe below, but leave out the oil onion, spices and chickpeas.
Combine the rice, water and salt in the Instant Pot. Stir to combine.
Follow the same cooking time, 6 minutes on high pressure and a 10 minute natural release.
I reheat leftover rice in the microwave with a sprinkle of water (about 1 tablespoon) and I loosely cover the rice while it reheats. Don't forget to add the water, or the leftover rice will be dry and hard.
If you don't have a microwave, then reheat the rice in a sauce pan with a sprinkle of water. If the rice still seems dry, then add a little oil or butter.
More Instant Rice Recipes
📖 Recipe
Instant Pot Basmati Rice Recipe
Fluffy Instant Pot Basmati Rice with chickpeas and an aromatic blend of kid-friendly spices. An easy, flavorful side dish!
Total Instant Pot Cooking Time: 10 minutes to reach pressure + 6 minutes at high pressure + 10 minute natural release
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 6
- Total Time: 16 minutes
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern and North African
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons oil (olive oil, canola oil, or coconut oil)
- Half of an onion, finely chopped or thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- â…› teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1 ½ cups basmati rice, rinsed (see below)
- 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- Chopped fresh herbs for garnish - parsley, cilantro, mint, dill (choose one, or use a combination of herbs)
- Optional: ¼ cup dried fruit, such as currants or golden raisins
Instructions
Rinse the Rice
Rinsing rice removes starch, which helps the rice cook into fluffier, separate grains rather than clumping together. To rinse basmati rice, put the rice in a fine mesh strainer and rinse the rice under cold water, stirring with your fingers to move the rice around. I rinse rice for about 30 seconds. When the rice is rinsed, tap the strainer to shake off excess water and set the rice aside.Â
Cook the Basmati RiceÂ
- Warm the oil, using the saute function.
- Add the onion and spices (coriander, cumin, turmeric and cinnamon), cooking for about 2 minutes until softened. Stir often, so the onion and spices don't stick or burn to the pot.Â
- Add the water, rice, chickpeas and salt. Stir to combine.
- Lock the lid. Make sure the steam release valve is in the sealed position.
- Cook on high pressure for 6 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.
- Fluff the rice. Add salt to taste.
- Add fresh herbs (or serve herbs on the side)
- Add dried fruit (optional)
Notes
This recipe is made in a 6-quart Instant Pot.
If you prefer softer rice, then use 1 ¾ cups water for this recipe. The rice won't be quite as fluffy and will clump together a little bit, but it's still tastes really good and has a softer texture.Â
Tatiana
Made this just now and wow! So delicious! This will be on my weekly rotation. I just wish I had a lemon on hand, as a little bit of juice would've been a great addition.
Jenny Meier
Thanks for letting me know! I'm really glad to hear you enjoyed the rice.
Hannah
Would love to know what any of you put with this rice? A god chicken recipe etc?
Jenny
Good questions! Chicken is delicious with this rice, you could make any of your favorite chicken recipes or try my Mediterranean chicken. For a vegetarian meal, you can serve roasted vegetables with the rice. I also like like shrimp or salmon with this rice.
Colleen
I know this rice will be a hit, especially with the raisins. I can't wait to try it out in my instant pot. Thanks for sharing!
Beth
So delicious and very tasty! My family and I absolutely loved this. So many flavors and perfect for dinner! Can’t wait to make this again soon.
Jill
This was so full of flavor and easy to make. Thanks!
Matthew
I tried this today (using x2 serving) and I got a burnt message. When I opened up the IP the rice was already cooked through and there was minimal burning so all's well that ends well!
Jenny
Glad to hear it turned out okay!
Cathleen
I love what the Instant pot can do! This rice looks right up my alley! Definitely giving this a go this weekend, thanks so much for the recipe 🙂
Michelle
This looks so delicious and flavourful with all the herbs and spices! Can't wait to give this a try in my Instant Pot! 🙂