Instant Pot Brown Rice is one of the easiest beginner Instant Pot recipes because it is 2 ingredients and 15 minutes. Simply set and go!

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Cooking brown rice doesn’t have to be a daunting, time-consuming task. Instant Pot Brown Rice takes one-third of the time compared to cooking on the stove, and it is completely hands off. You simply add the ingredients and let the pressure cooker do the work.

Instant Pot pressure cooker with glass measuring cup filled with brown rice sitting on wood cutting board

Brown Rice Meal Prep

I like to cook a large batch of brown rice at a time. Each batch gets split up for several meals and can be stored in the fridge for up to a week and in the freezer for up to three months. To freeze rice, let it cool completely after cooking.

Then, spread it in a thin layer on a cookie sheet lined with parchment or a baking liner and freeze. Once frozen, you can transfer the rice to a freezer bag. Freezing in a thin layer prevents it from freezing in a solid block.

Cooking your rice in advance can save you major time when you’re ready to cook dinner. You can reheat refrigerated or frozen rice in a non-stick skillet or use the rice to bulk up your meals.

Brown Rice Variations

Brown rice is a great side dish on its own. This recipe, as written, gives you perfectly seasoned plain brown rice. You can jazz it up by adding different spices or switch the cooking liquid to vegetable stock. Once cooked, you can mix in a bag of frozen peas for a delicious brown rice pilaf.

My favorite thing to do with cooked rice is make skillet meals by adding a protein, some vegetables and some seasonings to kick it up. Take two cups of cooked rice, add one cup of salsa and one drained and rinsed can of black beans. Sauté it so the flavors can come together and top with cooked taco meat for a delicious Taco Bowl.

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