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How to Cook Brown Rice (Instant Pot Brown Rice)

Follow my tips to make perfectly cooked Instant Pot Brown Rice. With a pressure cooker, you can make perfectly cooked short-grain brown rice every time!

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Additional Time
6 hrs
Total Time
6 hrs 50 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 290 kcal
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Japanese

Ingredients

For 4 Rice Bowls (4⅓ cups, 660 g)
  • 1½ cups uncooked Japanese short-grain brown rice (2 rice cooker cups, 360 ml)
  • 1⅔ cups water (400 ml)
  • ½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt (reduces the bitterness of brown rice; optional)
For 6 Rice Bowls (6⅔ cups, 990 g)
  • 2¼ cups uncooked Japanese short-grain brown rice (3 rice cooker cups; 540 ml)
  • 2½ cups water (600 ml)
  • ¾ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt (reduces the bitterness of brown rice; optional)
For 8 Rice Bowls (8¾ cups, 1320 g)
  • 3 cups uncooked Japanese short-grain brown rice (4 rice cooker cups, 720 ml)
  • 3⅓ cups water (800 ml)
  • 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt (reduces the bitterness of brown rice; optional)
For 10 Rice Bowls (11 cups, 1650 g)
  • 3¾ cups uncooked Japanese short-grain brown rice (5 rice cooker cups; 900 ml)
  • 4⅛ cups water (1000 ml)
  • 1¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt (reduces the bitterness of brown rice; optional)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Before You Start: Please note that Japanese short-grain brown rice requires a soaking time of 6 hours to overnight. If you‘re cooking Japanese short-grain white rice, see my post on how to make white rice in an Instant Pot.Also note that 1½ cups (300 g, 2 rice cooker cups) of uncooked Japanese short-grain rice yield 4⅓ cups (660 g) of cooked rice. This is enough for 4 Japanese rice bowls (typically 150 g each) or 6 onigiri rice balls (typically 110 g each). 1 cup of cooked rice weighs about 5.3 oz (150 g).
  2. Gather all the ingredients. To measure the rice, overfill a US cup measure (a ¾-cup measure works well) or a rice cooker cup with uncooked short-grain brown rice and level it off. Put the rice in a large bowl. Repeat until you have the measured amount of rice needed. Here, I measured 2 rice cooker cups of short-grain brown rice.
  3. Rinse the brown rice a few times.
  4. Rub the brown rice between your hands and rinse with water several times. In Japanese, this is called momi arai (もみ洗い).
  5. Add water to cover the rice and let it soak for 6 to 12 hours (at least 6 hours). Soak extra time during winter months.
  6. Drain and shake off the water completely.
  7. Add the drained brown rice in the Instant Pot or other pressure cooker.
  8. Add salt.
  9. Add the water and evenly distribute the rice in the pot.
  10. Close the lid of the Instant Pot, press 'Manual' and set 20 minutes on high pressure.
  11. Allow the Instant Pot to release pressure naturally for 10 minutes. Then "Quick Release” the pressure. Cover the steam vent with a kitchen towel and twist the valve to cover your fingers.
  12. Open the lid. It’s a success when you see small holes on the rice surface (in Japanese, we call them kani ana—crab holes).
  13. Fluff the rice using a rice paddle/scooper. Serve the brown rice immediately or transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to a week or the freezer for 1 month.

Notes

  • Rice to Water Ratio and Cooking Time: Depending on the type of stovetop, type/age of rice, and season of the year, rice-water ratio, cooking time, and heat level vary. Please adjust according to your preference.
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Nutrition Information

Calories 290kcal (15%) Carbohydrates 61g (20%) Protein 6g (12%) Fat 2g (3%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Sodium 39mg (2%) Potassium 214mg (6%) Fiber 3g (12%) Calcium 40mg (4%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 290

% Daily Value*

Calories 290kcal 15%
Carbohydrates 61g 20%
Protein 6g 12%
Fat 2g 3%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Sodium 39mg 2%
Potassium 214mg 5%
Fiber 3g 12%
Calcium 40mg 4%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.