Instant Pot Pot-in-Pot Rice (Pressure Cooker)

Want to cook rice in the serving bowl or along with an entree?  Instant Pot pot-in-pot rice is the perfect solution for you. The pot-in-pot method saves time and lets you make a complete meal at once. Here is a step-by-step guide to cooking PIP rice in your pressure cooker.

You might find it interesting that this is actually not a new thing for Indian cooking. We have been doing this for a long time on a stovetop pressure cooker.  Now with the instant pot, I like the convenience of a larger pot in which I can add the small pot to do PIP cooking.

I have shared recipes to make Basmati Rice and Brown Basmati Rice in the main pot. So now I want to share the perfect recipe to make pot-in-pot rice.

I LOVE the convenience of pot-in-pot cooking (also called the PIP method) to make a complete meal at once. Who wouldn’t love that?

If I cook a curry, lentils, or beans in the instant pot, I always pair it with pot-in-pot rice so that we can have dinner ready in one go, such as this kidney bean curry.

If you want to make pot-in-pot Brown Rice, check the recipe here.

What is Instant Pot Pot-in-Pot Method?

The Instant Pot Pot-in-pot method helps to cook food in a separate small pot that is placed on a trivet or steaming rack in the instant pot.

Water (or other forms of liquid) is added to the main instant pot steel insert. This liquid helps to build pressure in the instant pot, and the food in the small pot cooks from the steam generated by the liquid.

You can use the same method to make rice in Ninja Foodi as well.

Learn more about the instant pot pot-in-pot method with this comprehensive guide!

Why use the pot-in-pot method to cook rice? 

• You can cook less quantity of rice.
• You don’t need to wash the large instant pot steel insert if just cooking rice.
• You can cook in the serving bowl itself.
• You can cook a complete meal at once and save precious time. With entree in the main insert and rice in a bowl on a trivet.  For example, you can cook Dal Tadka or Paneer Butter Masala along with the rice.

What accessories are needed for Pot-in-Pot Rice?

To cook pot-in-pot rice, you need a trivet and a bowl you can place on the trivet.  If I am preparing only rice, then I use the trivet that comes with the instant pot.  If you are cooking entree along with the rice, you would need a long legged trivet.

Here are the pots I have, which my mom got from India.  But you can find similar ones on Amazon – Stackable Stainless Steel Insert Pans.  I have also done PIP for rice in a Pyrex glass bowl, but these need about 3-4 minutes more to cook the rice.

How to cook PIP Rice?

I used basmati rice in this recipe. However, you could use other varieties of white rice, such as jasmine rice too.

Rinse Rice: Although rinsing the rice is optional, I like to rinse the rice before cooking. I have always seen my mom and grandmom rinse rice. You can rinse in a strainer under tap water until the water runs clear.

Add it to a bowl safe for cooking in the instant pot. I prefer to use steel bowls as they are the safest for pressure cooking.

Add an equal amount of water as the rice is added.  If you like, add ghee/oil and salt to the bowl.

Pressure cook: Add 1 cup water to the main instant pot insert and place the trivet on it.  

Now, place the bowl with rice and water on top of the trivet.  Set the instant pot on manual mode or pressure cook for 6 minutes.

When the instant pot beeps, do 10 10-minute NPR or natural pressure release, which means releasing the pressure manually 10 minutes after the beep.

And here is the perfectly cooked basmati rice. Fluff it with a fork and enjoy.

This basmati rice pairs perfectly with any Indian curry, such as Chole Masala, Green Moong Dal, and Spinach Lentils.

Pro-Tips

• Make sure the rice is submerged in water before cooking. If you follow the ratio mentioned in the recipe, this should happen anyway.
• If you like softer rice, you can increase the ratio of rice to water to 1:1.25 or 1:1.5. Totally up to your taste preference.
• I highly recommend using a stainless steel bowl for pot-in-pot cooking. If using a glass bowl, ensure it is oven-safe and approved for pressure cooking. You will need to add 3-4 minutes more cooking time with a glass bowl.

Pairing Rice with Other Dishes

If you are making rice for dinner, most likely, you will be eating it with a main dish – which could be a stir fry, curry, lentil, or soup.

When cooking rice with an entree, consider the cooking time for the entree.  If cooking the entree takes 5-12 minutes, then cook white rice pot-in-pot with the entree in the main insert.

However, if the entree needs over 20 minutes to cook, then I would suggest cooking pot-in-pot brown rice with the entree.

More Instant Pot Rice Recipes

We love to flavor our rice. Here are more rice recipes you will love:

• Cilantro Lime Brown Rice
• Turmeric Yellow Rice
• Lemon Rice
• Spinach Rice
• How to cook Calrose Rice?