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Kheer or Payasam is a popular Indian dessert made for festivals and special celebrations. It is essentially a rice pudding made with rice and milk, infused with saffron, cardamom, and assorted dried fruits. This Kheer made in the Instant Pot is a game-changer. The best part about this is that there’s no stirring, and it’s ready in under 40 minutes!
Traditionally, making kheer involved keeping milk and rice on the stove for 2 hours, stirring it frequently until the milk thickened and became creamy. With the Porridge setting in the Instant Pot, the same thing happens, but you simply add all the ingredients and go your happy way to enjoy yourself!
As Diwali is approaching, I have been wanting to make some desserts that we can share with family and friends. Food, or rather desserts, is an integral part of Indian Diwali celebrations. You visit friends or have them over. But really, everywhere you go, you will find a table full of snacks and desserts laid out for you to enjoy. Oh, I love Diwali (how can a foodie not? 😉
This will be my dessert addition to Diwali potlucks this year: Instant Pot Kheer.
I call this the original kheer recipe as I was the first recipe developer to figure out this set-and-forget method, and it quickly became popular (for very good reason). Now you will find this method shared on many food blogs. The above picture is the one I first shared for this recipe in 2017.
Made kheer for the first time on Instant Pot.. my god.. amazing.. came out so good.. saved all the hard work and time .. this was so fast and authentic!
– INDRANI
Why Make Kheer in the Instant Pot?
It’s Easy and effortless. Just dump the ingredients, set the timer, and let the Instant Pot do the work.
No stirring is needed—no standing by the stove or worrying about milk sticking to the bottom.
It has the same authentic taste. It’s creamy, flavorful, and just like traditional stovetop kheer.
It’s perfect for any occasion
Ingredients
There are just a few basic ingredients that you need to make kheer:
Rice: I use fragrant white basmati rice to make kheer. Other types of white rice work too.
Milk: I used whole milk. You can also use low-fat milk or unsweetened dairy-free milk.
Sugar: I use regular granulated sugar. Sugar substitutes could work; see tips and notes.
Saffron: Adds color and a delicate aroma to the kheer.
Nuts and Raisins: I like to add almonds, cashews, and pistachios to kheer. Raisins are also a great addition.
How to make Kheer in the Instant Pot?
This rice pudding is super easy, with just the addition of all ingredients to the Instant Pot and setting it to porridge mode. The Instant Pot does its magic, and perfectly aromatic rice kheer is ready for you in 30 minutes. If you haven’t tried kheer in an Instant Pot yet, you simply must!
Vegan Kheer in Instant Pot
Substitute ghee with dairy-free butter and milk with your preferred dairy-free milk alternative. Some readers have tried this kheer with almond milk and oat milk and enjoyed it.
Recipe Tips
This Instant Pot Kheer is super easy to make, but here are some tips that will be helpful as you try this recipe:
Clean the Instant Pot thoroughly: Sanitize the steel insert, lid, and sealing ring thoroughly. If you have an extra sealing ring for sweet foods, use it.
Rinse Rice: Ensure the rice is rinsed thoroughly by washing it 2-4 times until the water runs clear.
Sugar Substitute: Although I have not tried it myself, some readers have suggested that if using jaggery or coconut sugar in place of regular sugar, add it after cooking on the porridge setting (otherwise, the milk can curdle).
Rose Water: If you like, you can add a teaspoon of rose water to this kheer. I recommend adding it after the kheer is cooked.
Add Water: This recipe adds some water to thin out the liquids in the Instant Pot. Do not skip this step, as otherwise, you can get a Burn sign on the Instant Pot.
Natural Pressure Release: It is essential to let the pressure release naturally, as otherwise the milk can splutter and cause a mess.
Storage: You can store kheer in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container. The stored kheer can get thicker and creamier. If you prefer, you can thin the consistency by adding more milk.
I hope you enjoy this easy and delicious Instant Pot Indian Dessert – Rice Pudding. Do share how it turned out!
Kheer or Payasam, a popular Indian dessert, is rice pudding made with rice and milk, infused with saffron, cardamom, and assorted dried fruits. This Kheer made in the Instant Pot is a game-changer. The best part about this is that there's no stirring, and it's ready in under 40 minutes!
Sanitize the Instant Pot steel insert, lid, and sealing ring thoroughly. If you have an extra sealing ring for sweet foods, use it.
Rinse the rice 2-4 times until the water runs clear.
Heat the Instant Pot in Saute mode. Add 1/2 tablespoon of ghee and let it melt. Add the rinsed rice and saute for 30 seconds. (It is optional to saute the rice, but it adds richness and aroma to the kheer. If skipping, directly add the rinsed rice to the Instant Pot).
Add the water, milk, sugar, cardamom, and saffron. Give it all a good stir.
You can add the nuts now if you like. I prefer to sauté the nuts and raisins in ghee, then add them after cooking the kheer (see roasting nuts section).
Close the lid with the vent in sealing position. Set the Instant Pot to PORRIDGE mode for 20 minutes on high pressure. When the Instant Pot beeps, let the pressure release naturally.
Remove the lid and mix well. Kheer is ready. It might seem a little thin in consistency, but it does thicken up as it sits for about 30 minutes. You can cook on SAUTE mode for 2-3 minutes.
Roasting Nuts & Raisins
Heat a small pan on medium-low heat. Add 1/2 tablespoon of ghee to it. Add the sliced or chopped nuts to the pan. Sauté for a minute until they lightly change color. Then add the raisins and saute for another minute. Remove from the pan so they don't overcook or burn. The nuts and raisins are ready to add to the cooked kheer.
Notes
Sugar Substitute: Although I have not tried it myself, some readers have suggested that if using jaggery or coconut sugar in place of regular sugar, then add it after cooking on porridge setting (else the milk can curdle). Storing: When kheer is stored, it gets thicker and creamier. If you prefer, you can thin the consistency by adding more milk. PLEASE READ: This recipe was created in a 6-qt Instant Pot DUO60 Multi-use Pressure Cooker. I do not recommend making this in a 3-qt or doubling the recipe in a 6-qt, as the milk boils and can come out. Kheer sticking to the bottom of the pot: I got feedback from some that the kheer sometimes sticks to the bottom of the pot. Some tips below to avoid this:
Try boiling 1/2 cup of water in the Instant Pot on sauté mode, then add the remaining ingredients. Make sure the water is already steaming before adding other ingredients.
After opening the pot, remove the instant pot steel insert from the pot so that the bottom layer does not overcook or stick to the pot.
Variations:
Add cinnamon powder and vanilla essence to get a different flavor.
You can use brown sugar instead of white sugar, based on your preference.
Tried this recipe?Please leave a star rating and review. I appreciate your feedback, and it helps others, too!
About Meeta
I strongly believe that each one of us has a chef inside us, we just need to explore the ingredients and create great food. My passion is to share easy, and wholesome recipes made using Instant Pot & Air Fryer, that are well tested, so you can cook with confidence.
You’ve been doing some great work within your food blog ! Keep it up 🙂 and keep posting more !
I couple of your recipes and they turned out well ! Although for milk recipes such as Kheer or Tapioca pudding – the milk always curdles after end of suggested ‘porridge’ mode instant pot cook settings. Have you experienced this – or know any workaround for this?
PS: I use normal cane sugar as suggested in recipe before setting up Porridge mode (no jaggery). Apparently in other instant pot blogs they said that IP doesn’t do well with dairy products under pressure (they curdle) – so maybe that’s what is happening here. Love to hear what others have experience and figured out a work around?
Hi Saga – I am sorry that the recipe did not worked well for you. I have always only used whole milk when making kheer. The porridge setting cooks the food at a lower temperature than high pressure cooking, so it has worked well for such recipes for me and many others who have tried this recipe.
The reason when I have seen milk curdle is when there are any impurities. Try to clean the rice well. Maybe add sugar and nuts after pressure cooking to avoid any possible issue due to them. Also clean the instant pot and the lid along with all the parts really well. Even the condensation from the lid dropping back into the milk can cause it to curdle.
I know it is disheartening to waste food every time a recipe does not work. So if you try again, do try with just half the quantity to make sure that it works out. Thank you so much for continuing to support and being so kind!
I almost destroyed my whole kitchen while making this kheer in the instant pot. Your recipe says put the whistle on VENTING mode, and when I did that the whole kheer blasted out in my kitchen through the whistle.
It should’ve been advised to put on SEAL mode!
Hope you make this correction in your recipe soon!
Hi Mehreen – So sorry this happened. The recipe clearly says “Close lid with vent in sealing position.”. I highly recommend to keep the vent on sealing position when pressure cooking with liquids. Same applies to lentils and curries too.
This looks wonderful — any advice on if we don’t have medium or short grain white rice. Thoughts on using just long grain or would it not come out well ? thanks. looking forward to trying this!
Hi Gillian – I don’t think additional cooking time will be needed in an 8qt. I would say as it has more chance of burning with milk, you can heat up 1/2 cup water in the instant pot before adding the rest of the ingredients. Hope you enjoy the kheer!
This came out so good! It was truly the easiest, fastest recipe that actually worked well that I have made in a while. I had some milk about to expire, was super tired and not in the mood to spend hours over the stove and thought I’d give it a shot and I can’t believe how well it worked. The only problem, and it was my error, was that I didn’t have any roasted unsalted nuts so I used some raw slivered almonds instead and the texture of those didn’t work out too well. I would have been better off leaving them out. But that’s ok, the pudding is still good. Thank you!
Hi Rena – Glad to hear you enjoyed the kheer. For next time, you can sauté the raw almonds in 1 tablespoon ghee in the instant pot. Turn off, then continue to add the other ingredients in the recipe.
Hi Hira – yes, you can adjust the quantity as needed. The cooking time will still remain the same. The instant pot will just come to pressure and release pressure sooner with less quantity.
Hi Meeta… I tried this for my family, it came out very yummy… I want to make this in a large quantity for a potluck. Maximum how many cups of milk can I use in a single batch in a 6qt IP. And can I saute the basmati rice along with nuts before pouring milk..?
Hi Aishwarya – I would not recommend a very large quantity of this kheer for pressure cooking. The reason is that milk can foam, and can come out in this case. You can consider slow cooking with the instant pot. I would also suggest to use a glass lid when slow cooking.
When I made this the rice got stuck to the bottom and burned. Do you have any ideas for how to prevent this? I did use 2% milk instead of whole, could that be it?
Hi Shanthi – Sorry to hear the kheer got stuck. I don’t 2% milk is the reason for the issue. What size is your pot? I would suggest to boil a cup of water in the pot before following the recipe next time. That can help so that the milk does not stick to the bottom of the pot.
My daughters love rice pudding. When I made this, they immediately said they no longer want the store bought pudding. Thank you for sharing. I made a second batch right after the first (since there was non left to eat for next day)!!
Hi Meeta, I have a question. If I make this rice kheer in a large quantity for a party and I use around 20 cups of milk- Should I pressure cook it for a longer period of time or is it still 20 minutes? Thanks!
Hi Janani – I would not recommend a very large quantity of this kheer for pressure cooking. The reason is that milk can foam, and can come out in this case. You can consider slow cooking with the instant pot. I would also suggest to use a glass lid when slow cooking.
Hi Meeta,
This is the most easy and awesome recipe of Instant pot ever. Nothing like dump it all with such amazing kheer. I tried a dairy free version also using Coconut milk. That too turned out awesome. Many thanks to you.
I tried it today and it turned out to be amazing , i added the dry fruits at the end though coz i prefer their rawness. And actually thats the first thing we made in our instant pot. 🙂
Porridge mode works wonders for the kheer it seems .
I had made this recipe in a 3qt instant pot. It came out so yummy. I wouldn’t make it again in a 3qt pot. I read the cautionary note once Kheer was in the pot 🙂 the recipe worked for me and highly recommend it. 🙂
Hi Vatsala – If it worked well for you, you can still make it. Maybe reduce the quantity a bit to make sure there is enough space for the milk to foam.
Hi Divya – Sorry to hear the kheer did not work well in your instant pot ultra. What size is your pot? I would suggest to boil a cup of water in the pot before following the recipe next time. That can help so that the milk does not stick to the bottom of the pot.
This kheer is my go to recipe for chawal ki kheer. My whole family loves it and this is just so easy to make. It used to be such a time consuming process on the stove top but with the instant pot, I can make it even on working days to satisfy our sweet tooth. Thanks for the easy but so delicious recipe! Happy Diwali!
I make kheer in pressure cooker all the time. Adding the raisins at the start of the cooking process made the milk curdle. Cashews and raisins were cooked in the porridge mode and did not taste good.
I suggest that you change the instructions, sugar and dry fruits should be added after the Kheer is completely cooked.
Hi Harpreet – Sorry to hear the recipe did not work out for you. I have seen milk curdle when there are impurities and possibly the instant pot is not completely sanitized. As you can see in the video, the milk did not curdle for me and for many people who have given good reviews for this recipe. I agree traditionally sugar, nuts and raisins are added after cooking the kheer, however this is the easy one-pot method to make kheer in the instant pot. It is definitely a personal preference to add nuts and raisins before or after pressure cooking. Please feel free to adjust the recipe to your preference.
Totally love it..not just me but everyone who tastes it loves it..I tried it recently during Ganeshji festival and already thrice after that..Thanks a lot it really couldn’t get easier
Hi Meeta,
You’ve been doing some great work within your food blog ! Keep it up 🙂 and keep posting more !
I couple of your recipes and they turned out well ! Although for milk recipes such as Kheer or Tapioca pudding – the milk always curdles after end of suggested ‘porridge’ mode instant pot cook settings. Have you experienced this – or know any workaround for this?
PS: I use normal cane sugar as suggested in recipe before setting up Porridge mode (no jaggery). Apparently in other instant pot blogs they said that IP doesn’t do well with dairy products under pressure (they curdle) – so maybe that’s what is happening here. Love to hear what others have experience and figured out a work around?
Hi Saga – I am sorry that the recipe did not worked well for you. I have always only used whole milk when making kheer. The porridge setting cooks the food at a lower temperature than high pressure cooking, so it has worked well for such recipes for me and many others who have tried this recipe.
The reason when I have seen milk curdle is when there are any impurities. Try to clean the rice well. Maybe add sugar and nuts after pressure cooking to avoid any possible issue due to them. Also clean the instant pot and the lid along with all the parts really well. Even the condensation from the lid dropping back into the milk can cause it to curdle.
I know it is disheartening to waste food every time a recipe does not work. So if you try again, do try with just half the quantity to make sure that it works out. Thank you so much for continuing to support and being so kind!
I almost destroyed my whole kitchen while making this kheer in the instant pot. Your recipe says put the whistle on VENTING mode, and when I did that the whole kheer blasted out in my kitchen through the whistle.
It should’ve been advised to put on SEAL mode!
Hope you make this correction in your recipe soon!
Hi Mehreen – So sorry this happened. The recipe clearly says “Close lid with vent in sealing position.”. I highly recommend to keep the vent on sealing position when pressure cooking with liquids. Same applies to lentils and curries too.
This looks wonderful — any advice on if we don’t have medium or short grain white rice. Thoughts on using just long grain or would it not come out well ? thanks. looking forward to trying this!
Hi Doreen – It would be fine even if you use long grain rice. I have made this with basmati rice and it has worked well. Hope you enjoy the kheer.
Hi my instant pot is an 8 litre would I need to change cooking time ? to longer due to larger capacity thanks.
Hi Gillian – I don’t think additional cooking time will be needed in an 8qt. I would say as it has more chance of burning with milk, you can heat up 1/2 cup water in the instant pot before adding the rest of the ingredients. Hope you enjoy the kheer!
This came out so good! It was truly the easiest, fastest recipe that actually worked well that I have made in a while. I had some milk about to expire, was super tired and not in the mood to spend hours over the stove and thought I’d give it a shot and I can’t believe how well it worked. The only problem, and it was my error, was that I didn’t have any roasted unsalted nuts so I used some raw slivered almonds instead and the texture of those didn’t work out too well. I would have been better off leaving them out. But that’s ok, the pudding is still good. Thank you!
Hi Rena – Glad to hear you enjoyed the kheer. For next time, you can sauté the raw almonds in 1 tablespoon ghee in the instant pot. Turn off, then continue to add the other ingredients in the recipe.
HI Rene,
For me the milk curdled! Porridge mode for 20 mins.. high pressure with NPR after. Not sure what am I doing wrong !! Any help appreciated!
Can you make this using a non dairy milk (almond milk or oat milk) or is whole milk required?
I have not tried, but other readers have used almond milk and enjoyed the kheer.
What if my instant pot doesn’t have a porridge setting? what can i use??
Hi Jazz – It is hard for me to confirm what setting will work. I am guessing a soup setting or a low pressure setting could work well.
I would like to make serving for 2 only. Possible? Will dividing all the ingredients by 3 work?
Hi Hira – yes, you can adjust the quantity as needed. The cooking time will still remain the same. The instant pot will just come to pressure and release pressure sooner with less quantity.
Do you have any setting or recommendations if I am using ninja foodie
Hi Ritesh – I have not tried, so not sure what setting will work in the ninja foodie for this kheer.
Hi Meeta… I tried this for my family, it came out very yummy… I want to make this in a large quantity for a potluck. Maximum how many cups of milk can I use in a single batch in a 6qt IP. And can I saute the basmati rice along with nuts before pouring milk..?
Hi Aishwarya – I would not recommend a very large quantity of this kheer for pressure cooking. The reason is that milk can foam, and can come out in this case. You can consider slow cooking with the instant pot. I would also suggest to use a glass lid when slow cooking.
When I made this the rice got stuck to the bottom and burned. Do you have any ideas for how to prevent this? I did use 2% milk instead of whole, could that be it?
Hi Shanthi – Sorry to hear the kheer got stuck. I don’t 2% milk is the reason for the issue. What size is your pot? I would suggest to boil a cup of water in the pot before following the recipe next time. That can help so that the milk does not stick to the bottom of the pot.
My daughters love rice pudding. When I made this, they immediately said they no longer want the store bought pudding. Thank you for sharing. I made a second batch right after the first (since there was non left to eat for next day)!!
Hi pretty – So glad to hear your daughter enjoyed the kheer 🙂
Hi Meeta, I have a question. If I make this rice kheer in a large quantity for a party and I use around 20 cups of milk- Should I pressure cook it for a longer period of time or is it still 20 minutes? Thanks!
Hi Janani – I would not recommend a very large quantity of this kheer for pressure cooking. The reason is that milk can foam, and can come out in this case. You can consider slow cooking with the instant pot. I would also suggest to use a glass lid when slow cooking.
Hi Meeta,
This is the most easy and awesome recipe of Instant pot ever. Nothing like dump it all with such amazing kheer. I tried a dairy free version also using Coconut milk. That too turned out awesome. Many thanks to you.
I tried it today and it turned out to be amazing , i added the dry fruits at the end though coz i prefer their rawness. And actually thats the first thing we made in our instant pot. 🙂
Porridge mode works wonders for the kheer it seems .
Hi Pallavi – So happy to hear you enjoyed the kheer and inaugurated your instant pot. Thank you for sharing back your review!
I had made this recipe in a 3qt instant pot. It came out so yummy. I wouldn’t make it again in a 3qt pot. I read the cautionary note once Kheer was in the pot 🙂 the recipe worked for me and highly recommend it. 🙂
Hi Vatsala – If it worked well for you, you can still make it. Maybe reduce the quantity a bit to make sure there is enough space for the milk to foam.
Followed this recipe. However, my milked burnt and had a weird taste. Any suggestion to overcome the same? I have instant pot ultra.
Hi Divya – Sorry to hear the kheer did not work well in your instant pot ultra. What size is your pot? I would suggest to boil a cup of water in the pot before following the recipe next time. That can help so that the milk does not stick to the bottom of the pot.
This kheer is my go to recipe for chawal ki kheer. My whole family loves it and this is just so easy to make. It used to be such a time consuming process on the stove top but with the instant pot, I can make it even on working days to satisfy our sweet tooth. Thanks for the easy but so delicious recipe! Happy Diwali!
Hi Aval – So happy to hear you all enjoy the kheer. Happy Diwali to you and your family too!
I make kheer in pressure cooker all the time. Adding the raisins at the start of the cooking process made the milk curdle. Cashews and raisins were cooked in the porridge mode and did not taste good.
I suggest that you change the instructions, sugar and dry fruits should be added after the Kheer is completely cooked.
Hi Harpreet – Sorry to hear the recipe did not work out for you. I have seen milk curdle when there are impurities and possibly the instant pot is not completely sanitized. As you can see in the video, the milk did not curdle for me and for many people who have given good reviews for this recipe. I agree traditionally sugar, nuts and raisins are added after cooking the kheer, however this is the easy one-pot method to make kheer in the instant pot. It is definitely a personal preference to add nuts and raisins before or after pressure cooking. Please feel free to adjust the recipe to your preference.
Totally love it..not just me but everyone who tastes it loves it..I tried it recently during Ganeshji festival and already thrice after that..Thanks a lot it really couldn’t get easier
Hi Komal – So happy to hear you enjoyed the kheer!