Kheer or Payasam is an Indian favorite dessert for special occasions. It is basically 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 thing about this, no stirring and it is ready in less than 40 mins!
Traditionally making kheer meant keeping milk and rice on the stove for 2 hours and stirring it frequently until the milk thickens and becomes creamy. With the Porridge setting in instant pot, the same thing happens, but you just dump 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 are 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 is going to be my dessert addition to Diwali potluck’s this year – Instant Pot Kheer.
How to make Kheer in Instant Pot?
This rice pudding is super easy with just adding all ingredients to the instant pot and setting it on porridge mode. The instant pot does it’s magic and perfect aromatic rice kheer is ready for you in 30 mins. If you have not tried kheer in instant pot yet, you just have to!
I hope you enjoy this easy and delicious Instant Pot Indian Dessert – Rice Pudding. Do share how it turned out!
Here are some other dessert made in the instant pot that you might enjoy:
- Sabudana Kheer – This gluten-free Sabudana pudding is made with tapioca pearls and milk in the instant pot.
- Seviyan Kheer – Also called Vermicelli Kheer or Semiyan Payasam, this delicious dessert can be made in the instant pot in less than 25 minutes.
- Carrot Pudding – Carrot Kheer is made with carrots, milk, cashews and dates, with the added aroma of cardamom & saffron. A delicious & satisfying desert, with no added sugar.
- Coconut Almond Laddoo – A quick sweet recipe that can be made in just 20 minutes for any occasion.
Rice Pudding / Kheer – Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 5 cups Milk, whole
- 1/2 cup White Rice , preferably small or medium grain, rinsed
- 1/2 cup Sugar , (adjust to taste), see notes
- 1/4 cup Roasted Mixed Nuts, chopped or sliced (cashews, almonds, walnut, pistachios) (optional)
- 1 tablespoon Raisins, (optional)
- 1 teaspoon Cardamom powder (Elaichi), (optional)
- 1/8 teaspoon Saffron (Kesar), (optional)
Instructions
- Sanitize the instant pot steel insert, lid and sealing ring thoroughly. If you have an extra sealing ring for sweet foods, use it.
- Add all the ingredients in the instant pot steel insert. Close lid with vent in sealing position. (Based on your preference, you can add sugar, nuts and raisins after pressure cooking too)
- Set instant pot to PORRIDGE mode for 20 minutes on high pressure. When instant pot beeps, let the pressure release naturally.
- Open Instant Pot and mix well. Rice pudding is ready. Serve warm or chilled.
- If needed, to get the desired consistency, cook on SAUTE mode for 2-3 mins. Or add more milk, mix and let it boil for a minute.
Video
Notes
- Try to boil 1/2 cup water in the instant pot on sauté mode, then add other ingredients. Make sure the water is already steaming before adding other ingredients.
- After opening the pot, take the instant pot steel insert out of the pot so the bottom layer does not overcook or stick to the pot.
- Add cinnamon powder and vanilla essence to get a different flavor.
- You can use brown sugar instead of white sugar, based on your preference.
Nutrition
Check out the collection of 10 Instant Pot Indian Desserts from the best blogs here.
Hi. I just wanted to say thank you thank you thank you so much for this recipe! I make kheer much more often now bc it’s just so easy! My husband doesn’t like samai or anything that has ghee. For Eid he only eats kheer and now I can make it whenever he wants. And the ratio is great. I just keep it simple milk rice cardamom sugar and saffron. It’s a hit with my entire family and they always expect me to have it. My mom always asks me to make enough for her to take home and that makes me proud. Thanks again!!!
So so happy to hear you all enjoy the Kheer!
Can we use basmati rice for this recipe?
Hi Anna – Yes, basmati rice will work in this recipe. Hope you enjoy the kheer!
What tweaks should I make for 3 qt? TIA
Hello – I have not tried this in a 3qt, but half the quantity in this recipe would definitely work in the 3qt instant pot. The cooking time will remain the same. Hope you enjoy it!
Can u add jaggery instead of sugar? Does it get cooked with jaggery? Did u try anytime, thanka
Hi Rupa – I have not tried this kheer with jaggery, however some readers have suggested that jaggery does not work well with milk under pressure. So if you do try with jaggery, add it after cooking the rice & milk on porridge mode. Hope that helps!
Do you think we could use the pressure cook function instead of the porridge function? If so, long long would we pressure cook it for? I live in Australia and we cant get instant pots here but we have the philips all in one cookers which is very similar to the instant pot. Sadly we do not have the porridge function on it but I really want to try this recipe 🙁
Hi Naila – I think pressure cook would work well too. You can reduce the cooking time to 10 minutes. If there is a low pressure cook setting in the cooker, I would suggest to use that. Hope you enjoy the kheer!
Thank you for the recipe. It came out exceptionally delicious.
Hi Vatsala – Glad to hear you enjoyed the Kheer!
I have made this recipe several times and I just wanted to thank you from the bottom of my heart for it. Couldn’t get easier!! I have always doubled the recipe as well and had no complaints.
Thanks a ton. Your recipes are a life saver!
Everyone in my family including my little ones love it.
worked really well. quick and easy and no stirring for hours!
My husband loves Kheer & asks for it often … whether he makes or I do, it used to be a big mess to clean & a long time to wait for it … I saw this today & tried it right away & im so grateful for this recipe 😀 fast with no mess & couldn’t be easier! Thank you!
Hey Sonia – So glad you both are enjoying kheer!
I have made your recipe before and it came out perfectly.
Second time, I tried with skim milk and it was just water after 20mins. Is it essential to use Whole Milk? Secondly, the ‘cup’ measurements you use, is the cup the one that comes with the instant pot? Like 5cups doesn’t mean 5 measured cups?
Hi Pooja – I have not tried this one with skimmed milk, but it is good to know that it did not work well with skimmed milk. I think thicker whole milk gives a good creamy texture. I use the standard US cup size of 240ml when measuring for this kheer.