Spinach Rice - Instant Pot & Stovetop

Spinach Rice cooked in the instant pot or stovetop as a one-pot recipe. Aromatic basmati rice, with spinach and spices, make this Spinach Rice flavorful and healthy! Vegan & Gluten-free.

Spinach Rice, is also a popular Indian side dish enjoyed with a lentil curry or with yogurt. It is know as Palak Rice or Palak Pulao in Hindi (Palak=Spinach).

We are enjoying a lot of one-pot dishes or even meals made in the pressure cooker. There is such less preparation needed, just about 5-10 minutes, and then the pressure cooker does the magic. Some of our favorite one-pot rice dishes are - Mujadara, Matar Pulao, Mushroom & Brown Rice, and Vegetable Pilaf.

This Spinach Rice is not only easy to make, it is also very healthy with the addition of lots of fresh spinach. This Spinach Rice is made with very basic ingredients such as onions, garlic, spices, and of course, spinach and rice.

I like to add garam masala to this spinach rice, which adds a delicate aroma. Here is my homemade Garam Masala recipe, which can be made in just 5 minutes. We like to add a generous squeeze of lime juice at the end, which adds a wonderful tangy flavor to the rice.

Love spinach? Check out 21 amazing Indian Spinach Recipes.

How to make Spinach Rice in the Pressure Cooker?

Spinach needs very less time to cook. Hence for this recipe, I soak the basmati rice so that I can cook rice for less time and on low pressure.

I also like to use long grain basmati rice to make this recipe, as they cook perfectly with spinach and we love each grain of rice fluffy and separated.

1. Start with rinsing the rice and soaking for 20 minutes. Then drain and keep aside.
2. Start the pressure cooker in sauté mode and heat oil in it. Add the whole spices such as bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. Adding these whole spices is optional, but they add a wonderful flavor to the cooked rice.
3. Then add chopped onions, garlic and sauté for 2-3 mins.
4. Now add the ground spices, salt and stir them in with the onions. Turn off sauté mode, so that the spices don't burn the bottom of the pot.
5. Add chopped spinach and mix it.
6. Add rice, water and mix well. Press down, so most of the rice is under water. Close lid with vent in sealing position.
7. Cook on Manual or Pressure Cook mode for 5 minutes on low pressure. When the pressure cooker beeps, do a 5 minute NPR, which means let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, then manually release the pressure by turning the vale to venting position.
8. Add lime juice and fluff the rice with a fork.
9. Let it sit uncovered for 5 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

The Spinach Rice is perfectly cooked in just 5 minutes on low pressure. If you are using a pressure cooker, that does not have a low pressure option, then you can cook on high pressure for 4 minutes, with a 5 minute NPR.

How to cook one-pot Spinach Rice in a skillet?

1. Heat a heavy bottom sauce pan on medium-high heat. Follow the instructions to sauté everything, add spinach, rice, water. Bring to a boil and cover the pot. Reduce heat to medium, and cook for about 10-12 minutes.
2. Open the lid, add lime juice and fluff rice with a fork. Let it sit, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Serve & enjoy!

Variation: Indian Spinach Rice

To make this spinach rice have a more Indian flavor, you can add some cumin seeds along with the whole spices. Then add some ginger along with garlic. Then top with some roasted cashews at the end.

Variation: Spanakorizo - Green Spinach Rice

A popular Greek variation is called Spanakorizo. To get the greek flavors, add ground cumin in place of Garam Masala. Use chicken or vegetable broth in place of water and top with fresh dill at the end. You can also top with some feta cheese!

What to serve with Spinach Rice?

Spinach Rice can be served as a side dish for any protein such as chicken or fish. For my vegetarian friends, we love this spinach rice along with beans or chickpeas curry. You can also serve this Spinach Rice with a side of yogurt or raita.

Try this easy and delicious Spinach Rice!