Brown rice in under 20 minutes - Yes that's right, if you cook brown rice in a pressure cooker, it really can be on the table in under 20 minutes.
It's so easy I don't even need to add any step-by-step pictures. So go on, make the healthier choice!
Brown Rice vs White Rice
Brown Rice
Pros
- More fibre vitamins and minerals from the bran and germ
- Nuttier fuller flavour adds depth to savoury diehes
- Keeps you fuller for longer due to the addiotnal fibre
- Lower glycaemic index (slower blood sugar rise compared to white rice )
Cons
- Takes longer to cook when cooked conventionally (35-45 minutes)
- Chewier texture -–not everyone likes the denser texture
- Shorter shelf life – oil in the bran and germ goes rancid
White Rice
- Quick to cook (15- 20 minutes)
- Soft fluffy texture – works well with a variety of dishes
- Longer shelf life – compared to brown rice
- Neautral flavour – works well with both sweet and savoury dishes
Cons
- Fewer nutrients and fibre – due to removal of bran and germ
- Higher glycaemic index – faster energy spike
- Less filling – you may feel hungrier quicker
Aside from the fact that brown rice is more nutritious, I think it tastes better with most things and seems so much more filling than white rice. But I tend to cook rice when I'm in a hurry and the extra cooking time that brown rice requires can put me off using it.
That was until I got a pressure cooker. In a pressure cooker, brown rice takes just 15 minutes at pressure, so takes about 20 minutes to make, not much difference to cooking white rice. More often than not, now I cook brown rice.
When I do cook white rice, I usually generally use basmati and I cook it by the absorption method explained in my How to Cook Basmati Rice.
How to Cook Brown Rice in a Pressure Cooker
Brown Rice
Equipment
- 1 Pressure cooker
- cup or
- measuring jug
Instructions
- Place 250g (1 cup) rice, ½ teaspoon salt and ½ pint (1¼cups) water in a pressure cooker. Lock the lid into place and bring to high pressure.
- Regulate the heat to maintain the pressure and cook for 15 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and release the pressure quickly. Serve!
Notes
Nutrition
Rice in the pressure cooker
Cooking rice dishes in a pressure cooker is almost a big enough reason alone to buy a pressure cooker if you don't have one already. I love using mine to make risottos like my Mushroom and Spinach, Chicken (or Turkey) and Leek or Pumpkin risotto. So much quicker and easier than by the traditional method. They are also great beans and pulses quickly and for making great tasty stews.
Is it worth getting a pressure cooker?
Cooking rice dishes in a pressure cooker is almost a big enough reason alone to buy a pressure cooker if you don't have one already. I love mine, in fact I have two! One stove top and the other my Instant pot, which has a pressure cooker function.
I mostly use mine to make risottos like my Chicken (or Turkey) and Leek or Pumpkin risotto. So much quicker and easier than by the traditional method. They are also great beans and pulses quickly and for making great tasty stews.
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Judy says
This is the easiest, quickest and best brown rice pressure cooker recipe I've ever tried. It turns out perfectly.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Thank you. So pleased you think so.
Jill Talburt says
Easy peasy! Came out just right.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Perfect thats just what I like to hear 🙂
ALI says
I've never made brown rice before. I've heard it takes alot of water and doesn't taste nice. But I've reading about its benefits so I'm going to give it a go using my pressure cooking. I will also be using basmati rice. Just a quick question, if I wanted to use chicken stock or veg will it require the same amount of water? Also previously i have soaked white rice then use less water (not double amount) when cooking. Could I also soak the brown rice? For how long would you recommend? Thank you
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Hi, I find now that i actually prefer brown to white rice and find it more filling. You can just swap the water in this recipe with stock if you prefer. Do not add salt though or it may end up too salty. I haven't tried soaking the rice first so can not advise on if this will reduce the amount of water. I would think it might but not by as much as soaking white but this is just a guess. Im never organised enough to remember to soak my rice first and love this method of cooking brown rice as it s so much quicker.
Aline says
Thank you so much for the recipe! I was never able to make brown rice in a pot or in the microwave, but it turned out perfect on the first try. Thank you!
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
You are welcome. I must admit until I started making it this way I hardly ever cooked brown rice even though I prefer it to white rice.
Tanya says
Thanks for your post. I use a stove top pressure cooker and it's hard to find a recipe for an actual old fashioned pressure cooker. I don't see the appeal of insta pot when it's used mostly for pressure cooking.
Jacqui Bellefontaine says
Glad you found the post useful. I have to say since writing it I now almost always cook brown rather than white rice as there is not such a big time difference now. I have both an instant pot and a conventional pressure cooker I use both regularly. I do like the fact that the instant pot automatically turns off at the end of the cooking time and I do sometimes use it for slow cooking I don't have a sperate slow cooker so I can see why some people like it.