Enjoy this nutritious, ancient grain with any meal and whip it up quickly! Instant Pot Black Rice is ready in half the amount of time compared to the stovetop method.
It’s an easy and healthier swap for regular white rice, which is one of the reasons why we love incorporating black rice into meals when we can. It even works great in sushi rolls.
If you like this recipe, you will like our Instant Pot Wild Blend Rice: Save some time and free up stovetop space by preparing our favorite Wild rice. It goes with everything from salads to soups to casseroles.
Our Instant Pot Black Rice recipe is:
- gluten-free
- ready in under 20 minutes
- packed with nutrients
- simple and versatile
Is Black Rice the Same as Forbidden rice?
Yes! In fact, black rice and forbidden rice (sometimes even called purple rice or the emperor’s rice) all refer to the many varieties of the dark-colored rice that is rich in antioxidants and nutrients.
Black rice gets its shade from anthocyanin pigment, the same type of pigment found in natural red, blue, and purple foods like blackberries, blueberries and red cabbage.
You will love the simplicity and flavor of this black rice recipe, which by the way, works for any kind of black rice!
Ingredients for Instant Pot Black Rice
Like many of our Instant Pot rice recipes, it’s an easy one. 😉 All you need are the following ingredients:
- Black rice. This recipe is a great one for all varieties of black rice so don’t worry too much about what type you have.
- Water. Just like any rice recipe, water is somewhat essential for this one. 😉 Feel free to swap in an equal amount of broth if you’d like to add a bit more flavor.
- Salt. Don’t skip this simple seasoning as it adds just the right amount of flavor.
And of course, you’ll need an Instant Pot. It offers such a convenient way to prepare a variety of foods, and for more Instant Pot inspiration, check out these Instant Pot recipes!
How to Cook Black Rice in the Instant Pot
For this Instant Pot rice, follow this simple process (and see all the details in the recipe at the bottom of the page):
- Combine the ingredients: Add the rice, water (or broth) and salt to the inner pot of the Instant Pot. Secure the lid and make sure the valve is in the sealed position.
- Cook in the Instant Pot: Cook the black rice on high pressure for 18 minutes (if using glutenous black rice, increase to 21 minutes).
- Release the pressure: After the cook time, allow the Instant Pot to release pressure naturally for 10 minutes, then release the rest of the pressure manually.
Fluff up the rice and serve however you like!
This recipe works well with all types of black rice. We tested Forbidden black rice, Thai black rice, Japonica black rice, and glutenous black rice. The only difference was that glutenous black rice needs a few more minutes of cook time.
If you want to make quick fried rice with this recipe, use our sauce for fried rice and stir in some scrambled eggs, leftover pork chops (or any meat), and some frozen veggies.
Does Black Rice Need to be Rinsed?
Unlike many other rice varieties that require rinsing prior to use, black rice is different. Don’t worry about rinsing the rice beforehand. In fact, using it without rinsing allows the rice to retain more nutrients during the cook time. Another reason to love black rice!
We love the ease of this black rice recipe and know you will too! The Instant Pot is an efficient way to prepare this rice (or any kind of rice for that matter) and frees up some crucial stovetop space if you have other yummy dishes in the works.
Plus, it’s healthy, saves well, and one batch of black rice can be used in a variety of ways throughout the week!
Frequently Asked Questions:
Each variety of black rice has a slightly different flavor profile but they all have a slightly nutty, sweet flavor. Glutinous black rice tends to be sweeter and is often used in desserts.
If you store the rice in a dry, well-sealed container it can keep for up to two years. Once cooked, store it in the fridge for 3 to 5 days or in the freezer for 3 months.
You don’t need to rinse or soak black rice unless it has dirt or debris on it. If you soak the rice, it will speed up the cooking time and you may want to reduce the pressure cooking time by a minute or two.
If you cook the rice in an Instant Pot, the ratio is 1:1 however we found that the texture of the rice was better if we used a ratio of 1 cup rice to 1-1/4 cups water, especially if you don’t rinse the rice.
Some Other Recipes You Will Love:
Black Rice Salad with Tomatoes: This refreshing salad with light flavors makes a delicious side or main course! And our black rice salad with mangos is on the sweeter side with a touch of tropical mangos.
Sweet Potato Kale Salad: Roasted sweet potatoes cubes and the warm flavors of cinnamon and cumin work well with black rice in this hearty salad.
Instant Pot Pork Fried Rice: This recipe is a time saver and you don’t need to use leftover rice. Start from dry rice for a quick and easy dinner.
Instant pot red rice is our recipe for whole grain red rice in a pressure cooker.
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Instant Pot Black Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup black rice see notes
- 1-¼ cups water
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Add the rice, water (or broth), and salt to the inner pot of the Instant Pot.
- Secure the lid and make sure the valve is in the sealed position.
- Cook on high pressure for 18 minutes. (21 minutes for glutenous black rice)
- Allow the Instant Pot to release pressure for 10 minutes then release the rest of the pressure manually.
Notes
- This recipe works well with all types of black rice. We tested Forbidden black rice, Thai black rice, Japonica black rice, and glutenous black rice.
- For glutenous black rice, increase the cooking time to 21 minutes.
- You don’t need to rinse the black rice. It will actually retain more nutrients if you do not rinse it first.
- If you do rinse the rice first, you will only need 1 cup of water for every cup of black rice.
Mikini Wms
Thursday 1st of June 2023
This recipe was perfect! I put some veggie better than bullion stock and a little olive oil. Perfectly cooked black rice. I had almost given up when I followed a bad recipe and the rice was crunchy! Lol , and I know how to cook regular rice in a regular pot!
Dahn Boquist
Thursday 1st of June 2023
Thanks for the comment! I'm glad you didn't give up. The bouillon and olive oil sound amazing.