Our fan-freaking-fantastic Coconut Milk Rice Instant Pot recipe is the game-changer your family needs. This recipe will help you elevate plain rice to extraordinary with the aromatic blend of Basmati and the rich creaminess of coconut milk—all effortlessly made in your Instant Pot!
Coconut rice is always a hit in our household. We love making it in the Instant Pot because it's a set-it-and-forget-it kinda recipe. In this post, we'll show you the simple steps you need to make this flavor explosion your family will love.
Looking for more easy recipes? Try Easy Black-eyed Peas and Cabbage and Easy Stove-top Chili
Jump To Recipe
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Perfect Basmati Coconut Rice Every Time: The Instant Pot ensures that your Basmati rice turns out perfectly cooked every single time.
Effortless and Easy: It's your new favorite way to cook Basmati rice effortlessly. The simple recipe and easy steps make it an ideal choice for both new and experienced cooks.
Best Results: The Instant Pot is the best way to cook Basmati rice and guarantees uniform and thorough cooking.
Perfect for Indian Food Enthusiasts: If you love Indian food, this Instant Pot Basmati Rice recipe is your go-to. It complements a variety of Indian dishes, serving as the perfect side.
Effortless Cooking: It's the best way to achieve the perfect rice, effortlessly and every single time.
Recipe Ingredients
You’ll need the following ingredients to make this basmati coconut rice.
Ingredient Notes
Basmati Rice: Indian Basmati rice is perfect for this recipe because of its fluffy texture when cooked.
Coconut Milk: Coconut milk introduces a rich, creamy, and subtly sweet flavor to the rice.
Cilantro and Lime (for garnish): Cilantro and lime add a refreshing and zesty touch to this dish.
How To Make Coconut Milk Rice Instant Pot Step-By-Step
Check out these step-by-step instructions with images. Just so you know, you'll find all the details and exact ingredients of this recipe on the printable recipe card below!
Step 1: Place 1 cup of white Basmati rice in a fine mesh strainer and rinse it under cold water 2-3 times until the water runs clear. Doing this will remove excess starch which makes long-grain rice really sticky.
Step 2: Transfer the cooking rice to the inner pot of your Instant Pot, and add 1 cup of coconut milk, ¼ cup of water, and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Gently stir them all to combine.
Step 3: Close the Instant Pot lid, and set the valve to "Sealing." Select "Pressure Cook" or "Manual" for a cooking time of 6 minutes on high pressure. Alternatively, you can select the rice setting.
Step 4: When it's ready, allow a natural pressure release for 10 minutes, and then carefully switch the valve to "Venting" for a quick pressure release of the remaining pressure. We sometimes let it naturally release pressure for 20 minutes.
Step 5: Open the Instant Pot and fluff the cooked rice with a fork to achieve perfectly fluffy Basmati rice.
Step 6: If desired, garnish your fluffy rice with chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime for freshness.
Step 7: Your Instant Pot rice is ready! This makes a perfect side dish, especially with chicken curry, dal makhani, butter chicken, or any of your favorite Indian curries.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
We recommend using full-fat coconut milk for a more luscious texture.
Water is an important element to balance the coconut milk and ensure that the rice cooks to perfection.
Feel free to experiment with different salts, such as sea salt or Himalayan salt, for nuanced variations.
If you don't have an Instant Pot, you can cook the rice on your stovetop using a covered cooking pot.
Feel free to add spices like cumin, coriander, or cardamom to enhance the flavor of your this basmati instant pot recipe.
Storage & Reheating
Before storing, allow the cooked Basmati rice to cool completely. Once it has cooled, transfer the rice to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days for the best quality and taste.
To reheat in the microwave, place the rice in a microwave-safe dish, cover it with a damp paper towel, and heat in the microwave in short intervals. Stir the rice between intervals to make sure it heats evenly.
To reheat in the Instant Pot, add a bit of water to the rice, close the lid, and then use the "Steam" function for a few minutes until the rice is warm.
Freezing may change its texture, but if you need to, place the rice in a freezer-safe container and freeze it for up to 1-2 months.
Additions and Substitutions
If basmati rice is unavailable, you can substitute it with the brown rice version of Basmati, wild rice, black rice, or jasmine rice, though their flavor profile may be different. For this recipe, we used the Walmart brand of basmati rice.
In case you're out of coconut milk, you can substitute it with almond milk or cashew milk for a different but still creamy texture.
You can substitute cilantro with fresh parsley for a milder herbaceous note and lemon for lime.
For more flavorful and savory white rice, consider using vegetable or chicken broth as a substitute for water.
Your Questions Answered
Yes, rinsing Basmati rice is necessary and helps remove excess starch and prevents it from becoming overly sticky during cooking.
Yes, you can substitute it with almond milk or cashew milk for a different but still creamy texture.
Instant pot rice with coconut milk goes well with Indian dishes like chicken curry, dal makhani, butter chicken, and other favorite curries and stews.
Soaking the rice isn't essential, but it can help the rice cook more evenly and reduce cooking time slightly. We recommend soaking the rice for 15-30 minutes before rinsing.
This may be because you used too much water. Make sure you follow the correct ratio and timings.
Double-check the cooking time and also make sure the steam release valve is in the sealing position while it's cooking. You can cook your instant pot rice basmati for an additional minute if you need to.
In a Dinner Rut
Sign up for our newsletter!
Rate this recipe
We hope you love this Basmati rice instant pot recipe! If you make it, be sure to leave a rating so we know how you liked it!
More Recipes You'll Love
Looking for other easy and delicious recipes? Try these:
Risa says
I love that this rice is made in the instant pot! I have never made rice in the instant pot before. We love coconut rice, and I can't wait to try your recipe!