Instant Pot Lemon Rice Pilaf Recipe (2024)

We're using our Instant Pot to make a quick and delicious side that your whole family will love. Instant Pot Lemon Rice Pilaf is done in 20 minutes!

Instant Pot Lemon Rice Pilaf Recipe (1)

I’m still pretty new to my Instant Pot, but I am already loving it more than I expected I would!

One thing I am loving about my Instant Pot is the SAUTE feature. I can brown my meat, cook my onions, and soften my peppers in the same place I simmer my chili. It makes for very delicious food, and less dishes.

I’ve mainly been using my Instant Pot for main dishes and a few soups, but I wanted to mix it up and try out a side dish. I had heard rice was pretty simple, but I had no idea how fast this would come together!

If you have never made Instant Pot Rice, then you are missing out! The Instant Pot make the BEST Rice! Our Fluffy White Rice and Brown Rice are my favorites!

WHAT INSTANT POT DO I USE?

I have the Instant Pot Duo Pressure Cooker. It’s basically 6 appliances in 1 – pressure cooker, rice cooker, saute, steamer, slow cooker and warmer.

Instant Pot Lemon Rice Pilaf Recipe (2)

Instant Pot Lemon Rice Pilaf Recipe (3)

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Tips for making Lemon Rice Pilaf in the Instant Pot

  1. We recommend rinsing your rice before cooking. Just rinsing in cold water in a bowl for a few minutes works great.
  2. Freeze dried garlic is great for this recipe and rehydrates really fast in the butter! Fresh works as well, but if you’re looking to avoid a smelly garlic kitchen, we use our freeze dried garlic almost every single day!
  3. Make sure your butter heats up before you add your rice and garlic. This will keep your rice from starting to cook in the butter, and just saute it a little before cooking in the broth.
  4. We like cooking our rice in the butter and lemon juice for a great flavor. Fresh lemon juice tastes the best and you can use the zest to top your rice afterwards.
  5. We like to add our lemon juice before we add our chicken broth and give it a good stir to make sure every piece of rice is really coated in lemon. I’m not sure if this makes a huge difference, but so far we have loved it!
  6. You’ll need at least one cup of liquid for each one cup of rice, but this recipe can easily be doubled. Just make sure to double your liquid.
  7. Make sure your valve is set to “sealing’ before you set your timer, otherwise your Instant Pot won’t pressurize and your rice won’t cook (speaking from experience!)
Instant Pot Lemon Rice Pilaf Recipe (4)

Looking to cut down on carbs? Try our Spanish Cauliflower Rice!

CHECK OUT OUR OTHER FAVORITE INSTANT POT RECIPES

  • Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
  • Instant Pot 7 Can Tortilla Soup
  • Instant Pot Chicken Chile Verde
  • Instant Pot Potato Soup
  • Instant Pot Rice Pilaf
  • Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice

Instant Pot Lemon Rice Pilaf Recipe (5)

Serves: 6

Instant Pot Lemon Rice Pilaf Recipe

5 from 1 vote

We're using our Instant Pot to make a quick and delicious side that your whole family will love. Instant Pot Lemon Rice Pilaf is done in 20 minutes!

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Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • ½ cup chopped onion
  • 2 cups long grain rice
  • cup chicken broth
  • ¼ cup lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • fresh parsley chopped (optional)

Instructions

  • Using the saute feature on your instant pot, melt your butter and saute garlic and chopped onion in the butter until the garlic begins to turn a golden brown and onions become translucent (about 5 minutes).

  • Add rice and continue stirring until rice is coated in butter and begins to turn clear.

  • Add chicken broth, lemon juice, and salt, and stir it until mixed.

  • Place your lid on and set it to sealing.

  • Use your "rice" setting, or set it manually, for 12 minutes.

  • Let it release naturally for 10 minutes after your 12 minutes is up.

  • After 10 minutes, do a quick release (there shouldn't be much steam left).

  • Stir in your fresh parsley, and top with more lemon juice as desired.

Notes

  • We recommend rinsing your rice before cooking. Just rinsing in cold water in a bowl for a few minutes works great.

Nutrition

Calories: 270 kcal · Carbohydrates: 52 g · Protein: 5 g · Fat: 4 g · Saturated Fat: 3 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 1 g · Trans Fat: 1 g · Cholesterol: 10 mg · Sodium: 676 mg · Potassium: 159 mg · Fiber: 1 g · Sugar: 1 g · Vitamin A: 119 IU · Vitamin C: 10 mg · Calcium: 27 mg · Iron: 1 mg

Equipment

  • Instant Pot

Recipe Details

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

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Instant Pot Lemon Rice Pilaf Recipe (6)

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Instant Pot Lemon Rice Pilaf Recipe (7)

Join The Discussion

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  1. Chelsea says:

    Hi! I’m new to using an InstantPot. I followed your recipe exactly and my rice ended up wet and mushy. Any recommendations for a solution? The flavor of your recipe is great!

  2. Jen says:

    I made this last night and it was delicious. We used it to make Gyro bowls which my husband has now declared his favorite dinner. Just one note that this is not a 20 minute recipe as stated at the top of the post. The cook time alone comes to 27 mins plus the little bit of prep and time to come to pressure, so plan accordingly.

  3. Amy Allega says:

    Hello! I make your lemon rice 1-2 times per week. We love it and I usually double the recipe. How would I do the same recipe but with brown rice? Thank you.

  4. Antigone Chapogas says:

    You didn't specify using low or high pressure on manual. It should be noted that the rice setting is low pressure for 12 minutes, but using high pressure should only be 4 to 5 minutes. Since I got my instant pot years ago, I always used it for rice 😀

  5. Cornelia Guest says:

    Delicious! I'll be making this again and again!

  6. RL says:

    Amazing- in love with this pilaf. Made last night to go with broiled fish and veggies. A keeper! Didn’t have chicken stock so subbed a bit of better than boullion beef- can’t wait to try it as written!

  7. Lesli says:

    Always my go to! I share it with everyone and it’s a crowd favorite.

    Instant Pot Lemon Rice Pilaf Recipe (8)

Instant Pot Lemon Rice Pilaf Recipe (9)

About The Author:

Lauren

Lauren lives in Sacramento, California with her husband, Jon, and her three cute kids. In her spare time she loves listening to podcasts and spending time with her family.

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Instant Pot Lemon Rice Pilaf Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How to make rice in Instant Pot without burning? ›

Use slightly more water when cooking brown rice and wild rice to prevent undercooking and scorching. Plus, it's better to err on the side of more water, since most rice varieties can be drained if there's excess moisture.

What is the rice setting on Instant Pot? ›

Cook the rice on low pressure: If cooking white rice: Select the “Rice” cooking program on its low pressure setting. (If your pressure cooker doesn't have high and low pressure settings, just use the default “rice” setting.) The pressure cooker will adjust the cooking time automatically.

Why is Instant Pot rice sticky? ›

Cooking Time: Overcooking rice can lead to a sticky texture. If the rice is cooked too long, the grains can break down and release more starch, resulting in stickiness.

Why is my white rice sticky in rice cooker? ›

Two Key Factors for Perfect Rice-Cooker Rice

First, rinse your rice under running water before transferring it to the rice cooker; this washes away excess starch and helps make the rice less sticky. Second, let the rice rest after cooking for at least 10 minutes with the lid on before serving.

How much water do I need for 1 cup of rice? ›

For tender grains of rice that easily separate, such as in a pilaf, use 2 cups of water for every 1 cup of rice. You can also use another liquid like stock in this 2:1 ratio. For slightly chewier, fluffy white rice, use 1 1/2 cups of water for every cup of rice, or a 1.5:1 ratio.

Do Instapots cook rice well? ›

This is where the Instant Pot excels. One of the many things you can do with an Instant Pot is cook rice using the pressure cooking setting. With this method, rice cooks faster than it does on the stovetop, and you get consistent results every time.

Can an Instapot be used as a rice cooker? ›

Combine the rice and water in a 6-quart Instant Pot. Secure the lid and Pressure Cook on High for 3 minutes. Allow the Instant Pot to release pressure naturally.

How much water do I need for 2 cups of rice? ›

The rule of thumb for white or brown rice is 2 parts water to 1 part rice. So 4 cups of water for 2 cups of rice. I usually add an extra 1 or 2 tablespoons of water to my brown rice, and check it periodically to make sure it hasn't absorbed all the water while cooking it on the stove.

How do you cook rice without it burning? ›

The heat is likely too high, and you might need to stir it more frequently. Keeping your flame low and letting the rice simmer instead of boil will allow for a better end product and will prevent the rice from burning at the bottom.

How do you dry rice without burning it? ›

If your rice is already stickier than you'd like, you could try rinsing it under cold water to remove some of the excess starch. After rinsing, spread the rice onto a sheet tray and place in the oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes to dry it out a bit.

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