• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Everyday Nourishing Foods
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Breakfast ideas
  • Lunch ideas
  • Dinner ideas
  • About
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Instant pot
  • Millet
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Instant pot
    • Millet
    • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Cooking 101

    How to cook basmati rice in a rice cooker

    Jan 2, 2023 by Sravanthi. This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    • Facebook9
    • Twitter
    • Yummly
    • Pocket
    • Reddit
    • Flipboard
    • Mix
    Jump to Recipe

    Do you love basmati rice? Then make light, fluffy and perfect basmati rice in the rice cooker for your lunch or dinner easily using my recipe. This post has all tips, tricks, and variations to the basic basmati rice recipe.

    rice cooker basmati rice in a bowl
    Contents
    • What is basmati rice?
    • Why use a rice cooker for basmati rice
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Basmati rice to water ratio in a rice cooker
    • Recipe Notes
    • Seasoning rice
    • Variations
    • Storage
    • Serving ideas
    • FAQs
    • Recipe

    What is basmati rice?

    Basmati is a variety of long, slender, and aromatic rice. Its floral aroma and nutty taste make it unique. Basmati rice is best for pilafs and as a side dish for curries. Long, tender, fluffy rice soaks up curry flavors very well.

    Though many countries grow this variety of rice, Basmati rice is mainly grown in the Indian subcontinent.

    Why use a rice cooker for basmati rice

    Though I love my Instant pot and use it very often, I like a rice cooker for basmati rice as

    • Rice will not be gooey (Sometimes the pressure cooker will yield sticky rice if rice water ratio messes up)
    • It's handsfree method
    • We need not monitor like in the stovetop method
    basmati rice in a rice cooker

    Ingredients

    Rice: Good quality and aged basmati rice will yield flavorful long-grained rice.

    Water: I used water to cook basmati rice. But you can use broth or coconut milk to flavor the rice.

    Salt: Though salt is optional, adding a pinch will flavor the rice. As curries and dal already have salt, add it with caution to the rice.

    Oil: I will take the oil as it will help in making light and fluffy rice. I used coconut oil, and you can use any oil like olive oil, avocado oil, or vegetable oil in this recipe. You can even use butter or ghee if you don't mind the rice being vegan.

    Lemon juice: Adding lemon juice will make the rice more white and fluffy. Rice grains will be separate and not stick to each other by using lemon juice, and it will not taste lemony.

    Instructions

    Rinse the rice:

    Rinse the basmati rice very well at least three times to remove all excess starch from the rice. Make sure to complete this step, as rinsing will give light and fluffy rice.

    Soak the rice

    Take the rinsed rice in a bowl. Add a cup of water and let the rice soak for 30 minutes.

    Soaking is optional, but I always soak the rice. Rice is cooked uniformly by soaking the rice, as all rice grains absorb water while soaking.

    But If you are out of time, you can skip it. The basmati rice-to-water ratio will change when you soak the rice.

    Add rice and water to the rice cooker

    Brush the rice cooker cooking pot with oil. By doing so, rice will not stick to the bottom of the pan. Oil will also make rice fluffy and light.

    Drain the water completely from the soaked rice and add it to the rice cooker.

    Next, add water and salt (if using) to the rice cooker.

    Optional flavoring

    If you want to flavor the rice, you can add dry spices like cardamom pods, cloves, bay leaf, and cinnamon to the rice at this stage. You can see the variations section for more flavoring options.

    Set it on

    Close the rice cooker with its lid. If your rice cooker has options, select white rice or start the cook button.

    Fluff the rice

    Once the cooking is over, wait for 5 minutes or so and open the lid.

    Then, fluff the rice with a spatula and let it rest for another 5 minutes. Light, fluffy and flavorful basmati rice is ready to serve with your favorite curry or dal.

    basmati rice in rice cooker

    Basmati rice to water ratio in a rice cooker

    RiceWater
    Soaked1 cup1.5 cups
    Unsoaked1 cup2 cups

    Recipe Notes

    • Rice will expand almost three times. So check the rice cook manual and decide on how much to cook. Else spillage might happen. Using a 6-cup rice cooker, you can only cook 2 cups of dry basmati rice.
    • We can cook rice in large quantities for get-togethers and meal prep with a rice cooker. If we cook more rice, the cooking time will be more.
    • If rice is not aged, then it will take less water. For new rice, use ¼ cup less water for every 1 cup of rice. So if you use 1.5 cups of water for soaked aged rice, new rice will only require 1.25 cups of water.
    • Soaking is optional, but you need to rinse the rice very well. 
    • This recipe will not work for brown basmati rice.
    basmati rice recipe

    Seasoning rice

    Though I love basmati rice as it is, seasoning makes it tastier.
    You can season the rice while cooking it or season the cooked rice.

    For seasoning the rice while it is cooking, you can add some spices like bay leaf, cumin seeds, cardamom pods, cloves, peppercorns, and cinnamon.

    indian spices in a plate

    I use spice powders like turmeric powder, cumin powder, pepper powder, coriander powder, Mexican spice powder, cajun spice powder, and garam masala powder to season the cooked rice.

    Instead of water, you can use broth or coconut milk for cooking the rice.

    Variations

    • Indian spiced rice: Add two bay leaves, ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds, two cardamoms, two cloves, and 1-inch cinnamon stick along with rice and cook the rice. You will have flavorful restaurant-style Indian spiced rice to enjoy.
    • Cumin rice: Heat a small pan, and add oil to it. Once the oil is hot, add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds, two cloves, one bay leaf, two cardamoms, and a 1-inch cinnamon stick, and let them fry. Add this seasoning to the rice and cook it as described in the recipe.
    • Peas Rice: Heat a small pan and add oil to it. Once the oil is hot, add ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds, two cloves, one bay leaf, two cardamoms, and a 1-inch cinnamon stick, and let them fry. Add this seasoning and ¼ cup of green peas to the rice, and cook it as described in the recipe.
    • Butter rice: Heat a small pan, and add butter to it. Once it is hot, add spices, ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds, one bay leaf, and 1-inch cinnamon stick, and let them fry. Add this butter to the rice and cook it as per instructions.

    Storage

    You can store cooked basmati rice in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. I usually do not use a microwave to heat the rice. Instead, I steam the rice using a steamer or pressure cooker for 5 minutes.

    You can freeze the rice if you intend to use it for a more extended period. Store the rice in portion-sized containers and thaw it when needed.

    basmati rice in a bowl

    Serving ideas

    Basmati rice will soak the flavors very well from gravy curry and dal. Try these healthy and delicious side dishes to go with your basmati rice.

    Saag Chana

    Vegan Saag Paneer

    Indian dal

    Chickpeas vegetable curry

    Indian chickpea curry

    Lentil coconut curry

    FAQs

    Do you wash basmati rice?

    Yes, we must wash basmati rice at least 2 to 3 times to remove the excess starch from the rice.

    Why is my rice sticky?

    Rice will be sticky if you add more water. To avoid sticky rice, drain the water completely from rinsed and soaked rice before adding it to the rice cooker. Also, use the same measuring cup for measuring rice and water.

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

    If you are soaking the basmati rice for 30 minutes, use 3 cups of water for 2 cups of rice. If you are not soaking the rice, use 4 cups of water.

    Does basmati rice need more water in the rice cooker?

    No. Both rice cooker and stovetop methods take the same amount of water. However, the pressure cooker takes the least amount of water.

    Should you soak basmati rice before cooking?

    Soaking basmati rice before cooking is optional, but soaking will yield evenly cooked rice that will be fluffy and light.

    How much do 2 cups of rice make?

    Basmati rice expands three times, so 2 cups of rice will make 6 cups of cooked rice.

    How do I make fluffy rice?

    To make the fluffy rice, wash the rice at least three times to remove that extra starch. Soaking and adding oil while cooking rice will also make the rice light.

    You will love my other basmati rice recipes as you are here.

    Indian spiced basmati rice

    Instant pot basmati rice

    Instant pot tomato rice

    Chickpeas rice

    Have you tried this recipe? Provide your feedback by giving a star rating and/or leaving comments. And don't forget to share the recipe with others on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or Twitter.

    Recipe

    Tried this recipe?Give the rating by clicking ★ below
    perfect fluffy basmati rice in a rice cooker

    Basmati rice in the rice cooker (Perfect & fluffy rice)

    Sravanthi
    Make light, fluffy and perfect basmati rice in the rice cooker for your lunch or dinner easily using my recipe. This post has all tips, tricks, and different variations to the plain basmati rice recipe.
    4.75 from 20 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 25 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American, Global, Indian
    Servings 4
    Calories 187 kcal

    Equipment

    • Rice cooker
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 cup basmati rice
    • 1.5 cups water Check water to rice ratio section
    • 2 teaspoon oil
    • ¼ teaspoon salt optional
    • ¼ teaspoon lemon juice optional

    Instructions
     

    • Rinse the basmati rice very well at least three times to remove all excess starch from the rice.
    • Take the rinsed rice in a bowl. Add a cup of water and let the rice soak for 30 minutes. 
    • Brush the rice cooker's inner pot with oil.
    • Drain the water completely from the soaked rice and add it to the rice cooker. 
    • Next, add water and salt (if using) to the rice cooker.
    • If you want to flavor the rice, you can add dry spices like cardamom, cloves, bay leaf, and cinnamon to the rice at this stage.
    • Close the rice cooker with its lid. If your rice cooker has options, select white rice or start the cook button.
    • Once the cooking is over, wait for 5 minutes or so and open the lid. Then, fluff the rice with a spatula and let it rest for another 5 minutes. 
    • Light, fluffy and flavorful basmati rice is ready to serve with your favorite curry or dal.

    Notes

    Nutrition values are my rough estimates. Please feel free to use your calculator if you rely on them for your diet.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 187kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 3gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gSodium: 152mgPotassium: 54mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 1IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 16mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    As you are here, you will love my other easy cooking 101 recipes.

    • Instant pot black beans (Soaked and dried)
    • Vegan cashew cheese sauce and dip
    • Instant pot Millet and recipes using cooked millet
    • Instant pot black-eyed peas (Soaked & Dried)

    More Cooking 101

    • Instant pot Garbanzo beans (Chickpeas) - Soaked & Unsoaked
    • Instant pot basmati rice
    • How to cook quinoa in a rice cooker
    • Instant pot steel cut oats
    • Facebook9
    • Twitter
    • Yummly
    • Pocket
    • Reddit
    • Flipboard
    • Mix

    Recent Posts

    easy lentil wraps in a plate

    Easy lentil wraps (Vegan high protein red lentil tortillas)

    instant pot black beans in a bowl

    Instant pot black beans (Soaked and dried)

    indian spiced basmati rice in a bowl

    Fragrant Indian rice (Spiced Basmati rice)

    instant pot masoor dal in a bowl

    Instant pot Masoor dal (Easy Red lentils dal)

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Google Web Stories

    Take a look at my web stories...

    Namaste :)

    Hello, I’m Sravanthi. Here I share easy, healthy, and tasty recipes. I believe in “we are what we eat” and always try to eat homemade food. All my recipes are free from processed foods or ready-made foods and can be done easily without spending much time in the kitchen. more about me!

    Follow me on social media

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Me
    • Privacy Policy

    Recipes

    • Instant pot recipes
    • Millet recipes

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.