Instant Pot Onion and Garlic Rice Recipe (2024)

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This quick and easy recipe for rice seasoned with onion and garlic makes a great side dish for a variety of meals.

I usually cook plain white basmati rice to use in recipes. I like to cook a large batch of rice, then I divide it up and add seasonings to just the portion I am going to use with a meal. Many times I don’t season the rice at all because I will be serving a stir fry or meatballs over it and the sauce from the main dish will trickle down and add flavor to the rice.

When I want to make rice with flavor as a side dish, I often make this onion and garlic rice recipe. It is simple to make and delicious. But the reason I make it is because just using onion and garlic to season the rice means that the leftovers can easily be added to a variety of dishes without detracting from the other flavors.

Instant Pot Onion and Garlic Rice Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup diced yellow or white onion
• 6-8 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups basmati rice
• 2 1/2 cups water or vegetable broth
• 1/4 teaspoon salt or seasoned salt
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse ground pepper
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley (optional)

Directions:

1. Add the olive oil to the Instant Pot, then turn it to saute mode. Once the oil is hot, add the onions and minced garlic. Cook the onions and garlic, while occasionally stirring for 4 minutes or until the onions are soft and clear. Turn the Instant Pot off.
2. Add the rice, water, salt, and pepper to the Instant Pot. Stir to combine the ingredients.
3. Put the lid on, secure it, and flip the valve to “sealed”.
4. Select manual (or the rice function if you have it). Ensure “high pressure” has been selected. Set the timer for 3 minutes.
5. After it has completed cooking at high pressure for 3 minutes, it will automatically go to “low” and begin counting the time it is at “low”, this is the slow release method. When it reaches 7 minutes, quickly release the rest of the steam by using a potholder and carefully turn the valve to “venting”.
6. When all of the steam has been released and the pot has unlocked, carefully remove the lid. Fluff the rice with a fork. Stir in the dried parsley if you wish.
7. Serve immediately or portion it into usable portions for future use.

How to Store Cooked Rice

Refrigerate your onion and garlic rice within 2 hours of cooking it. Store the cooked rice in air-tight containers or freezer bags. Cooked rice will keep in the refrigerator for 3 – 5 days and in the freezer for up to 6 months.

How to Freeze Onion and Garlic Rice

When freezing, I usually store my onion and garlic rice in 3 or 4 cup quantities, so I have the right amount to use as a side dish or in meal prep lunch bowls. Store the rice in an air-tight container or a freezer bag. Don’t forget to label it and add a date.

How to Thaw Frozen Rice

Thaw frozen onion and garlic rice overnight in the refrigerator. If you have stored your rice in a microwave-safe container, you can thaw rice in the microwave by cooking in at 50% power for 5 to 10 minutes. Check the rice every after 2 to 3 minutes, fluffy it with a fork. If it seems dry after microwaving it, add a couple of teaspoons of water or vegetable broth, fluff again, then microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

You can also add frozen rice directly to soups and it will quickly thaw in the heated liquid.

Printable Recipe for Instant Pot Onion and Garlic Rice

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Instant Pot Onion and Garlic Rice Recipe

A quick and easy onion and garlic rice recipe made in an Instant Pot.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword Instant Pot onion and garlic rice, onion and garlic rice recipe

See Also

Easy French Toast Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Alea Milham

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 1 cup diced yellow or white onion
• ▢ 6-8 garlic cloves minced
• ▢ 2 cups basmati rice
• ▢ 2 1/2 cups water or vegetable broth
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon salt or seasoned salt
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon coarse ground pepper
• ▢ 2 teaspoons dried parsley optional

Instructions

• Add the olive oil to the Instant Pot, then turn it to saute mode. Once the oil is hot, add the onions and minced garlic. Cook the onions and garlic, while occasionally stirring for 4 minutes or until the onions are soft and clear. Turn the Instant Pot off.

• Add the rice, water, salt, and pepper to the Instant Pot. Stir to combine the ingredients.

• Put the lid on, secure it, and flip the valve to "sealed".

• Select manual (or the rice function if you have it). Ensure “high pressure” has been selected. Set the timer for 3 minutes.

• After it has completed cooking at high pressure for 3 minutes, it will automatically go to “low” and begin counting the time it is at “low”, this is the slow release method. When it reaches 7 minutes, quickly release the rest of the steam by using a potholder and carefully turn the valve to “venting”.

• When all of the steam has been released and the pot has unlocked, carefully remove the lid. Fluff the rice with a fork. Stir in the dried parsley if you wish.

• Serve immediately or portion it into usable portions for future use.

Instant Pot White Basmati Rice Cooking Video

If you are new to cooking rice in an Instant Pot you may want to watch the below video where I demonstrate how I cook white basmati rice in an Instant pot – start to finish. I also cover why I like to make rice in large batches and how I store the cooked rice.

Subscribe to my Youtube Channel for more easy cooking tips!

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