Instant Pot® Black Rice

Love black rice, but don’t love cooking it on the stovetop? Here’s an easy tutorial to make Instant Pot black rice (also called forbidden rice) with an easy lime dressing.

I’ve been playing a little game in my kitchen lately.

It’s called, What random things are hiding in the back of my pantry?

It’s a fun game, I promise. Especially when I rediscover fun treats like black rice.

In the past, I’ve cooked black rice on the stovetop, and it worked perfectly.

However, since I’ve somewhat recently discovered that the Instant Pot makes the best rice in the world, I wanted to make Instant Pot black rice!

Is there a bag of black rice in the back of your cabinet too? Here’s what to do with it!

Want more Instant Pot rice help? Try making Instant Pot basmati rice, Instant Pot jasmine rice, and Instant Pot brown rice.

What Kind of Black Rice Should I Use?

This recipe is for short-grain black rice.

I usually buy Forbidden Rice from Lotus Foods, but grab whatever type of short-grain black rice you can find.

Keep in mind that short-grain black rice and black sticky rice are not the same type of rice. I have not tested this recipe with black sticky rice.

What Does Black Rice Taste Like?

It’s a nutty, earthy rice.

It reminds me of brown rice, but with a little more flavor complexity. It’s delicious.

When cooked, this rice is soft and fluffy, but a little denser than white or brown rice. Think of it as a cross between brown and wild rice.

If your cooked rice is extra sticky and dense, it isn’t done cooking.

Will Black Rice Stain?

Yes!

Once cooked, the liquid from the rice will stain things. The good news is, the Instant Pot helps contain most of the liquid.

Even so, avoid serving this on a dish that stains easily, and be extra careful if you’ve got porous countertops.

How to Make Instant Pot Black Rice

Start by rinsing the rice in a fine mesh sieve.

Add the rice, water, oil, and salt to the Instant Pot.

Close the Instant Pot, turn the valve to the sealing position, and press pressure cook (or manual).

Set the timer to 10 minutes.

Some Instant Pots models have a pressure cook button, and others have a manual button.  They do exactly the same thing.

It will take about six minutes for the Instant Pot to build pressure, and then it’ll start counting down.

When the countdown finishes, your pot will beep and begin counting up.

Let the Instant Pot do a natural release for 25 minutes.  Carefully release any remaining pressure.

Leave the lid closed for five more minutes. Open the lid and stir the rice.

Next, I like to add a lime vinaigrette for an extra pop of flavor.

Simply whisk together a little olive oil, lime juice, and some fresh herbs, and then pour it onto the rice. Stir it into the rice.

Serve your Instant Pot black rice anywhere you’d normally use brown or wild rice, like in soup, as a side dish, rice pudding, or in a tasty rice salad.