Note: this Instant Pot rice calculator uses weight measurements (g), thus a kitchen scale is recommended for best results. All calculations are done for dry, unsoaked rice.
- 1 cup of water = 250 mL = 250 g
- 1 cup of rice = 200–230 g depending on the variety
(All of my other cooking calculators can be found HERE.)
How to use this calculator
The optional input box (“Weight of dry, empty inner pot“) is recommended. Weigh your Instant Pot’s inner pot by itself, before adding any rice or water, and enter this value into the calculator. 843 grams is the weight of my VIVA 6 qt, your inner pot will likely vary however so it is best to weigh it yourself.
Also note that if you don’t choose to enter the weight of the inner pot, you have to account for the water absorbed by the rice during rinsing. You can do this by noting the difference in weight of the rice in the pot before and after rinsing. That difference is the extra water absorbed by the rice, which has to be subtracted from the amount of water that the calculator tells you to add.
- HP = use the High Pressure setting (also known as the Manual setting on older models) of the Instant Pot.
- NR = Natural Release. After the cook time is done and the Instant Pot beeps, let it continue to sit for the time indicated. This slowly releases pressure. Once the NR time is up, turn the valve to let the rest of the pressure release quickly. This Instant Pot calculator requires at least five minutes of NR for every type of rice, to prevent you from getting sprayed with hot starchy liquid when you open the valve too fast!
Most cook time values are referenced from Amy + Jacky’s pressure cooker rice experiments.
Best practices for cooking rice in the Instant Pot
Rinse rice at least twice, especially calrose and jasmine varieties. Often the mushy, soggy texture of rice arises from failure to rinse off the excess starch, not from actually overcooking the rice.
The recommended minimum cooking amount is 1 cup. Any less than that, and you’ll probably find it easier and faster to cook on a stove or in the microwave.