What I’m Making: Garlic Rice in the Instant Pot

I am someone who likes rice. Kramer really didn’t unless it just finished and I’d melt chocolate chips into it and make “chocolate rice”…or rice pudding. He liked that too.

Rice as anything except dessert, he didn’t like. He’d eat it, but it wasn’t his favorite. He by far preferred potatoes. He’s not here so I don’t have cook for him and can make things I like instead. So…nowadays, more rice is consumed at my house compared to potatoes.

The Instant Pot is a game-changer when it comes to rice. It’s so easy and is perfect every time. Lately, I’ve even branched out and created rice that is tasty. Rice can often be bland but trust me, it doesn’t have to be.

I started out with 1 1/2 cups of rice in the bottom of the Instant Pot along with 2 Tablespoons of butter and one heaping Tablespoon of minced garlic.

Turn the Instant Pot on…saute.

While the butter is melting, grab come Better than Boullion Chicken base.

Put a Tablespoon of that with 1 1/2 cups of water. Microwave that for 2 1/2 minutes until really hot. Stir.

Meanwhile, stir the rice, butter, and garlic. The rice will go from white to cream-colored.


Once it’s all creamy colored, add the chicken bouillon water and stir.


Put the cover on. Turn the saute off and and press the rice button for 10 minutes.


When it’s done it will look like this. It’s perfect rice every time.


I love this rice with homemade chicken chow mein. YUM! I had Karl over for supper and he loved it too.


Normally rice is so bland. This isn’t and totally enhances the flavor of the Chicken Chow Mein.

Karl and I both agree that eating this rice plain with no other food, like the chow mein, would be great too. I seriously love it and the change is so simple.

I’m going to do a little more experimenting and come up with a good rice recipe to go with Mexican food next.

16 thoughts on “What I’m Making: Garlic Rice in the Instant Pot”

  1. Being from Australia, I’m interested to know what an “instant pot” is. Is it a pressure cooker? The rice sounds yummy, I reckon I’ll give it a go, and do you have a recipe for your chicken chow mein? It looks delicious, I’d love to try it. Thank you

    1. An Instant Pot is a pressure cooker. They are very popular in the US. Most of the them have other features like rice, yogurt making, sauting. They are really more than just a pressure cooker. Here is a link. https://amzn.to/3GtfC8Z

  2. Judith M Fairchild

    For mexican chicken add hot as you like peppers , onion, garlic and tomatillos or tomatoes. Adding the better than bullion chicken base to the rice is a serious winner. You hardly need anything else if you have to watch your spice intake. Really good food.

    1. I wondered about that too. We eat rice a lot and usually it’s twice as much liquid as rice. I have never used an instant pot though, so maybe it’s different in that.

    2. In the Instant Pot, that’s how making rice works. It really is 1 1/2 cups of rice to 1 1/2 cups water. Occasionally I might add 1/4 cup more of water but you don’t need to double it as you typically do.

  3. Try jasmine rice or basmati rice — both smell heavenly and taste good. Nothing wrong with rice and soy sauce, or rice with butter. You might also like to try rice noodles, a nice light substitute for regular noodles.

  4. My mom used to make a rice dish by adding peppers, sour cream and mozzarella cheese. It is very good.

  5. I love rice and this recipe is going to be tried this weekend. I haven’t made it yet in my instant pot, this sounds so simple.

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