Do you need a quick and easy recipe that is delicious, flavorful, and healthy? Try this Instant pot lemon rice recipe.
An easy one-pot meal recipe such as this fits the theme for most of my recipes.
This easy Instant Pot lemon rice recipe can be made in just 30 minutes, making it the perfect meal for busy families.
Although the dish is widely popular in India, the electric pressure cooker version makes the simple recipe even simpler.
Lemon rice is a great choice for lunch boxes, potlucks, and picnics. It is also a great way to use up leftover rice.
So what are you waiting for? Try this lemon rice in an instant pot today!
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Why this recipe works
Cooking lemon rice in an instant pot is the best way to get perfectly cooked, fluffy rice every time. It's one of the easiest rice recipes you can find.
The dish can be prepared with the traditional rice cooker if you do not have an electric pressure cooker.
This Instant pot lemon rice recipe is very versatile and can be served as a main dish and also a great side dish for a bigger curry-based entree.
The lemon flavor gives this rice a bright and fresh taste.
If you want a more savory flavor, you can add garlic or onion to the recipe.
You can also make this recipe with quinoa. One of the lemon quinoa recipes is popular and it's best to pack kids' lunch boxes.
My kids paired it with Instant pot chickpea curry and plain vegan yogurt.
A side of roasted vegetables and dal tadka is also a great option to make this recipe a part of a bigger meal plan for a social get-together.
Ingredients note
Basmati rice: I used extra long basmati rice. Always rinse the rice in water 3 times to remove the extra starch. The kind of rice you use will matter for this recipe.
Jasmine rice or any sticky rice would not work very well as it becomes challenging to spread the flavors evenly. Sona Masoori or basmati rice are great options.
Lemon juice: I like to use fresh lemon or lime juice for this recipe. If you don't have fresh lemons, you can use bottled lemon juice.
Peanuts: Raw peanuts sauteed over a little bit of olive oil add a great nutty flavor to this dish. You could use any type of nuts like cashews, or almonds or even skip the nuts completely if you are allergic to them.
Spices: To make Indian lemon rice you will need mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and chana dal. These spices are readily available in any Indian grocery store.
Instructions
Rinse the rice in water three times and soak it in enough water for 10 minutes. Drain the water and set the rice aside.
In the saute mode, add olive oil or vegan ghee to the inner pot. When the oil is hot, add peanuts, and fry them until they are golden brown.
Remove the peanuts from the instant pot and set them aside.
To the same pot, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, chana dal, and curry leaves. Fry until the spices start to splutter.
Add grated ginger and chopped green chilies and fry for a minute.
Now add the turmeric powder, salt drained rice, and fry for 30 seconds.
Add water. Stir well.
Close the instant pot with its lid and pressure cook on high pressure for five minutes.
When the instant pot beeps, do a natural pressure release.
Open the instant pot and add fresh lemon juice, chopped cilantro, and fried peanuts over the cooked rice. Give it a good stir.
Serve Instant pot lemon rice hot with vegan raita or vegan curry
Storage
You can store leftover instant pot rice in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat in a pan or instant pot before serving.
This Indian lemon rice can also be frozen for up to two months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and then reheat before serving.
If you are making this recipe ahead of time, then cook the rice and store it in the fridge. When you are ready to serve, add lemon juice, cilantro, and peanuts. Give it a stir and serve.
Recipe FAQ
You can serve lemon rice with a side of roasted vegetables, vegan plain yogurt, vegan curries, or dal fry.
Yes, you can use brown rice. Just be sure to increase the cooking time.
Yes, you can have this rice at night. It is a light and healthy dish. if you get heartburn due to the acidity in lemon, then have this rice with a side of yogurt or curd.
Expert tips
- To get perfectly cooked, fluffy rice, make sure to rinse the rice in water and soak it for at least ten minutes before cooking.
- When making this recipe ahead of time, cook the rice and store it in the fridge. When you are ready to serve, add lemon juice, cilantro, and peanuts to the plain rice and give it a stir and serve.
- If you want a more savory flavor, you can add garlic or onion to the recipe.
- You skip the nuts if you are allergic to them.
- If you don't have fresh lemons, you can use bottled lemon juice.
- Using lemon zest to garnish the rice is an option to introduce a stronger lemon flavor.
- If you do not have chana dal, urad dal can be a good substitute.
- Curry leaves are optional but they do add a lot of flavor to the dish. If you don't have them, just skip them.
- You can also make this recipe using sona masoori rice but be sure to check how many cups of water are required for that rice variety.
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📖 Recipe
Lemon Rice Instant Pot
Equipment
Process Shot
Check above for step-by-step pictures (most of my recipes include pictures)
Ingredients
- 2 cups basmati rice
- 2 ¼ cup water
- 2 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 green chili chopped
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon chana dal
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon cilantro chopped
- 5 curry leaves
- 3 tablespoon peanuts
- 1 tablespoon vegan ghee or coconut oil
Instructions
- Rinse the rice in water three times and soak it in enough water for 10 minutes. Drain the water and set the rice aside.2 cups basmati rice
- In the saute mode, add olive oil or vegan ghee to the inner pot. When the oil is hot, add peanuts, and fry them until they are golden brown.1 tablespoon vegan ghee or coconut oil, 3 tablespoon peanuts
- Remove the peanuts from the instant pot and set them aside.
- To the same pot, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, chana dal, and curry leaves. Fry until the spices start to splutter.½ teaspoon cumin seeds, 1 teaspoon chana dal, 1 teaspoon mustard seeds, 5 curry leaves
- Add grated ginger and chopped green chilies and fry for a minute.2 teaspoon grated ginger, 1 green chili chopped
- Now add the turmeric powder, salt drained rice, and fry for 30 seconds.¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- Add water. Stir well.2 ¼ cup water
- Close the instant pot with its lid and pressure cook on high pressure for five minutes.
- When the instant pot beeps, do a natural pressure release.
- Open the instant pot and add fresh lemon juice, chopped cilantro, and fried peanuts over the cooked rice. Give it a good stir.½ tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon cilantro chopped
- Serve instant pot lemon rice hot with vegan raita or vegan curry
Video
Notes
- To get perfectly cooked, fluffy rice, make sure to rinse the rice in water and soak it for at least ten minutes before cooking.
- When making this recipe ahead of time, cook the rice and store it in the fridge. When you are ready to serve, add lemon juice, cilantro, and peanuts to the plain rice and give it a stir and serve.
- If you want a more savory flavor, you can add garlic or onion to the recipe.
- You skip the nuts if you are allergic to them.
- If you don't have fresh lemons, you can use bottled lemon juice.
- Using lemon zest to garnish the rice is an option to introduce a stronger lemon flavor.
- If you do not have chana dal, urad dal can be a good substitute.
- Curry leaves are optional but they do add a lot of flavor to the dish. If you don't have them, just skip them.
- You can also make this recipe using sona masoori rice but be sure to check how many cups of water are required for that rice variety.
YOUR OWN NOTES
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
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