Lemon Rice Instant Pot

Name: Lemon Rice Instant Pot
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 2 cups basmati rice; 2 1/4 cup water; 2 tsp grated ginger; 1 green chili chopped; 1/2 tsp cumin seeds; 1 tsp chana dal; 1 tsp mustard seeds; 1/4 tsp turmeric powder; 1/2 tbsp lemon juice; 1 tbsp cilantro chopped; 5 curry leaves; 3 tbsp peanuts; 1 tbsp vegan ghee or coconut oil

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.

A black plate is with instant pot lemon rice with golden spoon on side.

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
Ingredients note
Instructions
Storage
Recipe FAQ
Expert tips
Related recipes
📖 Recipe
Comments

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

All lemon rice ingredients are on the table.

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.

An instant pot is with oil and peanuts on saute mode.

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.

An instant pot is with spices for lemon rice.

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.

An instant pot is with spices., salt and basmati rice.

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.

An instant pot is with lemon rice and topped with fried peanuts.

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

What do you eat lemon rice with?

You can serve lemon rice with a side of roasted vegetables, vegan plain yogurt, vegan curries, or dal fry.

Can I use brown rice for this recipe?

Yes, you can use brown rice. Just be sure to increase the cooking time.

Can we eat lemon rice at night?

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.