How to make sticky rice in an instant pot

Q: How do you make sticky rice in a pot?

Place rice over a pot of rapidly simmering water (dont allow water to touch sieve) and steam, covered, for 15 minutes. Remove lid and flip rice over. Continue steaming, covered, for 10 minutes, until rice is translucent and glossy. Taste to make sure rice is completely cooked; it may take up to 10 minutes more.

Instant Pot Sticky Rice is completely fool proof. It’s textured to perfection, and can be used with several Asian dishes!

Table of Contents Show

What is sticky rice??
How to Make Sticky Rice
No Instant Pot? No Problem.
Serving and Storing
How do you fix sticky rice in an Instant Pot?
How do you make sticky rice in a pot?
What is the water to rice ratio for sticky rice?
How do you make instant sticky white rice?

While it does take some time to prep, this sticky rice is quick and easy to cook. It goes perfectly with all of your favorite takeout classics like Szechuan Beef, Sticky Asian Meatballs, and Better Than Takeout Sesame Chicken.

What is sticky rice??

Sticky rice is a versatile ingredient used in many forms of Asian cooking. It is a great side to many savory dishes.

In addition to many savory dishes you may be familiar with, like zongzi (sticky rice dumplings) or shumai, it is also used in dessert recipes. My favorite dessert dish is sticky rice with fresh mango and creamy coconut sauce.

Steaming, not boiling it, is also crucial for creating its unique texture. This instant pot sticky rice is surprisingly easy to pull off at home. Just remember to pre-soak the short rice.

How to Make Sticky Rice

There are two major things that contribute to the perfect sticky rice consistency: The type of rice, and the soaking process.

The right type of rice will be labeled as “sweet” rice or “glutinous” rice.
You should soak your rice anywhere from 4-10 hours. The longer you soak the rice the softer the texture will be!

PREP. Measure rice and place in a medium bowl or a large glass measuring cup. Add water about 1 inch above the rice. Let soak for at least 4 hours.

ADD. Add 1 cup of cold water into the Instant Pot. Place a fine colander in. (I used the Instant Pot silicone vegetable steamer). Drain rice and pour rice in the colander spread into an even layer.

COOK. Place lid on and lock. Check to ensure the valve is set to sealing. Turn Instant Pot on MANUAL mode (high pressure) for 12 minutes. Once fully cooked, release pressure manually by carefully switching the valve to venting position. Once the float valve pin drops, carefully remove the lid.

SERVE. Serve immediately.

No Instant Pot? No Problem.

You can also make sticky rice on the stovetop or in a rice cooker.

Stove-top: Soak your rice and then place the rice in the colander. Add enough water in the pot to just touch the bottom of the colander. Bring the water to a simmer and cover it and steam it for about 10 minutes. You must make sure to flip the rice halfway through, like a giant pancake.
Rice Cooker: Place your rice and water in the rice cooker to let it soak there for 40 minutes to 4 hours. Then you can turn your rice cooker on “cook” until it’s done.

Like we said – no instant pot – no problem!

Serving and Storing

What to serve with? You can serve sticky rice with pretty much any meat dish, like chicken or pork. It’s especially common with Asian or even Hawaiian dishes. Here are some dishes that pair well with it:

Orange Chicken
30 Minute Mongolian Beef Stir Fry
Sweet Potato Coconut Curry
Homemade Massaman Curry

Make sure to STORE the rice in an airtight container in the fridge. It will last 4-5 days this way.

REHEAT your rice in the microwave after adding a couple of tablespoons of water or chicken broth. In order to get the best texture, you are going to want to reheat it in that tupperware container with the lid on. This creates a steaming effect with the lid being on and the extra addition of water.

Fore more rice recipes, try:

Instant Pot Coconut Rice
Cilantro Lime Rice
Ham Fried Rice
Rice Pilaf
Instant Pot Brown Rice

Print Recipe

▢ 2 cup sweet rice
▢ water

Measure rice and place in a medium bowl or a large glass measuring cup. Add water about 1 inch above the rice. Let soak for at least 4 hours.
Add 1 cup of cold water into the Instant Pot. Place a fine colander in. (I used the Instant Pot silicone vegetable steamer). Drain rice and pour rice in the colander Spread into an even layer.
Place lid on and lock. Check to ensure the valve is set to sealing.
Turn Instant Pot on MANUAL mode (high pressure) for 12 minutes. Once fully cooked, release pressure manually by carefully switching the valve to venting position. Once the float valve pin drops, carefully remove the lid.
Serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts

Instant Pot Sticky Rice Recipe

Amount per Serving

% Daily Value*

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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How do you fix sticky rice in an Instant Pot?

To further prevent sticking, be sure to rinse your rice, stir the rice and water mixture before cooking, turn the Keep Warm function off, and use the Natural Release function (as opposed to the instant release) when the rice finishes cooking.

How do you make sticky rice in a pot?

Place rice over a pot of rapidly simmering water (don't allow water to touch sieve) and steam, covered, for 15 minutes. Remove lid and flip rice over. Continue steaming, covered, for 10 minutes, until rice is translucent and glossy. Taste to make sure rice is completely cooked; it may take up to 10 minutes more.

What is the water to rice ratio for sticky rice?

Japanese cooking traditionally uses a short grain rice and cooks it in a way that gives it a glutinous, sticky texture. To prepare it perfectly, it is important that the ratio of rice to water is correct and, as a rule, this ratio is 2:3. We recommend a serving of 75g or 1 cup of rice per person.

How do you make instant sticky white rice?

Try soaking it for 30 minutes to 4 hours. Drain the water once the rice has finished soaking. Fill a large pot with 2 cups (450 milliliters) of water and add a few extra tablespoons of water. Using more water than you actually need will help make the ricer stickier and clumpier.