Making beef plov in an instant pot is so quick and easy and using brown rice is genius. This Instant Pot Rice recipe is a healthier, juicier and flavor packed version of beef plov | natashaskitchen.com

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

This Instant Pot Rice recipe is a healthier, juicier and flavor packed rice pilaf called plov. It all comes together in 1 pot (the instant pot!) and you won’t believe how quick and easy this is.

Traditionally, beef plov is made with white rice, but we used a brown rice which was perfect for the instant pot because it doesn’t get mushy while the beef becomes melt-in-your mouth tender. Brown rice is also way healthier and your hungry people may not even realize it is brown rice. It works so well in this recipe!

P.S. We’ve included our Amazon affiliate links below for the tools we used to make this recipe.

Watch How to Make Instant Pot Rice Beef Plov:

My husband gave me this Instant Pot for Christmas and I am already completely smitten with it! If you own an instant pot, chances are you are obsessed with it also. Let me know about your favorite instant pot recipes in a comment below. I’m so excited to put this amazing little pot to work!

Making beef plov in an instant pot is so quick and easy and using brown rice is genius. This Instant Pot Rice recipe is a healthier, juicier and flavor packed version of beef plov.

Ingredients for Instant Pot Rice Beef Plov:

2 1/2 cups short grain brown rice (500 grams), rinsed and drained*
1 lb beef chuck or beef stew meat, cut into 3/4″ pieces
4 Tbsp olive oil
4 Tbsp butter
1 large onion, diced
3 large carrots, thickly julienned
3 cups (720 ml) very warm water
1 Tbsp salt (we used fine sea salt)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground paprika
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 whole head garlic, unpeeled, cut in half crosswise.
1 Tbsp freshly chopped parsley to garnish – optional

*TIPS FOR SUCCESS: We used organic short grain brown rice (I buy the “Lundberg” brand bag sold in Costco). DO NOT USE quick cooking rice, parboiled or white rice – these would all need modifications in timing and water. Use a standard measuring cup or a kitchen scale to measure the rice (not the measuring cup that comes with your instant pot).

Making beef plov in an instant pot is so quick and easy and using brown rice is genius. This Instant Pot Rice recipe is a healthier, juicier and flavor packed version of beef plov.

If you don’t own an instant pot yet, you can still make beef plov on the stovetop with this recipe and check out the creative grain we used in this newer version – wildly delicious!!

⬇Print-Friendly Instant Pot Rice (Beef Plov):

Instant Pot Rice (Beef Plov)

4.86 from 297 votes
Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com
Making beef plov in an instant pot is so quick and easy and using brown rice is genius. This Instant Pot Rice recipe is a healthier, juicier and flavor packed version of beef plov | natashaskitchen.com
Making beef plov in an instant pot is so quick and easy and using brown rice is genius. This Instant Pot Rice recipe is a healthier, juicier and flavor packed version of beef plov.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients 

Servings: 8 as a side dish
  • 2 1/2 cups short grain brown rice, 500 grams, rinsed and drained*
  • 1 lb beef chuck or beef stew meat, cut into 3/4" pieces**
  • 4 Tbsp olive oil
  • 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 3 large carrots, thickly julienned
  • 3 cups 720 ml very warm water
  • 1 Tbsp salt, we used fine sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp ground paprika
  • 1/2 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 whole head garlic, unpeeled, cut in half crosswise.

Instructions

  • Rinse and drain rice and set aside. Set Instant pot to sauté on high heat (push sauté twice to switch to high heat) and add 4 Tbsp olive oil. Once oil is hot (but not smoking), add beef in a single layer and sauté until lightly browned (5 min), stirring occasionally.
  • Add 4 Tbsp butter and chopped onion and stir 3 minutes until softened.
  • Add julienned carrots along with all seasonings (1 Tbsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp coriander) and sauté 5 minutes until softened, stirring occasionally.
  • Spread rice evenly over the top (do not stir). Push garlic halves cut-side-down, halfway into the rice. Pour very warm (or hot) water directly over the garlic cloves so you don't disturb the rice. Use the back of a wooden spoon to poke 5-7 holes through the rice to the bottom of the pot (this helps disburse flavor).
  • Cover and cook on high pressure 30 min (I used the "Multigrain" setting). Let instant pot rest and naturally depressurize 10 min before switching to the venting position to release steam. Make sure the steam is fully released and the pressure valve has floated down before opening the pot.
  • Remove garlic and set aside. Stir rice well to combine ingredients. We squeeze the garlic cloves back into the pot because they are melt-in-your mouth delicious.

Notes

*We used organic short grain brown rice (I buy the bag sold in Costco)
**The meat will brown easier if you leave it at room temperature 30 minutes before starting to cook it.

Nutrition Per Serving

502kcal Calories60g Carbs21g Protein19g Fat6g Saturated Fat59mg Cholesterol917mg Sodium417mg Potassium3g Fiber1g Sugar4070IU Vitamin A2.7mg Vitamin C43mg Calcium2.9mg Iron
Nutrition Facts
Instant Pot Rice (Beef Plov)
Amount per Serving
Calories
502
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
19
g
29
%
Saturated Fat
 
6
g
38
%
Cholesterol
 
59
mg
20
%
Sodium
 
917
mg
40
%
Potassium
 
417
mg
12
%
Carbohydrates
 
60
g
20
%
Fiber
 
3
g
13
%
Sugar
 
1
g
1
%
Protein
 
21
g
42
%
Vitamin A
 
4070
IU
81
%
Vitamin C
 
2.7
mg
3
%
Calcium
 
43
mg
4
%
Iron
 
2.9
mg
16
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Russian, Ukrainian
Keyword: Beef Plov, Instant Pot Rice
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $$
Calories: 502
Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook

If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen

This instant pot plov also reheats really well on a skillet the next day so leftovers are a great thing!

Making beef plov in an instant pot is so quick and easy and using brown rice is genius. This Instant Pot Rice recipe is a healthier, juicier and flavor packed version of beef plov.

Have you gotten on the instant pot wagon? It was actually this recipe that made me fall in love with my Instant pot (ahem 2 hours instead of 15 hours? YES!!!).

What is your favorite recipe to cook in the Instant Pot? I am always looking for new ideas. Thanks in advance my friends. I always love hearing from you :).

Making beef plov in an instant pot is so quick and easy and using brown rice is genius. This Instant Pot Rice recipe is a healthier, juicier and flavor packed version of beef plov. | natashaskitchen.com
4.86 from 297 votes (81 ratings without comment)

Leave a Comment

Recipe Rating




Comments

  • Victoria
    August 12, 2019

    My pressure cooker does not have the saute feature. Do you think I could saute in a pan on the stove-top and then pour the ingredients into the pressure cooker, add the rice and remaining ingredients, and then select “Rice”? (Here are the options on my pressure cooker: Tendon, Soup, Congee, Rice, Chicken, Meat, Fish, Cake, Warm, Optional Time.)

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      August 13, 2019

      Hi Victoria, I haven’t tested that way but I think it could work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe

      Reply

      • Victoria
        August 17, 2019

        Hi, Natasha! It worked! I sautéed the beef, onion, and carrots in a pan over the stove. Then, I poured them into the pressure cooker, added the rice and remaining ingredients, selected the “Rice” option, and increased the time to 20 minutes. By the way, I used long-grain brown rice because I couldn’t find any short-grain. In the end, it turned out perfectly delicious! Thanks for sharing the recipe!

        Reply

        • Natashas Kitchen
          August 17, 2019

          That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review Victoria!

          Reply

        • Sofiya
          November 22, 2019

          Hey I had a question. I want to double this recipe, do I need to double the water too?

          Reply

          • Natashas Kitchen
            November 22, 2019

            Hi Sofiya, I haven’t doubled this personally, but I would keep the time the same if doubling. One of my readers doubled it and reported the following: “I did do 2 lb of beef and doubled all seasonings. I also did 5cups of rice and 5 cups of water. Fit to a T in the 6QT. Came out perfectly fine.” I hope that helps!

    • Dana
      December 3, 2019

      Hi, Natasha. Do you have a 6qt cooker? I have an 8qt one. Will it be too much of a pot for this dish or should I double the ingredients?

      Reply

      • Natashas Kitchen
        December 3, 2019

        Hi Dana, yes we have the 6 Qt. I have a link to it in the recipe above. I have not tested this in an 8 qt to advise although one of our readers wrote a great review doubling this in an 8 qt pot. I hope that helps.

        Reply

    • Staci
      February 13, 2020

      Hi Natasha, I have made your chicken plov stovetop version and we love it! Would beef broth work instead of the water for more flavor or is there a reason you use water instead?

      Reply

      • Natasha's Kitchen
        February 13, 2020

        Hello Staci, that should work too. I haven’t personally tried it but please share here and let us know if you liked it if you do an experiment.

        Reply

  • Jed
    August 9, 2019

    One of the best Instant Pot recipes that I’ve tried; absolutely delicious. Next time, I’ll add a little more meat and carrots. I opted to add 2 teaspoons of minced garlic to the meat as it browned, instead of using whole cloves, because we’re not huge garlic fans. I was glad that I found the short-grained brown rice; it took some searching.

    The recipe makes a lot of rice. Do you have any guidance on adjusting the liquid and cooking time if I reduce the raw rice to 2 cups?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      August 10, 2019

      Hi Jed, I haven’t tested it with just two cups. It should still work since it is a small adjustment. Without trying I wouldn’t have the exact water measurement but it would be less. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.

      Reply

      • Jed
        August 15, 2019

        In retrospect, it would be easier to stick with your recipe and freeze the leftovers. The rice and meat freeze well. The carrots will get mushy, but no big problem.

        Reply

    • Carla
      March 7, 2020

      Hi I’m wanting to make this tomorrow and all I could find is long grain brown rice.not sure on how much liquid and cooking time.

      Reply

      • Natasha
        March 9, 2020

        Hi Carla, I haven’t tested with long grain brown rice, but they should be fairly close. You might cook on high pressure an extra minute with long grain rice.

        Reply

  • Linda Catlin
    August 8, 2019

    I don’t know if you still read the comments on the recipe. It’s dated quite a while back. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve made this. Even though I’d never eaten it before I found this recipe, it is my new comfort food. After I google searched to find the recipe and put the lid on the pot I clicked to see your stovetop recipe. I noticed you included bay leaf in the stovetop version. I quickly looked thinking I must have left it out of the pot I was cooking. However, when I looked at this recipe for the pressure cooker, and it wasn’t there. Is there a reason for that?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      August 8, 2019

      There was no specific reason, just reducing the number of ingredients needed without sacrificing flavor.

      Reply

  • Inna
    July 31, 2019

    Hi Natasha! I wanted to try this w white rice , how many minutes would u recommend to cook for ??

    Reply

    • Natasha
      July 31, 2019

      Hi Inna, I haven’t had great results with white rice – the beef doesn’t get cooked well enough or the rice ends up over-cooked for the meat to be tender, this is why I used brown rice.

      Reply

  • Becky Adkins
    July 29, 2019

    I am making this tonight. Searched high and low for short grain brown rice with no luck. So I will be using regular brown rice, not instant of course. I’m sure it will be fine if it stands up to the cooking time. I will rate the recipe after tonight!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      July 29, 2019

      I hope you love this recipe Becky!

      Reply

      • Becky
        July 29, 2019

        It was wonderful. Both my husband and I loved it! I made an Ukrainian dish?! Kinda proud of myself, but you made it so easy. Thank you.

        Reply

        • Natashas Kitchen
          July 29, 2019

          Hi Becky! I’m so inspired reading your review. Thank you!

          Reply

          • Becky
            July 30, 2019

            We also had your marinated tomatoes. I will leave a review for that on its own page. But let me just say……that marinade is UH mazing. You are so kind to respond to all these comments.

          • Natashas Kitchen
            July 30, 2019

            Thank you so much for sharing that with me.

    • Sveta
      November 13, 2019

      This looks delicious!
      Can I use buckwheat instead of rice?

      Reply

  • Jennifer
    July 28, 2019

    This recipe is amazing Natasha !!!! I made it and it came out perfect !!!! My kids and I loved it!!!!!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      July 29, 2019

      Hi Jennifer, That is the best when kids love what we moms make. That’s so great!

      Reply

  • Emma
    July 25, 2019

    I made this several times and it is very good. The meat is very tender and the rice very flavorful.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      July 25, 2019

      That’s so awesome Emma! Thank you for sharing that with me!

      Reply

  • Vera
    July 23, 2019

    I grew up eating Plof and was always intimidated to make it, but this recipe is so simple and really amazing. Tastes exactly like my grandmother used to make

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      July 24, 2019

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it! I love when our recipes bring back memories of loved ones. Thank you for the wonderful review!

      Reply

  • Valerie P
    July 23, 2019

    I did it with basmati and brown rice and it was more flavourful with brown rice will definitely with make again!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      July 23, 2019

      I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!

      Reply

  • Susan
    July 22, 2019

    I absolutely love this recipe! I do have one issue though. Due to digestive issues, I can no longer eat brown rice (it’s a serious tragedy) and I was wondering if there’s a way I can make this with white rice instead. Would arborio rice work since it’s a short grain too? Please help me continue to eat this amazing dish!!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      July 22, 2019

      Hi Susan, white rice is not ideal because it would become overcooked by the time the beef was tender. 30 minutes in the pressure cooker is much beyond the recommending pressure cooking time for white rice which is why brown rice works so well. It cooks perfectly when the meat is tender. Several of our readers have tried it with rice and had to cut the time don significantly. If you experiment I would love to know how you like that.

      Reply

    • Lillian McCulley
      November 3, 2019

      Hi! I used arborio but only cooked my rice for 12 minutes and it turned out great!

      Reply

      • Natashas Kitchen
        November 4, 2019

        Thank you for sharing that with us!

        Reply

  • Olga
    July 17, 2019

    Natasha, thank you so much for the plov recipe! It turned out amazing! It was very easy to cook and I spent much less time comparing with traditional method. And in the end plov was so rich in flavor! Большое спасибо!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      July 17, 2019

      Aww that’s the best Olga! I’m so happy you enjoyed this!

      Reply

  • Kathy vautour
    June 30, 2019

    can you use long grain brown rice as well?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      June 30, 2019

      Hi Kathy, I haven’t tested this with long grain brown rice so keep in mind if you are substituting that long grain requires a little less water and also may cook slightly faster than short grain. It may work with pork.

      Reply

  • Tanya
    June 27, 2019

    Tried the PLOV. Very tasty! Here is the question…if I doubled the batch do I change the cooking time or the same 30 minutes?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      June 27, 2019

      Hi Tanya, I haven’t doubled this personally, but I would keep the time the same if doubling. One of my readers doubled it and reported the following: “I did do 2 lb of beef and doubled all seasonings. I also did 5cups of rice and 5 cups of water. Fit to a T in the 6QT. Came out perfectly fine.” I hope that helps!

      Reply

    • Susan
      July 22, 2019

      I double this every time I make it and never adjust the cooking time.

      Reply

      • Natashas Kitchen
        July 22, 2019

        Thank you so much for sharing that with us, Susan!

        Reply

  • Hena
    June 23, 2019

    Thanks for the recipe. Didn’t try it yet but planning to. I like plot with eggplant. Do you think it would work if I add eggplant to it?

    Thanks!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      June 24, 2019

      Hi Hena, I haven’t tested that but I think it could work! If you experiment please let me know how you like the recipe!

      Reply

  • Clysta Lundgreen
    June 21, 2019

    This looks delicious. I am eager to see what other recipes you develop for the Instant Pot. I love your blog and your recipes. Your Olivye potato salad is my husband’s very favorite.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      June 22, 2019

      I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing that with me Clysta!

      Reply

  • Courtney
    May 8, 2019

    Hi I don’t have an Instant pot how else would you recommend to cook?

    Reply

  • Allisonh
    April 19, 2019

    I made this as directed and it was so delicious!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      April 19, 2019

      I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!

      Reply

  • Stacey
    April 10, 2019

    So I made this recipe just now, followed all instructions to the T, the rice still seemed a bit water and not fully cooked? I usually don’t use brown rice is it suppose to me more chewy ,almost like a soft crunch?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      April 10, 2019

      Hi Stacey, brown rice is a little more chewy than white rice. I suggest checking to make sure it is the same kind of brown rice (different sized grains take varying amounts of water and cooking time), also be sure to keep all proportions the same and let it naturally depressurize for 10 minutes at the end of the cooking cycle which definitely helps for the rice to finish cooking, absorb some of the liquid and soften. I hope that helps!

      Reply

  • Jenny
    April 8, 2019

    Great recipe! Can I use brown basmati rice in this recipe?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      April 8, 2019

      Hi Jenny, Basmati brown rice will cook slightly faster than short grain brown rice. My guess is that it will be done with 25 minutes on high pressure rather than 30 minutes.

      Reply

  • Michelle
    March 31, 2019

    Thank you for sharing this, it sounds fabulous! I would like to do this with stewing lamb tonight, all I have is long grain rice on hand. Do you think because the stewing lamb is smaller cut I can shorten the time to the rices needs?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      March 31, 2019

      Hi Michelle, I haven’t tried this plov with long grain but keep in mind if you are substituting that long grain requires a little less water and also may cook slightly faster than short grain rice. So to answer that it should take less time.

      Reply

    • Nellie
      May 22, 2019

      Just made this and it’s delicious! I doubled the recipe (I saw that you posted a comment about it and copied it; 5 cups rice & 5 cups water). I used white basmati rice and cooked for 23 min. Next time I’ll do 20 for firmer rice. I also used baby carrots bc my husband loves huge chunky carrots. I didn’t have coriander seasoning so I went without and it’s still delicious! Can’t wait to have dinner!

      Reply

      • Natashas Kitchen
        May 22, 2019

        That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review

        Reply

As Featured On

Never Go "Hangry" Again!

Get weekly updates on new recipes, exclusive giveaways plus behind the scenes photos.