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!
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).
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)

Ingredients
- 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
**The meat will brown easier if you leave it at room temperature 30 minutes before starting to cook it.
Nutrition Per Serving
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!
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 :).
Looks so good! Would long grain brown rice work?
Hi Lena, I haven’t 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.
I LOVE your recipes as they are healthy and so tasty, and you are so much fun as you do your videos!
I have made the beef plov a couple of times and it is so good, (and I followed the recipe carefully), but the rice is not completely cooked. Any suggestions?
Hi Carol. I’m wondering if having it depressurize a but longer will help with that. Did you possibly use a different rice?
HI! I used the Lundberg’s Short Grain Brown Rice from Costco, as you recommended. I will let it depressurize longer next time I make it. Thanks so much!!!
Made your plov a few times! Turned out really good! 🙂 now I am thinking to try making it with chicken, any suggestions? Maybe cut up in cubes when the chicken is still a little on a frozen side and make it without brown it? Or just brown brown it like I do with beef?
Thank you 🙂
Hi Nina, The only thing you would have to change honestly is the meat and possible how long to braise it. We have a similar recipe for just chicken that you can use as a guide here. Hope this helps.
hi, i loved this recipe! thank you so much, could u do a version of the white rice please, since our family prefers the white rice over brown
Hi Yekaterina, 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
Just finished your IP plov dinner.
Super good dish, will make again. My wife raved about it.
I appreciate and respect your recipes, business acumen, and good religious life.
Thank you for that wonderful compliment! I’m so inspired reading your review. Thank you!
Cant wait until it’s done, buttttt I forgot to poke the holes in the rice at the end! Do you think it will still turn out okay!?
It should still turn out okay 🙂 Thank you for your feedback! I bet your house smells amazing right now!
I made this with 3 tablespoons of butter and 3 oil instead of four since I like mine less oily and it turned out fantastic! Thank you for yet another recipe. Do you think I can make this recipe with chicken as well?
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it! I think that could work!
Wow, turned out great! The beef is so darn tender & the rice is perfect. I should have added just a little more carrots I think but overall a success. I added a little more seasoning, used manual pressure on high for 30 mins since IP Ultra multigrain soaks for 45 mins (Thanks again Bree for the tip). Thanks for this yummy recipe Natasha!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it! Thank you for the wonderful review!
Hi Natasha!
This plov recipe is the first thing I cooked in my new instant pot! It came out delicious and meat was sooo tender! It sure beats the long method I did on the stove top!
Thank you for the recipe!
Nina Zygarewicz
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it. Thank you for sharing your wonderful review 🙂
Hi Natasha! I made your beef plov tonight. That was my first time making and eating plov so I’m not sure if I did it right. I followed the recipes as written except that I used an electric pressure cooker (other brand, not an instant pot). The rice was perfectly cooked but I find it too oily.Is it normal that it is oily? I can see like a pool of oil at the bottom of the bowl.
Hi Yossi, plov does traditionally have a fair amount of oil in it (our recipe actually has less than many of the traditional recipes). Also, it can depend on how much fat content the meat has that you are using.
Well, that was delicious !!! I didn’t have brown rice so I decided to test it out with white. I did 2 cups of rice and 1.5 cups of water and pressure cooked it for 15mins. I was worried that the beef would be dry but it falls apart. So yummy.
I’m so happy that worked Anna! Thank you for the great review!
Hi Natasha! Thank for making this in an Instant Pot. Makes life SO much easier!!
How much is in one serving?
Hi Kate! You’re so welcome! This serves 8 as a side. I wish I did now, but I haven’t measured this by cup.
I made this tonight and it came out really good! I used 2.5 pounds of trimmed sirloin steak. I also used safflower oil instead of olive oil. I also followed one reviewers advice and used 1.5 cups of beef broth and 1.5 cups of very warm water. I thought the meat might turn out dry, but it was super tender. I definitely will make this again!!
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review 🙂
Wondering if you have an IP borsh recipe you can share with us…Thanks!
Hi Irina, I don’t have one yet, but that is a great idea. If I come up with something awesome, I will be sure to share it with you 🙂
+1
Can I make this in a pressure cooker and not an instapot?
Hi Lily. The Instapot has a pressure cooking setting 🙂 We used the multigrain pressure setting for this recipe.
Hi Natasha! Can I use quinoa instead or rice? Thanks My husband just recently bought instapot and I can’t wait to try it.
Hi Donna! That may work. I haven’t tried that with quinoa so I can’t provide any feedback or advice. I would love to know how you like it!
Hello Natasha, can I use sushi rice instead of brown rice? If so, what adjustments do I need to make?
Hi Nicholas, I haven’t made this with sushi rice. I imagine that would change the texture quite a bit and worry it would become too sticky! I would love to know how you like this recipe if you experiment!
Natasha I have a multicooker with rice/risotto and multigrain settings with which setting should I use? I’m confused.
Hi Olga. Step 5 says “Cover and cook on high pressure 30 min (I used the “Multigrain” setting).” I hope this helps! 🙂
Hi Natasha I am making this recipe with lamb instead of beef and have a few questions. First, can I substitute sushi rice for short grain brown rice? Also I want to add chickpeas, which step would I add them in and would adjust the time? Thanks in advance
Hi Linda, I haven’t made this with sushi rice. I imagine that would change the texture quite a bit and worry it would become too sticky! I haven’t experimented with chickpeas. I think that would also depend if they are raw, soaked or pre-cooked. Since chickpeas need just a few minutes to cook I would say towards the end. But since they are being made in an instant pot I would put them in with the rice. I would love to know how you like this recipe if you experiment!
Can i use long grain instead of short grain? Thank you
Hi Marina, I haven’t tested this with long grain 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.