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Enjoy perfectly cooked rice without watching the stove! You can make just a few servings or enough to feed a crowd once you’ve mastered how to make fluffy white rice in the Crockpot Express!
One of the benefits of a multi-cooker, like the Crockpot Express, is being able to combine the function of several different appliances into one. My rice cooker kicked the bucket a few months ago, and I’ve never been able to get stove top rice to cook correctly.
It’s probably because I forget to watch it and then it sticks to the pan. 🙂 But now I know how to cook fluffy white rice in the Crockpot Express! It’s so easy and turns out perfect every time.
There’s one very important thing you need to know about making rice in the Crockpot Express. You MUST rinse it first! I don’t mean a casual slosh in some water, but a good, thorough rinsing.
Put the rice in a large bowl, then fill it water and gently tip it to allow the water to run out. Continually refill the water until it runs clear.
The purpose of this is to rinse the excess starch off the grains so they won’t stick together. It will also keep it from building up starchy water and bubbles around the lid, which can make the steam release valve sputter.
Once you realize how easy it is to cook rice in the Crockpot Express, you’ll never go back to doing it on the stove or in a rice cooker!
If you’re a beginner to the Crockpot Express, check out my Crockpot Express Cooking Guide and FAQ’s. There’s lots of helpful information to get you started.
For more recipes head over to my Crockpot Express Recipes page. Every single one is written specifically for the CPE!
Fluffy White Rice
Instructions
- Place the rice in a bowl and rinse under cold water until it runs clear.
- Add the washed rice in the pot, then pour in water or broth. Lock the lid, set the steam release valve to closed.
- Press the Rice/Risotto button, then press Start/Stop. (It will default to low pressure and 12 minutes of cook time.)
- When the cooking time is ended, allow a natural pressure release. Rice grains are delicate, which is why it needs to be cooked on low pressure and released naturally.
Notes
Nutrition
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Clark says
Do I make brown or wild rice using the rice setting and use 1 cup of rice to 1.5 cups of water or broth. Also what is the multigrain setting used for?
Nicole Burkholder says
Brown rice takes significantly longer to cook than white rice. Average time is 22 minutes, plus a full NPR. But the ratio of rice to water will be the same. All the settings (the pressure cook settings) work the same way. They just have different default times and high/low settings. Rice defaults to low pressure, which is what you want for more delicate grains like that.
Wendy says
Hi hope all is well I read all the comments. So I’m not mistaking if I am to make 4 cups of parboiled white rice I should use 6 cups or water because the 1:1.5 ratio based on you said in your response to Marcia on February 13, 2020.
Nicole Burkholder says
That’s correct!
Lizzy says
Would the steam valve be on or off? I’m sorry I’m still new to this crockpot and I’m just trying to make my life easier
Nicole Burkholder says
“On or Off” is a bit of a confusing way to look at it. “Open or Closed” is how recipes will be written. For ALL pressure cook settings (which includes rice) the steam release valve needs to be CLOSED. Otherwise all the steam will just shoot right out of the valve and you’ll never get the pot to pressure. Which will result in all the liquid cooked off and then an E6 error. The “closed” setting is the one with an “X” next to it, rather than the little picture of the steam cloud escaping from the pot. 🙂 Good luck!
Terry Kontopoulos says
At last! Somebody who explained so clearly the how-to…
So simple and so fluffy 🙂
Thank you SOOOOO much!
Nicole Burkholder says
You’re very welcome!
Sergio says
Does the DEFAULT cooking time stay the same (12 minutes) regardless of how many cups of rice I’m making?
Nicole Burkholder says
Yes. So far for the smallest or largest batches I’ve made, 12 minutes is always perfect.
Robert van Es says
This is the perfect recipe cooking even more perfect rice.
Frank says
Hi Nicole, hope you and yours are doing well. I wanted to share my successes with you and other owners.
I used the Crock Pot Express 8Qt Air Frying Pressure Cooker that I purchased this past July on Amazon. This model has a button labeled RICE/GRAINS button instead of the Rice/Risotto one.
I finally was able to get the rice cooked without it becoming mushy. Here is where I was going wrong: I used the High pressure setting and more than 1 cup of water.
I reread your article “How to Make Fluffy White Rice in the Crockpot Express” and decided to go with the default low pressure setting mentioned in it. I didn’t find the Owner’s Manual helpful in clarifying the correct pressure setting for rice or maybe just overlooked it.
I did not use the Standard ratio for cooking rice — 1 cup of uncooked rice: 1.5 or 1 1/2 cups of water. I decided to use only 1 cup of water to lessen the moisture.
I successfully prepared 1 cup of Jasmine rice; 1 cup of water; used the low pressure setting for 14 minutes. Later on today for the second rice meal I prepared 2 cups of Jasmine rice; 2 cups of water (adding 1 tablet of a chicken flavor bouillon); used low pressure for 14 minutes. It came out well too.
Nicole Burkholder says
Thanks for sharing your success and the details! It’s nice to make it so clear for others 🙂
Claire says
How long should I leave the rice after cook time to release the pressure naturally?
Nicole Burkholder says
Until it’s completely done. That will change depending on how full the pot is. You’ll know it’s finished when there’s nothing coming out when you open the steam release valve, or you hear the lid unlock. If the lid is still locked shut, it’s not ready.
Claire says
Ok thanks! I left it for 10 minutes and it was absorbed. 3 cups of parboiled longrain and 4 1/4 cups water
Peggy says
The problem I see with this recipe is that if you are using an enriched long grain rice you are rinsing off all of the nutrition. the processing of white rice remove the nutrition and the “enrichement” add is back in. again, when you rinse the rice it is going to remove the nutrition. Any other suggestions? I actually don’t mind my rice a little sticky so just choose not to rinse it. And cleaning my CPE isn’t a problem.
Nicole Burkholder says
You don’t have to rinse it if you don’t want to. It just helps cut down on the starchy froth that bubbles up inside, as well as keeps it from getting too sticky. But it’s really a preference and plenty of people don’t bother with that. If you’re really concerned about getting the nutrition, though, it’s best to go with brown rice.
Sarah Rossouw says
Nicole, thank you! I haven’t had my CPE for very long and don’t have a lot of confidence. I am serving 13 people for lunch tomorrow and needed a large quantity of rice. I used your formula and cooked 6 cups of rice in two batches and it came out perfectly both times. So pleased to learnt how to do that. I will definitely be exploring your recipes some more!
Nicole Burkholder says
I’m so glad you have a big success under your belt. You’re going to love this new way of cooking 🙂
Linda C Richardson says
So let me see if I understand the ratio part…I want to cook 2 cups of rice so Iuse 2 1/2 cups of water?
Nicole Burkholder says
Not quite. A ratio is like an equation, so whatever you do to one side you have to do to the other. So if you double 1 to 2, you need to double 1.5 to 3. Does that make sense?
MARCIA WIESNER says
I guess you’d better take my post down about the Cook’s Illustrated rice ratio calculations, if it doesn’t apply to pressure-cooking. Too confusing.
James Hough says
And what if someone wants to cook 4 cups of white rice? Does the cook time change? There seems to be some sort of dark void on the internet when trying to figure out the answer to this question.
Nicole Burkholder says
No, cook time does not change when quantity changes. It does if you’re cooking a larger chunk of meat like a roast, but for things like pasta, rice, cakes, etc. you don’t need to increase the cook time. Hope that helps!
Wendy says
Thank you! This was very helpful! I agree, hard to find the answer to that question. Glad I have clarification now!
MARCIA WIESNER says
I agree with Nicole about not increasing time. A note about increasing quantities: Per Cooks Illustrated, don’t double the amount of water if you double the amount of rice. It basically takes one cup of water to cook 1 cup of rice: white or brown. The rest is evaporation. Just make sure you have the same amount of water as you have rice, PLUS whatever extra you needed at 1 cup. So 4 cups of white rice should take 4 cups of water, plus the 1/2 cup extra for evaporation.
Nicole Burkholder says
Cooking rice in the pressure cooker is a little bit different, though. Stick with a ratio of 1:1.5 no matter how many cups you’re making and you’ll be fine.
Jess says
do you add salt?
Nicole Burkholder says
I add salt/pepper and butter after it’s cooked
Amy Barber says
I have used this several times and it is perfect every single time. I have a CPE not an IP, don’t know if that is part of the issue for others…
Brian Jones says
have you a CE recipe for brown rice? Cook times I mean…
I assume we rinse it as well…
Nicole Burkholder says
Brown rice takes much longer to cook. The water:rice ratio is the same, and the overall process is the same, but cook time is 22-25 minutes and then a natural pressure release.
Grace says
Followed the recipe to the letter and my rice was perfect. A little on the sticky side but nothing to complain about. 1.5 cups chicken broth, 1 cup of well rinsed jasmine rice, hit the rice button and let it do its thing. The timer went off and I let it release the pressure on its own rather than flipping the vent ope. The keep warm timer said 2 minutes when I finally opened the lid. I gave it a quick stir and it was ready to serve.
Adrienne Jacobsen says
have tried to cook brown rice THREE times in my new Crock Pot Express Multi cooker and each time it has been a failure. when I cook it in my regular Mirro Matic pressure cooker, I use 1 c. brown rice and 1-1/2 cups of water. IT TURNS OUT PERFECT. what ratios should I used in my new Crock Pot Express Multi cooker> am getting very frustrated. BTW, Your cooking instructions that come with the cooker are inadequate
Nicole Burkholder says
Just to clarify, the cooking instructions that come with the cooker are not MY instructions. I’m just a user, like everyone else. I have created and tested many recipes for the CPE, but I didn’t actually manufacture or distribute it. 🙂
Brown rice requires much more cook time than white rice does. It’s typically 22-26 minutes of cook time, plus NPR. The ratio of rice to water shouldn’t change, though.
John says
I wish I would have read other comments before attempting this. I followed the instructions to a “T” and still ended up with sticky, gluey rice. Definitely not fluffy! Would not recommend.
Nicole Burkholder says
Sorry to hear you were unsuccessful! I have tried to troubleshoot with others as needed, but I can’t help solve the problem without hearing back to see what might have gone wrong. The ratio of 1:1.5 is exactly what is suggested in the 6 qt. Crockpot Express manual, as is the cook time of 12 minutes. I’ve found most often that people miss little things like THOROUGHLY rinsing the rice, using long grain (NOT medium grain) rice, rushing the process and doing a quick release instead of NPR, etc. Our family has rice at least once a week and I cook it this way every time. The photos are actual photos of my rice- not stock photos or anything. 🙂 Small things can make a difference in how a recipe turns out, so give it a try again! Maybe adjust the water ratio or cook time to see if it’s more to your liking. Just take notes so you remember what you changed!
Meg says
Unpacked this baby yesterday and trialled it with some rice as per your recipe. If anything, I found it a bit gluggy, so next time I’ll try 1:1.25 and see if that’s better. I then tried sticky pork ribs, and they were truly perfect. I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship…
Nicole Burkholder says
Usually it’s not the ratio of water to rice that’s the problem, it’s the cook time. Just a quick double check: did you use long grain, white rice? Did you rinse first? Did you allow for a full NPR-that’s got to be included as part of the cook time as well. The water doesn’t evaporate in a pressure cooker, so the longer the rice is in there, the more time it has to absorb it and fluff up. 🙂 If the answer is yes to all those things and you still didn’t like the results, then try a bit less water or go for a longer cook time. And yes, you will LOVE your new toy! This is one appliance that doesn’t just take up space in the cabinets 🙂
Sheila Collins says
Crunchy on inside and wet on outside every time. What am I doing wrong?
Nicole Burkholder says
Are you waiting for the full NPR time? Don’t release the steam early. And how much water are you using? Did you rinse the rice first?
bob-l-head says
Do you need to adjust the time for more rice ?
Nicole Burkholder says
I have not found that to be the case, no. It will, however, affect the time it takes to come tonoressure before the cooking cycle begins.
Amy says
Tried twice and it got overdone. 🙁
Nicole Burkholder says
Are you cooking on low pressure? Are you using enough water (1.5 cups of water for 1 cup of rice) and what grain rice are you using?