Instant Pot Rice Kheer recipe is a delicious, creamy Indian-style rice pudding made with rice, milk, and sugar and infused with saffron, cardamom, and topped with dried fruits. Serve the kheer warm or chilled. This no-fail Instant pot version of making kheer can be done in 30 minutes, and no babysitting is needed.
What is Kheer?
Kheer is an Indian sweet pudding traditionally made by simmering and stirring milk until it reduces to half the original quantity. It is then cooked with grains like rice, millets, broken wheat, tapioca, semolina, or lentils and a sweetener like a jaggery or sugar.
Rice Kheer recipe is a typical Indian dessert made during festive occasions, served at weddings or temples. Rice kheer recipe is also a good option for a kitty party or potluck dinner during festivals or get-togethers.
It can also be made in large quantities in advance and refrigerated. This rice ki kheer recipe can be refrigerated and enjoyed for 2-3 days.
In South India, Kheer is also known as Payasam, wherein most households replace sugar with Jaggery.
I have prepared this Indian rice kheer in my electric pressure cooker, Instant Pot DUO60 6 QT, and it tastes more like restaurant-style rice kheer.
Looking for easy 10-minute dessert recipes then check Pineapple dessert, Mango Rasayana, Badam Halwa.
Trick to avoid milk from burning?
Since I have brought the Instant Pot I have been making rice ki kheer for potlucks or get-togethers. Everyone in our family & friends circle loves it.
Making kheer in an Instant pot is very easy, but sometimes milk was getting burnt at the bottom of the pot, but it never influenced the burnt smell into the kheer. However, cleaning the pot was a hell of a task.
Then I had some bloggers suggesting this trick. The trick is to Press 'SAUTE' and add ¼ cup water to the pot. Once the water begins to steam or boil, pour the milk into the pot. This prevents the milk from scorching the bottom of the pot. Then you can add the other ingredients.
Rice Kheer Ingredients
- Rice: use long grain fragrant basmati rice or any medium grain white rice.
- Milk: I have used full-fat dairy milk, you can also make it with almond milk, if you are vegan.
- Sugar: I have used refined sugar in this recipe.
- Cardamom powder: I have used freshly ground cardamom from 3 whole green cardamom pods.
- Saffron: use a pinch of saffron strands soaked in 1 tablespoon of warm milk.
- Mixed nuts: Used almonds and pistachios. You can also use roasted cashews and raisins.
How to make Rice Kheer/Pudding in Instant Pot
Firstly, sanitize the Instant Pot parts well before making the sweet dish.
Press the SAUTE (normal) setting and add 1⁄4 cup water to the pot. Once the water begins to steam or boil, pour the milk into the pot.
*Do not skip this step as this prevents the milk from scorching(burning) the bottom of the pot.
Then, add rinsed and drained rice to the instant pot. Stir well. Close the lid with valve position to 'Sealing.'
Press the 'Porridge' button for 20 minutes on high pressure. Once the pot beeps, allow Natural Pressure Release.
Then open the lid and, using the back of your ladle or potato masher, mash the rice a bit, making pudding naturally creamy. This step is optional.
Press 'SAUTE' again and then add sugar, almonds, pistachios, cardamom powder, saffron milk and stir it well.
Lastly, boil it for another 2-3 minutes or until the kheer thickens. Stir Continuously.
Instant Pot Rice Kheer|Indian Rice Pudding recipe is ready. Let it cool. It will thicken as it stands. Serve hot or chilled.
Stovetop Pressure Cooker Method
- If you are making the below-mentioned quantity use a larger pressure cooker just to avoid spilling the milk.
- Follow the same recipe. Pressure cook the kheer in medium flame for three to four whistles.
Serving Suggestions for Rice Kheer
Serve Rice Kheer or Payasam warm or chilled. I prefer rice kheer chilled.
Variations & Tips for Rice Pudding
- You can replace sugar with either jaggery or brown sugar.
- If you don't have cardamom, replace it with either 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or ground cinnamon.
- I highly recommend adding sugar or jaggery after the pressure cooking, sometimes impurities in the sugar can curdle the milk and spoil.
- To make the kheer richer you can add condensed milk after the pressure cooking and adjust sugar quantity accordingly.
- Sanitize the Instant Pot steel insert, lid, and sealing ring before making sweet to avoid curdling of milk. I always keep an extra sealing ring for sweets separately.
Recipe FAQs
Typically Basmati Rice is used, but even short-grain rice should work. You can also soak the rice for 10-15 minutes before making the kheer. It's optional. I generally don't do it.
YES! Replace dairy milk with almond or coconut milk.
Yes. Add jaggery only after the pressure cooking. Sometimes impurities in it can curdle the milk and spoil. Hence organic jaggery is preferable.
Milk-based desserts don't last long, So I highly recommend using them within 2-3 days when kept in the refrigerator.
No, But I recommend making kheer with only full-fat milk as
as it gives a nice creamy texture.
More Instant Pot Dessert Recipes
Check out for more 12+ Instant pot Indian dessert recipes from my blog.
Instant Pot Rice Kheer/Pudding Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Measuring cup used 1 cup = 250 ml
- 5 cups milk (full fat) (Or almond milk if vegan)
- ¼ cup water
- ½ cup basmati rice (Or any medium grain white rice, rinsed)
- ½ cup sugar adjust to taste
- ¼ cup almonds sliced
- 2 tablespoon pistachios chopped
- a pinch saffron (soaked in 1 tablespoon of warm milk ,optional)
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
Instructions
Instant Pot Method:
- Sanitize the Instant Pot parts well before making the sweet dish.
- Press the SAUTE and add 1⁄4 cup water to the pot. Once the water begins to steam or boil, pour the milk into the pot. *Do not skip this step as this prevents the milk from scorching the bottom of the pot.
- Next add rinsed rice in the instant pot. Stir well. Close the lid with valve position to ‘Sealing’.
- Press Porridge button for 20 minutes on high pressure. Once the pot beeps, allow Natural Pressure Release.
- Open the lid and using the back of your ladle or potato masher, mash the rice a bit which makes pudding naturally creamy. This step is optional.Press ‘SAUTE’ again and then add sugar, almonds, pistachios, cardamom powder, saffron milk and mix it well.
- Boil it for another 2-3 minutes or until kheer thickens. Stir Continuously
- Rice Kheer/Pudding is Ready. Let it cool, it will thicken as it stands. Serve hot or chilled.
Stovetop Pressure Cooker Method:
- If you are making below mentioned quantity use a larger pressure cooker just to avoid spilling of the milk. Follow the same recipe. Pressure cook the kheer in medium flame for three to four whistles.
Notes
Variations & Tips:
- You can replace sugar with either jaggery or brown sugar.
- If you don't have cardamom, replace it with either 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or ground cinnamon.
- I highly recommend adding sugar or jaggery after the pressure cooking, sometimes impurities in the sugar can curdle the milk and spoil.
- To make the kheer richer you can add condensed milk after the pressure cooking and adjust sugar quantity accordingly.
- Sanitize the Instant Pot steel insert, lid, and sealing ring before making sweet to avoid curdling of milk. I always keep an extra sealing ring for sweets separately.
Nutrition
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Albert Trotter says
i have tried it today and it was so so delicious dessert ..mine was a bit thick but taste wise it was so yummy
Sarala says
If I need to make double the amount, does time for Instant pot increase to 40 minutes or still 20 minutes?
bhavana says
if you want to double you will still use same timings ie 20 min...instant pot works that way