Easy Instant Pot Kheer (Rice Pudding)

Indulge in a bowl of creamy and decadent Indian rice pudding, also known as kheer, made with three main ingredients - rice, milk, and sugar. Making it in an Instant Pot electric pressure cooker is incredibly easy and saves time. In just 20 minutes (with less than 5 minutes of hands-on time), you will have a rich and luscious kheer that's sure to impress your family and friends.

In North India, it is commonly called chawal ki kheer, while in South India, it is known as paal payasam. This indulgent dessert is an essential part of festive occasions and is made on special occasions. Kheer is also a perfect way to end your Indian meals.

Although making kheer on the stovetop is easy, it can be time-consuming, and it requires constant monitoring to avoid burning the milk. But with an Instant Pot electric pressure cooker, you can make this dish in just 20 minutes (with less than 5 minutes of hands-on time) and without the need for constant monitoring.

Ingredients

Rice: I use Basmati rice to make this dish. Any Indian variety of white rice works well. You can also make it using Jasmine rice.

Milk: Use whole milk or full-fat milk to get a creamy texture.

Sugar: I use raw sugar; however, regular sugar also can be used. You can also use another sweetener of your choice, like brown sugar or maple syrup.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Put the Instant Pot in saute mode and add ½ cup of water to the inner pot. Heat it for 1-2 minutes. Once it is hot, add full fat milk, rice, and sugar.

Read the tips section above to know how to make sure the milk does not burn.

Expert Tips

Make sure the lid and sealing ring of the Instant Pot is cleaned thoroughly. I set aside a spare sealing ring that I use to make sweets.

The first step is to set the Instant Pot to saute mode and add ½ cup of water. Once the water is hot, add the milk and rice. This is a common trick used when boiling milk on a stovetop - add a small amount of water first and heat it so that the milk does not burn and stick to the bottom of the pot.

The amount of sugar I add gives me a mildly sweet kheer. You can increase the sugar to ¾ cup to make the kheer taste sweeter.

Making it thick or thin is a personal preference. However, the kheer thickens quickly when it is cooling down. I am using 5 cups of milk, and this amount of milk I have used gives me a thick texture. You can add more milk to make it a thinner consistency. You can also adjust the consistency after cooking.

Do not do a quick release of pressure. Wait for the pressure to come down naturally.

You can add one tablespoon of condensed milk after cooking the rice to add more thickness to the kheer. You can also add a few drops of rose water to flavor the kheer.

Recipe FAQs

More Indian desserts (Instant Pot recipes)

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