This Instant Pot Rice Pudding is a deliciously creamy and easy dessert! All you need is white rice, milk, sugar and vanilla.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Canola oil – or another neutral cooking oil like avocado oil.
- Long grain white rice – you can use brown rice, but you’ll need to pre-cook it then add it in step 5.
- Whole milk – any unsweetened plant-based milk can be used.
- Sugar – use your favourite cup-for-cup sugar substitute or 1/3 cup of maple syrup instead.
- Egg yolks – fresh egg yolks are best but egg yolks from a carton will also work.
- Vanilla – for an extra zing, replace some of the vanilla with lemon zest, almond extract or orange juice.
How to make rice pudding in the Instant Pot
- Add the first 4 ingredients to the Instant Pot in order.
- Cook on high pressure for 3 minutes.
- Whisk together the milk, egg, sugar and vanilla.
- Do a quick release of the pressure.
- Stir the egg mixture into the rice mixture.
- Add on your favourite toppings and enjoy!
Making vegan rice pudding
In order to make this rice pudding Instant Pot recipe vegan friendly, you’ll need to replace the whole milk and egg yolks. The cooking instructions will also change slightly.
Milk substitute:
- Any plant-based milk can be used in place of the whole milk. Almond milk tends to be the most popular choice. Coconut and oat milks would also work.
- Avoid rice milk, as the texture is too thin to work in this recipe. You can try soy milk, but it may end up a little grainy.
Egg substitute:
- Egg yolks give rice pudding it’s thick, creamy texture. You can leave them out, but you’ll need to add extra milk or a different thickening agent.
- If you omit the yolks, add an extra 1/2 cup of plant-based milk. You could also add an extra full cup of milk and 1/2 cup almond flour in place of the eggs.
- Another option is to use a vegan egg replacement.
Cooking:
- Because you don’t have to worry about scrambling the eggs, add all of the ingredients to the Instant Pot at once and cook.
- Do a natural pressure release for 10 minutes instead of a quick release.
Frequently Asked Questions
Traditional rice pudding uses white rice, and I find long-grain white rice is best for this Instant Pot rice pudding recipe. It ensures the rice cooks properly without over- or under-cooking alongside the rest of the ingredients.
It’s up to you! Instant Pot rice pudding can be served either hot or cold. You can eat some hot as soon as it’s finished then store the leftovers in the fridge and eat them cold throughout the week when you need a little treat.
You can add whatever you’re craving to your rice pudding! Some of my favourite toppings for this rice pudding Instant Pot recipe include chopped nuts, raisins, shredded coconut, dried fruit, fresh berries and even whipped cream. You can get creative and try out different flavour combinations like chocolate, using up to 1 tbsp. cocoa powder; apple cinnamon, using 1 tsp. cinnamon and chopped apples; and spiced pudding, using a blend of saffron, cardamom and nutmeg.
For this rice pudding recipe, I’d recommend using long grain white rice. Instant rice will get way too mushy in the Instant Pot!
Storing and reheating
Let this Instant Pot rice pudding cool completely, then store in an airtight container. It can be kept in the refrigerator for up to a week.
You can eat it cold, or reheat in the microwave or in a pot on the stovetop – it’s all a matter of preference. If you’re reheating it, you may need to add a little more water or milk to get it back to the right consistency.
Can you freeze rice pudding?
I don’t recommend freezing this rice pudding Instant Pot recipe. The consistency of the pudding will change as it thaws and it will get all sticky and gummy.
More Instant Pot rice recipes
Meal prep tools for this recipe
- These are the mason jars I used in this recipe.
Instant Pot Rice Pudding {Thick + Creamy}
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp canola oil
- 1 cup long grain white rice
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups whole milk, divided
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 tbsp vanilla
Optional toppings
- Shredded coconut
- Cinnamon
- Whipped cream
- Raisins or other dried fruit
Instructions
- Add canola oil, rice, water and 1 cup of milk to Instant Pot in that order (oil prevents rice from sticking to the bottom).
- Place lid on Instant Pot and make sure valve is set to seal. Press the pressure cook button and set to high, then cook for 3 minutes. Instant Pot will take about 5-10 minutes to come to pressure then pressure cook for 3 minutes.
- Meanwhile, whisk remaining 1 cup of milk with egg yolks, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl and set aside.
- Do a quick release of the pressure on the Instant Pot by flicking the switch at the top with a spoon. Open the lid when pressure gauge has dropped and the lid opens easily.
- Switch Instant Pot to saute mode. Stir in milk/egg mixture and bring rice to a boil, stirring for 3-4 minutes until mixture is thickened. Serve rice pudding in small bowls, topping with toppings of choice. Enjoy!
