Instant Pot Salmon and Rice

Instant Pot Salmon and Rice is a quick, healthy and delicious one pot meal that's extremely weeknight friendly. You can make Instant Pot Salmon and white rice at the same time in a single pot.

5 from 9 votes

Print Pin

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Instant Pot Salmon and Basmati Rice, Instant Pot Salmon and Rice, Instant Pot Salmon and White Rice, Pressure Cooker Salmon and Rice

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Natural Pressure Release Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Servings: people

Calories: 1077kcal

Author: Meghna

Equipment

Instant Pot DUO 6 quart

Ingredients

For Salmon

1 pound Salmon made into 2 fillets, cleaned and scales removed
½ tbsp Minced Garlic or finely grated
½ tbsp red chili flakes
1 tbsp roughly chopped Italian parsley
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 tbsp Unsalted Butter Chilled and cut into squares
Salt (to taste)
Aluminum Foil for making packets

For Rice

1 cup rinsed White Basmati rice or any long grain white rice except Jasmine
⅓ cup roughly chopped onion white or yellow but not sweet onion
⅓ cup finely chopped red bell pepper
⅓ cup finely chopped green bell pepper
⅓ cup finely chopped orange bell pepper
⅓ cup finely chopped yellow bell pepper
¼ cup finely chopped celery
2.5 tbsp red pesto
1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt to taste

Water for Rice

1 cup and 50 ml extra

Instructions

Prep the Salmon

Begin by washing the Salmon and removing the Scales if you prefer eating the fish skin. Pat the Salmon fillets completely dry with the help of kitchen towels.
Lay the Salmon fillets skin side down on individual aluminum foil sheets that's enough to make individual Salmon Foil Packets.
Sprinkle salt on top of the fish fillets, drizzle olive oil, lemon juice, sprinkle chili flakes according to your liking, sprinkle chopped Italian parsley and finally top the fillets with butter squares (3 squares on each fillet).
Now, wrap around the aluminum foil and secure the ends tightly so that there are no gaps. While you make a foil packets with the fish inside make sure to leave some space for uniform steaming of the fish. DO NOT Wrap around the fish tightly. Make a foil packet with enough hollow space inside sealing the ends of the packets so that the Salmon juices and the butter sauce won't leak out from the packet. Arrange the Salmon foil packets on the steamer basket.

Prep the Rice

Set the Instant Pot on SAUTE and keep it on NORMAL.
Add oil and when the oil becomes moderately hot add the chopped onion and saute for just 1 min.
Next, add the veggies and saute for 2 more minutes.
In the meantime Rinse the rice very well several times until you see clear water running through. This is VERY IMPORTANT and helps discard the surface starch from the rice making it extremely fluffy when cooked. You will not have gooey sticky rice ever. Drain the excess water from the rice after rinsing it.
Now, add the rinsed rice back to the pot and mix it gently with the veggies and use a rubber or wooden spatula. The wet and soft rice grains won't break.
Add water or stock, salt and the red pesto. Give everything a good mix gently and de-glaze the pot very well at this point so that there are absolutely no bits and crumbs stuck at the bottom of the pot. The rice is ready to be pressure cooked.

Pressure Cook Instant Pot Salmon and Rice

CANCEL the SAUTE mode.
Carefully place the steamer basket on top of the rice inside the steel pot of the Instant Pot. Press down the basket a bit so that it's position is all secure.
Close the lid of the Instant Pot. Seal the Valve.
Press the PRESSURE COOK button and set it for 5 minutes on HIGH.
When the cooking cycle is over the Instant Pot will begin to beep. Wait for 10 mins Natural Pressure Release and than release the rest of the pressure manually.
Open the lid of the Instant Pot and carefully lift out the steamer basket. It can be hot. Use kitchen mittens or towel.
Now fluff the cooked rice gently with the help of a fork. This is will allow the hot steam escape quickly and prevent the rice from getting over cooked with the residual heat.
Open the foil packets carefully and make sure not to drop the sauce, fish juices or the drippings, whatever you may call it :D
Now, plate the rice and gently place the Salmon fillet on top of the rice, pour a the drippings from the foil packet on top of the Salmon and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Measuring Units Used, 1 Cup = 240 ml and 1 teaspoon = 5 ml.
Something about the Rice: For fluffy well cooked rice always use 1 cup + 50 ml water to every 1 cup rice.
You can skip the red pesto or sub it with Basil Pesto. However, it's highly recommended as it adds a great depth of flavor.
Seal the Foil Packets very well so that they don't leak.
Yes, you can eat Salmon skin. it's really tasty. Do remove the scales.
The Chili Flakes adds a subtle kick to the flaky Salmon however, if you absolutely do not prefer spicy food do skip it.
You can Sub the chopped Italian Parsley with Dill.
You can also top the Salmon with sliced lemon rings.
SERVING IDEAS: Serve the Salmon on top of the rice and drizzle the drippings or sauce from the foil packet on top of the Salmon. Squeeze some more lemon juice on top of the fish and rice. Enjoy!
You can Use Water or stock / broth to cook the rice.

Calorific details are provided by a third party application and are to be used as indicative figures only.

Nutrition