This Assyrian Instant Pot Jasmine Rice is fluffy, tender, and loaded with lamb chunks (but beef or chicken can be substituted). Using a pressure cooker yields perfect jasmine rice every time. Want to know the best part? It's ready in under 30 minutes! Assyrians serve Riza Smooka (red rice) with Zalata (Assyrian salad).
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Recently, I decided I'd try making Assyrian rice or "Riza Smooka," (red rice) using my pressure cooker.
I'm so glad I did because this Assyrian Instant Pot Jasmine Rice recipe tastes even better than the original recipe. I decided to add some vegetables, which really enhanced the flavor of the rice. Traditionally, this red rice dish does not contain vegetables, but that might have to be revisited.
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🔖 Ingredients & Substitutions
- Meat: Instead of lamb, feel free to add beef or chicken. Or leave it out for a vegetarian option.
- Liquid: You will need 2 cups of cooking liquid so that you have a 1:1 water-to-rice ratio. For even more flavorful rice, use chicken broth, beef broth, or vegetable broth.
- Rice: My personal favorite rice is Jasmine rice; however, feel free to use another long-grain rice or Basmati rice. Brown rice would require a longer time to cook.
- Vegetables: Although not traditional, bell peppers and mushrooms are a wonderful addition to this recipe and add extra flavor and nutrition.
🍚 How to Make Instant Pot Jasmine Rice
Step 1: Select the sauté option on your Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker (I used my Ninja Foodi). Add butter and oil, and when hot, add the cubed meat and onion. If adding other vegetables, do that now. Sauté until browned (approximately 5 minutes).
Step 2: Meanwhile, wash rice and drain through a fine-mesh strainer. Rinsing the rice will remove the extra starch. Stir the tomato paste and salt into the 2 cups of hot water until the tomato paste dissolves.
Step 3: Add drained rice and tomato liquid to your pressure cooker and stir to combine. Lock the lid and set the vent position to seal. Select pressure cook or high pressure and set the timer to 5 minutes.
Step 4: When the time is up, do a natural pressure release for 10 minutes. After that, do a manual release by turning the valve position to vent. Fluff the cooked rice with a fork before serving.
Stovetop Riza Smooka/Red Rice
If you don't own an Instant Pot or a pressure cooker, don't let that stop you! Here's how to cook the rice using stove-top directions.
- Add butter and oil to a Dutch oven and, when hot, add the cubed meat (beef, chicken, lamb, or venison). If using the vegetables, add those as well.
- Sauté meat until browned (or approximately 5 minutes).
- Meanwhile, wash rice to remove as much starch as possible, then drain.
- Heat 2 cups of water for two minutes in a microwave.
- Stir the tomato paste and salt into the liquid until the tomato paste is dissolved.
- Add the drained rice and tomato liquid into the Pot and stir to combine.
- Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Cover and cook for 20 to 30 minutes on very low heat.
- Stir after 10 minutes of cooking.
- Fluff the rice with a fork and serve.
👩🏼🍳 Pro Tips
- Assyrian red rice usually also includes diced tomato. If you'd like, add one diced tomato to the recipe.
- Another difference between traditional Riza Smooka and this recipe is that more oil/butter is used. If you'd like, double the amount of butter/oil, but I don't think it needs it.
- Red rice is usually served with Zalata (Assyrian salad), and not just on the side, but on top of the rice. The salad dressing soaks into the rice, and it's just heavenly!
- Store leftover rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Refrigerated rice can be reheated in the microwave for 30 seconds to a minute.
- To freeze leftover rice, store it in the freezer in 1-quart freezer bags. Label with the date and consume within a few months. After that, the texture will deteriorate.
- If you want to try another amazing Assyrian rice recipe, be sure to check out my Instant Pot Chicken Biryani recipe!
🥘 More Middle Eastern Recipes
If you enjoy this Instant Pot Jasmine rice, check out these related recipes!
📖 Recipe
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Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Select the "saute" option on your Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker (I used my Ninja Foodi). Add butter and oil and when hot, add the cubed meat and onion. If adding other vegetables, do that now. Sauté meat until browned (approximately 5 minutes).
- Meanwhile, wash rice and drain through a fine-mesh strainer. Rinsing the rice will remove the extra starch. Stir the tomato paste and salt into the 2 cups of hot water until the tomato paste is dissolved.
- Add drained rice and tomato liquid to your pressure cooker and stir to combine. Lock the lid and set the vent position to seal. Select pressure cook or high pressure and set the timer to 5 minutes.
- When the time is up, do a natural pressure release for 10 minutes. After that, do a manual release by turning the valve position to vent. Fluff the cooked rice with a fork before serving.
Nutrition
Video
Notes
- Assyrian red rice usually also includes diced tomato; if you'd like, add one diced tomato to the recipe.
- Another difference between traditional Riza Smooka and this recipe is that more oil/butter is used. If you'd like, double the amount of butter/oil, but I don't think it needs it.
- Red rice is usually served with Assyrian salad, and not just on the side, but on top of the rice. The salad dressing soaks into the rice, and it's just heavenly!
- Store leftover rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Refrigerated rice can be reheated in the microwave for 30 seconds to a minute.
- To freeze leftover rice, store it in the freezer in 1-quart freezer bags. Label with the date and consume within a few months. After that, the texture will deteriorate.
- If you want to try another amazing Assyrian rice recipe, be sure to check out my Instant Pot chicken biryani recipe!
Kellee Y says
I'm currently making this in instant pot. The instant pot says "burn" on the front (hasn't even come to pressure) and pot instructions say empty pot and deglaze, put everything back in. This, we know, would spell disaster for red rice. Any rice. HELP!!
Hilda Sterner says
Oh no, I hate the burn message! If it was me, I'd let it go the rest of the time called for. It should still cook the rice as long as it's sealed. If it's not coming to pressure and sealing,you may need to release the pressure and investigate what's going on in the pot. Does the bottom need to be scraped? Does it need more liquid? It's so hard for me to guess what's going on when I'm not there to see it first hand.
Scott says
Best rice I’ve ever had!
Hilda Sterner says
Thank you, appreciate the review!
Patricia Eshagh says
I have tried all of the traditional ways of cooking this dish. Four decades of failure has taught me that this is not an easy dish to make, let alone with the Instant Pot. Not only does it work, but this is the best Riza Smookah I have ever tasted! It came out perfect - moist and flavorful. No burned rice on the bottom of the pot. Every rice kernel cooked to perfection. I used Basmati rice instead of Jasmine rice. Thank you, Hilda!!!!!
HildaSterner says
I know what you mean, I'm kind of known for cooking, yet always struggled with Riza Smooka. That is until I figured out how to prepare it in an Instant Pot. Biryani is another recipe that comes out perfect in an Instant Pot. Thank you so much for the review!
Kelly Methey says
This sounds delicious!
HildaSterner says
Nice and easy recipes. We ate it tonight for dinner, piled high with a salad.