Welcome to your new favorite weeknight meal! Our incredibly flavorful and spicy Instant Pot Ground Beef and Rice recipe, often affectionately known as “dirty rice,” offers a hearty and satisfying dinner solution that’s both quick and easy to prepare. Whether served as a robust main course or a delicious side dish, this versatile Ninja Foodi recipe can be easily customized with your favorite diced vegetables, such as bell peppers and onions, to perfectly suit your family’s taste.
Just the other night, we whipped up this Instant Pot Ground Beef and Rice, and it was an absolute hit! The following week, we experimented with spicy ground sausage instead of beef, and once again, this pressure cooker recipe proved to be a resounding success. This dish truly stands out as a simple yet incredibly satisfying meal. After enjoying this delightful creation, be sure to explore our extensive collection of other easy Instant Pot recipes for more culinary inspiration.
Ninja Foodi Ground Beef and Rice: A Family Favorite
While the concept of ground beef and rice might sound straightforward, its simplicity belies its incredible flavor and potential to become your family’s newest go-to meal. The beauty of this recipe lies in its adaptability. You can use either classic long-grain white rice or fragrant Jasmine rice in your Instant Pot – whichever you prefer and have on hand. The goal here is easy, delicious, and convenient cooking.
Ease and efficiency are at the core of our cooking philosophy. With just a few staple ingredients – a protein, rice, and even a handful of frozen mixed vegetables if you wish – you can create a complete meal in no time. This recipe works flawlessly in any brand of pressure cooker, whether you own a Crockpot Express, a Ninja Foodi, or a classic Instant Pot. The cooking method remains consistent across all models, ensuring consistent results every time.
For those new to the wonderful world of pressure cooking, we’ve got you covered with a wealth of easy one-pot meal recipes. To help you get started on the right foot, here are a few essential tips:
- Make sure to bookmark our comprehensive Instant Pot recipes page. We’re constantly adding new and exciting dishes each week!
- For quick reference, print this handy Instant Pot cooking times cheat sheet. It’s an invaluable tool for understanding how long various ingredients like meat, vegetables, and beans take to cook in your pressure cooker.
- We highly recommend investing in a non-stick inner pot for your pressure cooker. This greatly simplifies cleanup and reduces the chances of food sticking.
- Even with a non-stick pot, it’s beneficial to know how to deglaze your pressure cooker after sautéing. While a non-stick liner minimizes issues, proper deglazing ensures no bits are left behind that could trigger a “burn” notice.
For your reference, the model we use for all our recipe creations is a 6-quart Instant Pot, which offers the perfect capacity for most family meals.
The Versatility of Our Pressure Cooker Dirty Rice Recipe
One of the best aspects of this pressure cooker dirty rice recipe is its incredible versatility. You can effortlessly adapt it to your preferences by changing the type of meat, adding your favorite vegetables like bell peppers, and adjusting the spice level to be as fiery or as mild as you desire. I often find myself using whatever ingredients I have readily available in my pantry and fridge. Many times, a simple onion is the only vegetable I have on hand, and that works perfectly well. This recipe proudly sits on our list of favorite cheap Instant Pot recipes, costing roughly just $10 to make a whole pot full, making it an excellent budget-friendly option!
Choosing the Best Meat for Your Instant Pot Rice Dish
While we often prepare plain Instant Pot white rice to accompany virtually any meal, incorporating a pound of flavorful ground beef transforms it from a mere side dish into a complete and satisfying meal. The rich savory notes of the beef blend beautifully with the tender rice, creating a harmonious and comforting dish. The possibilities for pressure cooker meals are vast, and with our collection, you could easily prepare a new pressure cooker recipe every night for a month or even longer! Of course, we do occasionally venture outside the pressure cooker for beloved “old school recipes,” such as a comforting ground beef casserole with potatoes baked in the oven.
Can You Use Frozen Ground Beef in the Instant Pot?
Absolutely, yes! It’s a common oversight to forget defrosting meat for dinner, and thankfully, the Instant Pot comes to the rescue. We have a detailed guide on how to cook Instant Pot frozen ground beef. If you’re starting with frozen ground beef, you’ll need to follow those initial steps to cook and break up the meat first, and then proceed with step 1 of our recipe below once your beef is ready.
Elevate Your Rice: Flavorful Additions for a Superior Taste
To enhance the flavor profile of your Instant Pot Ground Beef and Rice, there are numerous delicious additions you can consider. Diced bell peppers of any color, chopped onions, finely diced green onions, fresh chives, minced garlic, or even a can of diced green chiles can all contribute wonderful layers of taste and texture. While we often keep our base recipe quite simple, we wouldn’t hesitate to incorporate all of these if we wanted to truly amplify this pressure cooker dinner recipe into an extraordinary culinary experience.
Essential Dirty Rice Ingredients for a Flavorful Meal
Crafting the perfect Instant Pot Dirty Rice starts with selecting quality ingredients. Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll need and why:
- Ground Beef or Spicy Ground Sausage: For the main protein, lean ground beef is a fantastic choice, but spicy ground sausage can add an incredible depth of flavor and a delightful kick. We generally don’t recommend leaner options like ground turkey or chicken as much, as they tend to offer less robust flavor in this particular dish, though they will certainly work. A touch of olive oil is essential for browning your chosen protein in the initial step.
- Beef Broth or Chicken Broth: This is crucial for cooking the white rice to fluffy perfection. While water can be used, stock or broth will infuse the rice with much more flavor, contributing to the “dirty” rich taste of the dish.
- Diced Vegetables: To add texture, color, and additional nutrients, diced onions and bell peppers are excellent choices. They soften beautifully in the pressure cooker and meld wonderfully with the other ingredients.
- Uncooked White Rice (Long Grain): It is vital to use uncooked white rice, specifically a long-grain variety, and absolutely NOT instant or quick-cook rice. The cooking times provided are calibrated for standard white rice, and other varieties will require different cooking durations.
- Seasonings: To achieve that classic dirty rice flavor, a blend of spices is key. Cajun seasoning is a must for both flavor and heat, and you can supplement with crushed red pepper for an extra spicy kick. Garlic powder, black pepper, and other seasonings (like a dash of paprika or onion powder) will round out the profile.
If you happen to have extra ground beef after making this, consider trying our delicious tater tot casserole next!
Can This Recipe Be Made with Brown Rice?
Yes, you absolutely can adapt this dish to use uncooked (non-Minute) Instant Pot brown rice. However, it’s important to note that brown rice requires a significantly longer cooking time than white rice. Since ground beef can withstand a longer cook time without becoming tough, this substitution is perfectly acceptable. The main adjustment you’ll need to make is to increase the pressure cook time to approximately 22 minutes. This is the only change required for a successful brown rice version of this hearty meal.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Make Instant Pot Ground Beef and Rice
Creating this delicious one-pot meal in your Instant Pot is incredibly simple. Follow these steps for a perfectly cooked and flavorful dish:
- Sauté the Aromatics and Meat: Begin by adding a small amount of olive oil to your Instant Pot. Select the “Sauté” function. Add your lean ground beef, along with diced onions, bell peppers, and green onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is thoroughly browned and no longer pink. If using spicy ground sausage, sauté until cooked through. Once done, turn off the Instant Pot.
- Deglaze the Pot: Pour in a small amount of your chicken or beef broth (about ¼ cup) and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. This crucial step, known as deglazing, prevents a “burn” notice, especially if you’re not using a non-stick inner pot.
- Season the Meat: Sprinkle all your desired seasonings, including garlic powder, crushed red pepper, and Cajun seasoning, over the cooked meat and vegetables. Stir everything together to ensure the flavors are well distributed.
- Add Remaining Broth: Pour the rest of the beef or chicken broth into the pot and give it a gentle stir to combine with the seasoned meat.
- Layer the Rice (Crucial Step!): Carefully sprinkle your uncooked white long-grain rice over the meat and broth mixture. Do NOT stir the rice! This is a critical step to prevent the “burn” notice.
- Gently Submerge the Rice: Use the back of your spoon or a spatula to gently push the rice down just enough so that it is mostly submerged in the liquid, ensuring it will cook evenly. Again, avoid vigorous stirring.
- Pressure Cook: Secure the lid on your Instant Pot and set the steam release valve to the “Sealing” position. If your Instant Pot has a specific “Rice” button, you can press that. Otherwise, manually set it to cook on high pressure for 12 minutes.
- Natural Release & Quick Release: Once the cooking cycle is complete, allow a 3-minute natural pressure release. This means simply letting the pot sit for 3 minutes before manually releasing the remaining pressure. After 3 minutes, carefully turn the venting position to “open” for a quick release of any remaining steam.
- Fluff and Serve: Once the pressure has fully released and the float valve has dropped, open the lid. Use a fork to gently fluff the rice and meat mixture. Serve hot and enjoy your delicious Instant Pot Ground Beef and Rice!
Any leftovers can be creatively transformed the next day, perhaps into savory ground beef egg rolls!
Essential Tips for Perfectly Cooked Rice and Meat Together
When cooking rice and meat simultaneously in your Instant Pot, the most crucial tip to remember is this: do not stir the rice into the mixture. After you’ve added the broth and seasonings, layer the uncooked rice on top and only gently submerge it into the liquid. It needs to be sufficiently covered by the liquid to cook properly, but if you stir it in or push it down to the very bottom, it’s highly likely to trigger the “burn” notice and halt the cooking process. Ensuring the bottom of the pot is covered with the browned meat and deglazed liquid first will help create a protective layer, allowing the rice to cook perfectly without sticking.
Instant Pot Ground Beef and Rice Recipe
By: Justine
Instant Pot ground beef and rice is a hearty meal sometimes called dirty rice. Served as a side dish or dinner, it’s great with ground sausage in Ninja Foodi pressure cooker too.
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Servings: 6
Equipment
- 1 pressure cooker (like an Instant Pot or Ninja Foodi)
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef (or spicy ground sausage for an amazing alternative)
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1/2 cup bell pepper, diced
- 1/3 cup green onions, diced
- 3 cups beef broth (or chicken broth)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper (adjust to desired spice level)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 cups white long-grain rice, uncooked (do NOT use instant rice)
- 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning (optional, but highly recommended for authentic flavor)
Instructions
- Turn your Instant Pot to the “Sauté” function. Add a bit of olive oil (if needed), ground beef, diced onions, bell peppers, and green onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is no longer pink and browned. Then, turn off the pot. Deglaze the pot with a splash of broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
- Add the remaining broth and all seasonings. Stir well to combine the flavors with the meat mixture. Gently sprinkle the uncooked rice over the mixture. Do NOT stir the rice into the liquid; simply submerge it slightly so it is covered by the broth.
- Close the lid of your Instant Pot and ensure the steam valve is set to the “Sealing” position. Set to high pressure for 12 minutes. If your pot has a specific “Rice” button, you can use that.
- Allow for a 3-minute natural pressure release once cooking is complete. After 3 minutes, carefully perform a quick release of any remaining steam by turning the valve to the “Venting” position.
- Once the pressure has fully released, open the lid, fluff the rice with a fork, and serve your delicious Instant Pot Ground Beef and Rice immediately.
Video
For a visual guide, check out our recipe video to see exactly how this delicious dish comes together!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation.
- Serving: 3oz
- Calories: 460kcal
- Carbohydrates: 54g
- Protein: 20g
- Fat: 17g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Cholesterol: 61mg
- Sodium: 353mg
- Potassium: 457mg
- Fiber: 2g
- Sugar: 2g
- Vitamin A: 1081IU
- Vitamin C: 24mg
- Calcium: 46mg
- Iron: 3mg
Additional Info
- Course: Entree, Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Tried this recipe?
Mention @thetypical_mom or tag #thetypicalmom!
Other Easy Instant Pot Ground Beef Recipes You’ll Love
Ground beef is not only incredibly versatile but also widely available and quite inexpensive, making it a fantastic staple for quick and satisfying Instant Pot meals. Once you’ve savored this delicious ground beef and rice recipe, we highly recommend diving into our collection of other Instant Pot ground beef recipes to expand your culinary repertoire.
For an enticing variation, consider making an Instant Pot Cheesy Ground Beef and Rice Casserole. To do this, simply prepare the recipe as instructed, and once the cooking cycle is complete and pressure has been released, stir in about 1 cup of shredded cheese (cheddar, Monterey Jack, or a blend works wonderfully). Replace the lid for just 5 minutes (without turning the Instant Pot back on) to allow the residual heat to melt the cheese into a gooey, delicious layer. Stir again and serve immediately for a comforting, cheesy twist.
- Enjoy this versatile dish as either a hearty side or a complete main meal, and we’d love to hear your thoughts on it!
- For another delicious option, try our Instant Pot sausage and rice recipe, which utilizes links of sausage instead of ground meat for a different texture and flavor profile.
