Once you try this much simpler, hands-off kheer recipe, you’ll never make it another way again! I grew up enjoying my mom’s traditional kheer, which she made on the stove. This recipe is an easier Instant Pot adaptation of that.
I think that this Instant Pot Kheer recipe is a true game changer! In the stovetop version, I have to watch the pot constantly, keep stirring, and adjust the heat a few times, whereas, this version is an easier hands-off recipe.
In this dump & start recipe, I fill the pot with the ingredients and let the pot do all the work. That’s a huge win for me.
Another plus is that the Porridge setting cooks at a consistent and even temperature, resulting in a creamy kheer without all the stirring.
Let’s get started with this quick and easy recipe!
What is Kheer?
Kheer is the North Indian version of rice pudding made by cooking rice with milk and sugar. It can then be enhanced by cardamom or saffron, along with dried fruits and nuts like raisins, cashews, almonds, and pistachios. Is Kheer the same as Payasam? Payasam is the South Indian version of Kheer made with jaggery (cane sugar), and of a thinner consistency. Keep reading to learn more about how to make variations of kheer at home.
Ingredients - Notes & Substitutions
The three key ingredients to kheer are rice, milk, and sugar. I like to flavor this easy kheer recipe with freshly ground cardamom, but as you’ll learn, this is where you can get creative. Rice: Basmati rice is my go-to, but Jasmine rice is a great substitute. You can use any medium or long-grain white rice as well. Milk: I use whole milk for a richer, creamier consistency. But 2% milk, almond milk, or full-fat coconut milk are great alternatives. Sugar: We like our rice pudding on the sweet side. Adjust the sugar amount to your liking. Cardamom: I pop the seeds out of fresh green cardamom pods and grind them in my spice grinder. If you don’t like the black specs in it, you can use the store-bought ground cardamom, which is much lighter in color. Flavorings: Rice pudding is a wonderful blank canvas for any additional flavorings or mix-ins such as dried fruits and nuts. You can use golden raisins, coconut, saffron, and even rose water to enhance the taste to your liking. See Rice Pudding Variations below for more creative ideas. Scroll to the recipe card for a detailed list of ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Kheer
I mean it when I say this is a complete set-it-and-forget-it Indian dessert. You will get more consistent results if you rinse and soak the rice beforehand. Add nuts, fruit, and aromatics of your choice and you have a sweet treat in no time. Here’s how to make Instant Pot Kheer on porridge setting. Simply: Add milk to the pot: Rinse rice 2-3 times, or till water runs clear. Turn on Saute. Add water. Now add the milk. This prevents the milk from scorching in the bottom of the pan (Pic 1). Add other ingredients: Add sugar (Pic 2), nuts, and rinsed rice, and give it a stir. As soon as the milk comes to a simmer, hit Cancel (Pic 3). Pressure cook: Set Porridge mode for 20 minutes, on sealing mode. Once the cooking time is done, let the pressure release naturally for at least 15 minutes (NPR 15), followed by a quick release of any remaining pressure (Pic 4). Thicken: Open the lid after the pin drops. Using the back of your ladle, mash the rice against the sides of the pot. Alternatively, use a potato masher. Mashing makes the rice pudding naturally creamy (Pic 5). Garnish and enjoy: Stir in ground cardamom. Garnish with more nuts if you like and enjoy hot or chill in the refrigerator for a few hours (Pic 6). Consistency Tip: If the Kheer is too thin for your liking, thicken it by simmering it on the SAUTE mode, stirring regularly. Keep in mind that it will thicken quite a bit as it cools. If Kheer is too thick, add more milk and simmer it for a few minutes. Adjust sugar, if needed.
How to Prevent the ‘Burn’ Message
Beginning with a clean pot to make sure nothing from the last meal is still sticking to it. To prevent the milk from burning at the bottom of the pan, start by adding ¼ cup water and then add the milk. This is my mom’s tried and tested tip.
Alternative Method: Stovetop Kheer Recipe
If you were making this rice pudding recipe on the stovetop, I’d suggest a heavy bottom sauce pot like this non-stick saucepan. Simply: Boil Milk & Rice: Add the milk to the saucepot and give it a few minutes to warm up, then add rinsed and drained rice and nuts. Keep the heat at medium-high and stir intermittently, till the milk reaches a boil. Simmer until cooked: Turn down the heat to medium and stir till the rice get cooked, about 10-15 minutes, depending on the rice variety. Sweeten and thicken: Add sugar and stir till sugar dissolves. Mash the rice using a potato masher or the back of a ladle to make the rice pudding creamy. Adjust consistency: Turn off the heat when you reach the right thickness to your liking. Keep in mind that kheer thickens quite a bit as it cools. If it becomes too thick, add more milk and adjust the sugar accordingly. Garnish & enjoy: Finish by stirring in some cardamom powder and garnish with chopped nuts, such as pistachio, almond, and cashews. Enjoy hot or chilled!
Serving Suggestion
Kheer is often made during festive occasions and as an offering during prayer ceremonies. Kheer can be served at your preferred temperature - hot, warm or cold. Most commonly, it is served chilled. Cool the rice pudding for 10-15 minutes and serve it warm. After cooling if you see a thin skin form on the top, give it a stir to blend it back in. To chill, place in large or individual serving bowls, cover the surface directly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a 4-5 hours.
How to Store
Leftovers will stay good in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. If preparing this for a party, hold off on adding the nuts. Sprinkle them when ready to serve.
Rice Pudding Variations to Try
There are many variations and names of this Indian food sweet treat all over India. It can also be made with broken wheat, tapioca or vermicelli. Here are a few that we love: Vermicelli Kheer or Semiyan: Replace the rice with ½ cup roasted vermicelli noodles and reduce the pressure cooking time to 10 minutes. Payasam: You can use this recipe to make Payasam. Since jaggery can curdle the milk during pressure cooking, add it after pressure cooking. Then, simmer it till the payasam thickens to your liking. Carrot Kheer: Swap out the rice for 3 cups of shredded carrots. Follow Steps 1-3 and Pressure Cook mode for 7 minutes. After that, stir in ground cardamom and allow the kheer to cool for a few minutes. Alternatively, puree it using a hand blender. Garnish with more nuts, if desired, and enjoy. Sabudana Kheer: Rinse and soak 1¼ cups tapioca pearls in 2 ½ cups water for 30 minutes. Follow the recipe as written, but reduce the pressure cook time to 10 minutes. Badam Kheer: Simply swap regular milk with almond milk. I do end up adding 1-2 tablespoons of extra sugar with this option, so adjust sugar to taste. Since almond milk doesn’t have as much fat as regular milk, the rice pudding is not as rich as the regular one. Dairy-Free Vegan Kheer: Rice pudding can be made dairy-free by substituting milk with unsweetened, regular almond milk or full-fat coconut milk. Arroz Con Leche: A popular Spanish/Latin American rice pudding, which literally translates to ‘Rice (Arroz) with Milk (Leche)’. Simply follow the recipe card instructions with the ingredients listed below. Stir in the vanilla extract and cinnamon at the very end and enjoy.
Arroz Con Leche Ingredients
½ cup Jasmine Rice, rinsed 2-3 times¼ cup water4 cups 2% milk (use whole milk for richer taste)½ cup sugar, or to taste1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract½ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon or 1 Cinnamon Stick
Recipe Tips & Notes
Use any milk in your fridge. Whole milk results in creamier kheer, but 2%, almond or full-fat coconut milk all work wonderfully.The quantity of milk depends on your personal preference. If you prefer a chunkier rice pudding, reduce milk to 4 cups. In that case, add only ½ cup sugar.Skip the nuts, if desired. This makes it entirely nut-free, too.Add water first, temper the milk and use a clean pot. These three tips make for a silky smooth rice pudding every time.Mash the rice for that sought-after creamy texture. This releases some of the starch in the grains, creating a rich, thick, glossy finish.Serve hot, warm, room temperature or cold. This is all about personal preference. If you plan to make ahead and chill, store in an airtight container or the serving bowls of choice. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap directly touching the surface. This prevents a skin from forming.Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Sprinkle with nuts when serving.
More Indian Desserts Made in Instant Pot
Here are some other Indian desserts that my family and readers really enjoy. All of these are made easy using the Instant Pot. For a complete range of Indian dessert recipes, visit: Easy Indian Dessert Recipes
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