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EASY Beef Rice Pilaf is one of my favorite Instant pot rice recipes. It’s made with long-grain rice, beef, bacon, carrots, aromatics, herbs, and spices for a delicious, family-friendly one-pot meal any night of the week!

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Easy Beef Rice Pilaf Instant Pot - (Beef Plov)

This recipe is a slight variation on my Uzbek plov except this one has a different flavor profile and is done in a fraction of the time using a pressure cooker. Beef plov is my family’s favorite one-pot meal, no matter what version it is.

It’s so easy to come together and using the Instant Pot makes clean-up so easy. Not to mention I never have to worry about turning on the stove or the oven or when I do, it’s only for a dessert afterward!

Rice pilaf with beef and bacon is loaded with so many different flavors that when combined make one flavorful bite. This is done by layering the ingredients. It’s not at all difficult, just be sure to follow the directions for epic results everyone won’t be able to get enough of.

Making a big batch is great for leftovers too. Portion it out for lunch over the next few days or reheat for dinner the next day. Serve with a simple side salad if desired!

Ingredients Needed for this Instant Pot Beef and Rice Recipe

Bacon - Sliced into smaller pieces to be sautéed at the beginning rendering the fat, crisping up the bacon, and adding so much flavor to build on.
Onion - I personally love cooking onion in the bacon grease for amazing flavor (and that smell!) but if you prefer not to, feel free to drain the grease first.
Beef - You can use either stewing beef or chuck roast cut into 1” pieces. It’s not necessary to find the highest quality or most tender cut of beef (unless you want to) because the pressure from the Instant Pot does an amazing job of tenderizing all kinds of cuts of beef.
Carrots - Thick strips of carrots add a bit of crunch, a slight bit of sweetness, and a pop of color.
Rice - Any long grain rice will work. Keep in mind brown rice takes longer to cook, so stick to white rice, Jasmin, or basmati rice for this recipe.
Water - In order for the pressure cooker to work, it needs a liquid to help create steam. So, water it is!
Oil - I enjoy adding a bit of avocado oil in my beef plov for nutritional purposes but you can use whatever oil you have on hand.
Seasoning - Montreal Steak spice, salt, turmeric, ground coriander, bay leaves.

How to Make Rice Pilaf in Instant Pot?

Step 1: Turn the Instant Pot on by pressing the Sauté button. When it reads “HOT” add oil and bacon pieces and saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 2: Add diced onion and cook with the bacon grease (if you haven’t already drained it) for another 5 minutes.

Step 3: Add the beef and stir. Then, you’ll add the dry seasonings, and water. Place the bay leaves over top and give everything a stir.

Step 4: Cover the pot with the lid, set the valve to the sealing position, and pressure cook (or manual, depending on your model) for 30 minutes. Quick-release once the cooking time is done.

Step 5: Open the lid, add the carrots and rice on top of the meat. DO NOT STIR!

Step 6: Close the lid again, turn the valve to sealing once again and use the meat/stew pressure button for 5 additional minutes. Naturally release the pressure for 15 minutes, once the cooking time is done, and manually release any remaining pressure.

Step 7: After open the lid. Give everything a nice stir and serve warm.

Garnish with a bit of fresh chopped parsley and an easy Greek salad recipe and enjoy!

Tips for Making Beef Rice Pilaf in Instant Pot

This is a flexible recipe so feel free to use whatever your favorite seasonings are.
For extra garlic flavor, I always add whole unpeeled garlic, with the top cut of, ON TOP of uncooked rice right before closing the Instant Pot. So good!
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. You can reheat it for lunch or dinner the next day or use it in a skillet breakfast along with eggs and cheese. Trust me, you’ll love it!

How Long to Cook Rice in Instant Pot?

If you’re just cooking rice on its own, you’ll cook it for about 3 minutes with a 10-minute natural release. Since this recipe is cooking more than just rice, you’ll want to tack on a couple of extra minutes. Cook for 5 minutes with a 15-minute natural release.

As mentioned above, brown rice takes longer to cook than white rice does. Brown rice takes about 20 minutes followed by a natural release.

What Does it Mean to Naturally Release the Pressure?

The Instant Pot is an electric pressure cooker which means it uses high pressure and steam to cook what’s inside. In order to open the lid, you need to release the pressure first, otherwise explosive things could happen! Don’t worry, when used correctly, the Instant Pot is perfectly safe.

There are two methods to release the pressure. One is to move the valve to the venting position which will automatically start the pressure release quickly. You’ll see a ton of steam coming out of the top that will tell you it’s being let out.

The other way is to allow it to release on its own also called naturally release the pressure, which means you do absolutely nothing to it. Once the cooking time is done, the timer will beep. Let it sit for the number of minutes as directed. Then it will either be ready to open, or you can release the remaining pressure by then moving the valve to venting.

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