5 from 19 votes

Prep Time : 10

Cook Time : 25

Learn how to make rice pudding with any kind of rice, cooked or raw, and with any kind of milk. For the pressure cooker or the stovetop.

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Learn how to make rice pudding with any kind of rice, whether it's cooked or raw, and with any kind of milk. All it takes is a few basic ingredients to serve it warm or cold.

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Why this rice pudding is such a classic simple pleasure

The first time I ever had rice pudding was when I was in college. I spent a semester in Spain and the señora in the family I lived with made us rice pudding nearly every night.

This amazing woman often spent all day cooking, and made the rice pudding fresh in the morning and allowed it to chill all day long. She cared for us with tons of love and kindness—until we moved because we were young and stupid and thought we could do better. And I've been chasing something like her recipe (and running away from my shame at that youthful indiscretion) ever since.

If you didn't grow up eating rice pudding, it might sound a bit … strange. But if it's made right, whether it's chilled or warm, firm or soft, it's always delicious. Unless you really don't like pudding, you probably like rice pudding. Keep in mind, though, that you can taste some of the texture of the rice, unlike you would with a starch like potatoes.

It's easy to forget how elegant something as simple as this can be. There's no flour and no cornstarch in any of these versions. And if you make it on the stovetop from raw rice, you don't even need an egg.

In fact, you need little more than rice, milk, and some sweetener to make a thick and creamy pudding that's naturally gluten free.

How to make rice pudding with stovetop or instant pot/raw or cooked rice

My first recipe for rice pudding and the one I made for years without regret was made on the stovetop with freshly-made short grain (usually arborio, or risotto rice) rice that I parlayed immediately into a creamy pudding.

That version is in my first cookbook, and it works beautifully. But it does take a bit of time (and a couple of pots).

Recently, I started to wonder how to make rice pudding with cooked rice, and if that would make the recipe a bit more forgiving. It turns out that, not only can you make rice pudding with cooked rice, you can use any type of rice you like—plus any milk at all.

Then, I use my Instant Pot many times a week anyway, and I have a dogeared copy of Melissa Clark's Dinner In An Instant (that's an affiliate link) and make rice in the IP all the time. So naturally, I wondered if I could slide right into a raw-rice IP version of rice pudding. Spoiler: I could. I did!

How to make rice pudding on the stovetop with cooked rice

Once you learn how to make rice pudding on the stovetop with cooked rice, you might be tempted never to make it any other way again. I've made it successfully with any sort of sticky, cooked rice, from arborio rice to sushi rice to long grain white rice.

If you're making rice for a meal, do yourself a favor and make a bit extra and set it aside to make into rice pudding. If you've got that in the back of your mind, go ahead and make the rice with a bit less water than usual so that it comes out nice and sticky.

Another trick for getting cooked rice to turn sticky, even if it's not shorter grain, naturally high starch rice is to undercook it on the stovetop by a few minutes. In other words, stop cooking before every last bit of water is absorbed by the rice.

Then, turn off the heat and allow the pot to sit, covered, on the burner for until it cools. You'll be rewarded with sticky rice, even if it's long grain.

How to make rice pudding in the instant pot with raw rice

Originally, the video for this recipe was of the stovetop method with cooked rice, since it's the most forgiving version. But when I misplaced the raw video footage, after the (mild) swearing, I decided it would be more informative to shoot a video of the Instant Pot version.

My Instant Pot is the 6-quart version, but I think that this modest amount of rice pudding can be made in a smaller Instant Pot without incident. Don't be tempted to double the recipe, though, and cook it all at once in your pressure cooker.

Cooking milk in a pressure cooker requires a ton of breathing room. If you double the recipe, or even make 1 1/2 times the amount, your pot will most likely boil over. Trust me when I say that you do not want to deal with a milk over boil situation—especially with your pressure cooker.

On the stovetop with raw rice

In the stovetop version with raw rice, my original version, I steep some whole cinnamon and whole nutmeg in the milk to add some depth to the pudding. But of course those steps are optional. You can do the same with the Instant Pot version, in fact.

All you need to remember about the stovetop version with raw rice is not to overcook it. Simmer it in water just until it has absorbed most of the liquid before pouring in the simmering milk.

Rice pudding: ingredients and substitutions

Luckily, as long as you can eat rice itself, you can find a way to make rice pudding that suits your other dietary needs. Here is the information I can offer:

Dairy free rice pudding

This one is super easy. If you can't have dairy, just replace the cow's milk in each version with your favorite nondairy milk—as long as it's not fat-free. My favorite nondairy milk is unsweetened almond milk. If you use a sweetened dairy milk, you might want to use less granulated sugar in the recipe, but that is to taste.

I don't recommend using coconut milk in a can, as it's too thick, as a replacement for the milk. However, you can use canned coconut milk as a replacement for the heavy cream in the Instant Pot version.

Egg free rice pudding

The raw-rice stovetop version is egg-free, so I'd recommend making that version if you can't have eggs. It's ready for you.

Instead, if you'd like to try making the other versions without the egg, you can try replacing the egg with a cornstarch slurry in place of the egg and milk mixture. Just place the remaining half-cup (for the stovetop, cooked rice version) or 3 tablespoons (for the Instant Pot version) of milk in a small bowl and whisk in 2 tablespoons of cornstarch until it forms a thick, integrated liquid. Then add it to the main mixture and whisk until the pudding thickens.

About the rice you use in rice pudding

If you want truly creamy rice pudding, unless you're making it with cooked rice on the stovetop according to the directions below, you need to use a short grain rice. I like sushi and arborio rice equally well in this regard.

If you're making rice pudding on the stovetop with cooked rice, you can easily swap in sticky short grain brown rice as well. I don't recommend using brown rice otherwise.

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How To Make Rice Pudding | Stovetop or IP

Learn how to make rice pudding with any kind of rice, cooked or raw, and with any kind of milk. For the pressure cooker or the stovetop.

Course: Pudding, Snack

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 25

Yield: 6 servings

Author: Nicole Hunn

Equipment

Electric pressure cooker optional

Ingredients

In the electric pressure cooker

½ cup (90 g) short grain white rice (like arborio or sushi rice) rinsed and drained
2 cups (16 fluid ounces) milk + 3 tablespoons more
½ cup (4 fluid ounces) heavy whipping cream
⅜ cup (75 g) granulated sugar
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
1 (50 g (weighed out of shell)) egg at room temperature

On the stovetop with cooked rice

1 ½ cups (300 g) cooked white rice
2 cups (16 fluid ounces) milk at room temperature
⅓ cup (67 g) granulated sugar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 (50 g (weighed out of shell)) egg at room temperature

On the stovetop with raw rice

2 cups (16 fluid ounces) lukewarm water
1 cup (180 g) short grain white rice rinsed and drained
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
4 cups (32 fluid ounces) milk
⅜ cup (75 g) granulated sugar
1 stick whole cinnamon (optional)
1 piece whole nutmeg (optional)

For all recipes (optional)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Ground cinnamon for sprinkling

Instructions

For the pressure cooker with raw rice.

In the bowl of your instant pot, place the rice, 2 cups of the milk, plus the cream, sugar, and salt, and stir to combine.
Secure the lid of your instant pot, set the vent to seal, press “manual” and set the time to 6 minutes.
The pot will switch on and come to pressure, then begin counting down the 6 minutes.
Once the timer has sounded to signal the end of the cooking period, turn off the pot and allow the pressure to release naturally by allowing the pot to sit, undisturbed, for about 20 minutes.
Release any remaining pressure manually by turning the venting dial to “vent.”
Open the lid of the pot, and turn the instant pot back on to sauté by pressing the “Sauté” button.
Once the mixture begins to simmer, in a small bowl, whisk the remaining 3 tablespoons of milk and the egg.
Beginning with a very small amount of the simmering rice pudding, temper the egg (slowly raise its temperature so the egg doesn’t scramble) by adding some of the simmering rice pudding to the egg mixture and whisking to combine.
Transfer the egg mixture to the instant pot bowl, and allow to simmer, stirring constantly, until it thickens enough that a spatula along the bottom of the instant pot leaves a visible trail that the mixture takes a moment to fill.

For the stovetop with cooked rice.

In a medium saucepan, place the cooked rice, 1 1/2 cups (12 fluid ounces) milk, sugar, and salt over medium heat.
Cook, stirring frequently until the mixture comes to a simmer and begins to thicken (about 8 minutes).
Place the remaining 1/2 cup milk and the egg in a separate bowl, and whisk to combine well.
Add about 1 cup of the hot milk and rice mixture to milk and egg mixture, a bit at a time, whisking to combine.
Transfer the egg mixture to the saucepan and continue to cook until the pudding has begun to thicken, about 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove the saucepan from the heat, stir in the optional vanilla extract, and mix to combine.

For the stovetop with raw rice.

In a large saucepan, place the water, rice, and salt, stir to combine and bring to a boil over medium heat.
Reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook stirring frequently for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until the rice has absorbed most of the water, leaving behind no more than a bit of thick, starchy water. Be careful not to overcook the rice.
While the rice is cooking, in a separate, medium-size saucepan, combine the milk, sugar, optional whole cinnamon and nutmeg, and cook over medium heat until simmering (about 2 minutes).
Once the rice in the separate saucepan is cooked, pour the simmering milk mixture through a strainer into the larger saucepan.
Discard the whole cinnamon and nutmeg.
Cook the rice and milk mixture over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until the rice has absorbed most of the milk mixture and the entire mixture has thickened and begins to appear pudding-like, about 15 minutes more.
It will thicken as it cools. Add the optional vanilla, and mix to combine.

For all versions.

Add the optional vanilla and mix to combine. Transfer the prepared rice pudding to serving dishes and serve warm with ground cinnamon to taste.
Alternatively, for a firmer pudding, place plastic wrap directly on the surface and allow to cool at room temperature until no longer hot to the touch.
Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving chilled with ground cinnamon to taste.