Instant Pot Rustic Vegetable and Herb Rice Bowl

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-28 · Updated 2026-05-28

A hearty one-pot meal combining garden-fresh vegetables and fragrant herbs cooked to perfection in the Instant Pot with fluffy rice. This Mediterranean-inspired rice and grain recipe (vegetarian), ready in about 30 minutes, pairs basmati rice, water, carrot for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 280 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups rinsed basmati rice
• 2 cups water
• 1 medium, diced carrot
• 1 medium, diced zucchini
• 1 medium, diced yellow bell pepper
• 1 small, finely chopped onion
• 3 minced garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp lemon zest

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode and heat 2 tbsp olive oil. Add 1 small finely chopped onion and 3 minced garlic cloves, cooking for 2-3 minutes until soft and fragrant.
2. Step 2: Add 1 medium diced carrot, 1 medium diced zucchini, and 1 medium diced yellow bell pepper. Sauté for 4-5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
3. Step 3: Stir in 1 1/2 cups rinsed basmati rice, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Mix well to coat rice with oil and spices.
4. Step 4: Pour in 2 cups water, ensuring rice is submerged. Close the Instant Pot lid and set to manual high pressure for 6 minutes.
5. Step 5: When cooking is complete, allow natural pressure release for 10 minutes, then quick release remaining pressure.
6. Step 6: Open lid, fluff rice and vegetables with a fork, and stir in 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley and 1 tsp lemon zest before serving.