Instant Pot Mexican Rice

This Instant Pot Mexican Rice recipe is packed with flavor and is so simple to make. It’s the perfect side dish for tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas, and more.

For more delicious Mexican inspired Side Dish Recipes, be sure to check out my Copycat Chipotle Guacamole, Avocado Corn Salad, and Mexican Black Beans.

Tacos or enchiladas are on regular rotation at our house, and on those nights I love to make Instant Pot Mexican Rice to eat on the side.

To be honest, my kids tend to eat more of the rice than they do the main dish! That’s a true testament to how delicious this Mexican Rice recipe is.

I absolutely love Mexican Rice because it’s chock full of flavor from the diced onion, garlic, cumin, chili powder, and fresh cilantro.

It’s also really easy and effortless to make in the Instant Pot; just sauté the onion and garlic, then add the rest of the ingredients and cook on high pressure for 12 minutes. Easy peasy! The result is a perfectly cooked pot of Mexican rice that is perfect for serving as a side dish or as a main course. 

Ingredients for Instant Pot Mexican Rice

• olive oil
• onion
• garlic
• chicken broth
• tomato sauce
• basmati rice
• Spices: cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper
• fresh cilantro

How to Make Mexican Rice in the Instant Pot – Step by Step

Ingredient measurements and full instructions are located in the recipe card below.

Step 1: Rinse and drain rice

Rinse the rice in a strainer under cold water. Drain well.

Step 2: Sauté onions and garlic

Select the sauté mode on the Instant Pot and add the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the diced onion and cook for 5 minutes, until soft. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.

Step 3: Add remaining ingredients

Cancel the sauté mode, then add the chicken broth, tomato sauce, drained rice, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Stir.

Step 4: Pressure cook

Place the lid on the pot and flip the valve to “sealing.” Cook over manual high pressure for 12 minutes.

Step 5: Quick release

Once the time is up on the Instant Pot, perform a quick release. When all of the steam has escaped and the pin on the lid has dropped, open the lid and fluff the rice with a fork. Sprinkle with freshly chopped cilantro and serve.

Tips and Notes

• Rinse your rice. It’s important to rinse and drain the rice under cold water to remove any excess starch before cooking. This will lend to rice that won’t stick together and get gummy once it’s cooked.
• For a vegetarian/vegan alternative, substitute the chicken broth with vegetable broth.
• Substitute the tomato sauce with crushed tomatoes, or with diced tomatoes for a chunkier texture. 
• Fresh cilantro can be substituted with dried cilantro if needed, or left out entirely if cilantro isn’t your thing!
• Some delicious additions to your Instant Pot Mexican Rice would be frozen corn or peas, some drained and rinsed black beans, or a small can of diced green chiles. These can all be added in step 4 with the chicken broth, tomato sauce, rice, etc.
• If you’re in a hurry, you can skip the sautéing step and just add all of the ingredients to the Instant Pot and cook on high pressure for 12 minutes.
• To make your Mexican Rice into a full meal, you can add cooked chicken, beef, or shrimp.

FAQs

If you try this recipe, please leave a comment and rating below. I love to hear from you and always appreciate your feedback!