Instant Pot Mexican Rice

a bowl full of rice with a lime slice on the side.

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.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Mexican Inspired

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 12

Time to come to pressure 10

Total Time 32

Servings

Calories 206

Author Ashlyn Edwards | Belle of the Kitchen

Equipment

1 Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup onion diced
2-3 cloves garlic minced
2 cups chicken broth
8 ounces tomato sauce
2 cups long grain white rice (like Basmati) rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 Tablespoon fresh cilantro chopped

Instructions

Rinse the rice in a strainer under cold water. Drain well.
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 3-5 minutes, until soft. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
Cancel the sauté mode, then add the chicken broth, tomato sauce, drained rice, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Stir.
Place the lid on the pot and flip the valve to “sealing.” Cook over manual high pressure for 8 minutes.
Once the time is up on the Instant Pot, allow the pot to naturally release for five minutes before performing a quick release to the remaining pressure. When all of the steam has escaped and the pin on the lid has dropped, open the lid and stir the contents, then fluff with a fork. Sprinkle with freshly chopped cilantro and serve.

Video

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.
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 8 minutes.
Any leftover Mexican Rice can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for four days. You can also freeze the leftovers in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before re-heating.

Nutrition