Instant Pot Mexican Rice
Wondering how to make your tacos or quesadillas a complete meal? The answer is Instant Pot Mexican Rice! The perfect side for all your Tex-Mex faves, it’s perfectly seasoned, full of veggies, and a combination of tomato sauce and fresh lime adds bright flavour.
When you go to a Mexican restaurant and order enchiladas or quesadillas, they almost always give you a scoop of Mexican rice and refried beans on the side. So lately, when I’ve been making us something like Jackfruit Tacos or Vegan Enchiladas for dinner, I add this Instant Pot Mexican rice and homemade refried beans to the plate. It makes dinner feel a little more special, like we’re eating at a restaurant—especially when I add some Mango Mojitos to the table too!
Why This Mexican Rice Will Be Your Go-To Recipe
Taco night will never be the same! And neither will your burrito bowls. Here’s what makes this Mexican rice recipe a win:
- Perfectly cooked, every time. If you often find yourself with soggy, wet rice when you cook it on the stovetop, the Instant Pot is a game-changer. It’s fluffy and perfect!
- So much flavour. With aromatics, spices, cilantro, tomato sauce, and lime, I pack a TON of flavour into this Mexican rice recipe. It’s anything but boring!
- Versatile. There are endless ways to put this recipe to use, from meal prep to parties, and I’ll share some of my favourite pairings later in this post.
Notes on Ingredients
Below you’ll find some notes about the ingredients for this Instant Pot Mexican rice. Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- Olive oil
- Yellow onion and garlic – Aromatics that infuse the rice with flavour as it cooks. You can mince the garlic with a knife or push it through a garlic press.
- Long grain white rice – Don’t substitute another variety! Different types of rice require different cooking times and amounts of liquid, so your results may not be the same.
- Ground cumin, salt, and chili powder
- Tomato sauce – Use the kind that comes in a can, not pasta sauce.
- Low-sodium vegetable broth – I like to use my homemade Vegetable Broth.
- Carrots and frozen peas – Or swap in frozen peas and carrots to save a little prep time.
- Lime
- Cilantro – Not a fan? You can skip it or use parsley.
How to Make Mexican Rice in an Instant Pot
Here’s how easy it is to make Instant Pot Mexican rice!
- Sauté the aromatics. Use Sauté mode to cook the onion in the olive oil. Once the onion is translucent, add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, or until it’s fragrant.
- Toast the rice. Stir in the rice and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until it’s golden and smells a little bit nutty. Stir in the cumin and salt.
- Deglaze. Press Cancel, then stir in the tomato sauce, chili powder, broth, and carrots. Scrape up any brown bits at the bottom.
- Pressure cook. Secure the lid and set to Manual (High Pressure). Cook for 4 minutes, then do a natural release for 10 minutes. Do a quick release after 10 minutes have elapsed.
- Add the peas. Stir in the frozen peas and fluff the rice with a fork.
- Finish. Season to taste, then add a squeeze of lime juice and fresh cilantro.
Tips for Perfect Mexican Rice
- Dice the onion small. You don’t want big pieces of onion in your rice, so make sure it’s diced small. Also be sure that it’s diced evenly so it all softens at the same time.
- Don’t skip the deglazing. The acid from the tomato sauce will help loosen any brown bits at the bottom of the Instant Pot. It’s important to take the time to scrape them all up, because a) this incorporates more flavour into your rice, and b) it helps prevent the dreaded burn notice.
- Add the peas right away. As soon as you open the lid, stir in the peas. The heat from the rice will warm them. If you add them too late, they’ll still be cold!
My Favourite Ways to Use and Serve Mexican Rice
Friends, you have SO many options! Here’s some inspiration.
- With tacos, enchiladas, and quesadillas. Like my Vegan Birria Tacos, Black Bean and Corn Quesadillas, and Crispy Cauliflower Tacos with Chipotle Crema. I love having friends over for tacos and margs and this Instant Pot Mexican rice makes an easy side.
- Burrito bowls and burritos. Skip the plain rice and use Mexican rice in your Vegan Burrito Bowls for extra flavour.
- Rice and beans. Make the classic vegetarian dinner tastier by swapping in Mexican rice. This is great for meal prep!
- As a side for other dishes. Like Elotes or Southwestern Tofu Scramble.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerator: Transfer leftover Mexican rice to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: You can also freeze leftovers in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
- To reheat: The best way to warm up leftovers is in the microwave, but you can also transfer them to a pan with a splash of broth, cover, and heat over medium-low until warmed through.
More Vegan Rice Recipes
Enjoy friends! If you make this Instant Pot Mexican rice, please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! We’d also love it if you would leave a comment below, and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much!
Instant Pot Mexican Rice
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, 30mL
- ½ small yellow onion, finely chopped – about 50g
- 3 cloves garlic, minced – 1 tbsp. / 9g
- 1 ½ cups long grain white rice, rinsed – 285g
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin, 1g
- 1 teaspoon salt, 5g
- ½ cup canned tomato sauce, 120mL
- 1 ½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth, 360mL
- ½ teaspoon chili powder, 2g
- ¾ cup diced carrots, 100g
- ½ cup frozen peas, add after cooking – 100g
- Juice of ½ lime, about 1 tbsp. / 15mL
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish – 4g
Instructions
- Set the Instant Pot to Sauté mode. Once hot, add olive oil and chopped onion. Sauté for 3–4 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds, stirring often.
- Stir in rinsed rice and sauté for 2–3 minutes until lightly golden. Add cumin and salt. Mix well.
- Press Cancel to stop sautéing. Stir in tomato sauce, chili powder if using, vegetable broth, and diced carrots. Scrape up any brown bits at the bottom of the pot to prevent a burn notice.
- Secure the lid and set the Instant Pot to cook on Manual (High Pressure) for 4 minutes.
- Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then quick release any remaining pressure.
- Stir in the frozen peas immediately after opening the lid so they heat through but stay bright green. Fluff the rice with a fork.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve with a squeeze of lime juice and garnish with fresh cilantro.
Notes
- Refrigerator: Transfer leftover Mexican rice to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: You can also freeze leftovers in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
- To reheat: The best way to warm up leftovers is in the microwave, but you can also transfer them to a pan with a splash of broth, cover, and heat over medium-low until warned through.
Disclaimer: Although jessicainthekitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Jessicainthekitchen.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
