Instant Pot Mexican Rice

Name: Instant Pot Mexican Rice
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 2 tbsp butter; 2 cups long-grain white rice; 2.5 cups water; 1 tbsp tomato & chicken bouillon; 1 tsp salt (chopped); 1 tsp garlic powder; 1 tsp onion powder

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This recipe for Instant Pot Mexican Rice will quickly become your go-to side dish. It's ready in 15 minutes and tastes just like a Mexican restaurant!

mexican rice topped with cilantro in an instant pot, with limes and a towel next to it.

You know how everyone has those recipes they know by heart because they're used so often? I'm sharing one of mine today!

I've worked for years to perfect this Mexican rice - I wanted it to taste just like the restaurant version. And I think I've finally got it.

❤️ Why You'll Love This Recipe

It's easy! You can have a home-cooked side dish in under 20 minutes, with very little actual work.
It's inexpensive. This recipe makes a ton of food and will cost around $2.
It's a crowd-pleaser. Everyone loves this rice! Think of the rice at your favorite Mexican restaurant; it's the perfect copycat recipe.
It uses staple ingredients. If you don't already have them at home, these ingredients are not at all hard to find.

🍚 Ingredients

2 cups white rice - Just plain, long-grain white rice will do. I prefer to rinse mine before cooking.
2 tablespoons butter
2.5 cups water
1 tablespoon tomato & chicken bouillon - This is the #1 most important ingredient in this recipe. It gives the rice that coral color and tons of flavor! I keep a bottle of this around just to make this rice. You should be able to find it in the Hispanic section of your grocery store.
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder

Variations & Additions

This rice is really pretty basic - no frills or add-ins. However, there are lots of ways to make it a unique dish for your family.

Use brown rice instead of white rice; you will need to adjust the pressure cooking time to 14 minutes.
Make this a vegetarian dish by using just tomato bouillon. If you want to go vegan, you can also substitute olive oil for the butter.

👩🏻‍🍳 How to Make Instant Pot Mexican Rice

added water and spices to rice in an instant pot.

BROWN RICE. Turn the Instant Pot to saute mode. Once hot, add 2 tablespoons of butter. Add 2 cups of rice to melted butter and saute for 3-4 minutes, until rice becomes fragrant.
ADD REMAINING INGREDIENTS. Add 1 tablespoon of tomato & chicken bouillon, as well as 1 teaspoon each of salt, garlic powder, and onion powder. Lock on the Instant Pot lid.
PRESSURE COOK. Set Instant Pot to manual, high pressure, 7 minutes. Once the cook cycle is over and pressure is released, fluf with a fork and serve warm.

🎥 Step-by-Step Video

🌮 How to Serve Instant Pot Mexican Rice

Make it cheesy! After cooking, add a cup of shredded cheese to the rice. Cheddar, pepper jack, or queso cheese would be yummy.
Make it a whole meal by adding a protein, like rotisserie chicken or grilled steak. One of my family's favorite meals is to serve something like my salsa chicken over this rice and top with store-bought white queso. Yum!
Add toppings! You could top this dish with a sprinkle of crushed tortilla chips, a dollop of sour cream, or chopped cilantro. A dash of lime juice would give it a fresh kick.

This Mexican Rice goes wonderfully with...

🥡 Leftover Storage & Reheating

This recipe makes a lot of food - you will likely have leftovers. I like to store my leftover rice in an airtight container to prevent outside flavors from seeping in.

This rice can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days after cooking. When you're ready to enjoy leftovers, just pop in the microwave for about 30 seconds per serving.

This Mexican Rice also freezes well! After cooking, pop your rice in a freezer bag or container. Simply thaw, microwave, and serve when you need a quick side dish.

📝 Helpful Recipe Notes

This recipe can also be made on the stovetop. Brown rice in the butter as directed. Then, add the remaining ingredients, bring to a simmer, turn the heat to low, and cook (covered) for 15-20 minutes, until rice absorbs the cooking liquid.
I recommend turning off the automatic warm function on the Instant Pot as soon as the cook cycle is over. This warming cycle can sometimes overcook the rice.

❓ FAQs

That can happen sometimes if there is food stuck to the bottom of the inner liner. It keeps the pot from being able to properly come to pressure. Make sure the scrape any cooked-on food from the bottom of the liner with a wooden spoon before trying to pressure cook.

That has everything to do with cook time. If you're getting mushy rice, take a minute off of your pressure cook time. If crunchy, add a minute.

Yes, this dish can be either halved or doubled without changing the cooking time. Warning though: it already makes a lot of food, only double if you need to feed a football team!

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