The Absolute Best Instant Pot Mexican Rice

This recipe is one of those dishes I've made for years. This Mexican rice has been the side item to so many taco Tuesdays that I've lost count! And, not to toot my own horn, but it's pretty darn delicious and so simple to make.

I originally found this recipe for Mexican Rice on Pioneer Woman's site. Over the years, I've kind of made it my own - changed up an ingredient here and there, modified for the Instant Pot, and added in flavors that I love.

After years of work on this one, I finally have my go-to Mexican Rice recipe! It's super simple to make in an Instant Pot (but can be modified to make on the stovetop, if needed). Most of these ingredients are staples that I almost always have on hand. When you're short on time but need a hearty side dish, this is it!

Why Should I Make 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 $5.
• It's a crowd-pleaser. Everyone loves this rice! Think of the rice at your favorite Mexican restaurant; it's similar. And who doesn't love that?
• It uses staple ingredients. If you don't already have them at home, these ingredients are not at all hard to find.

Variations

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.

• Add in vegetables like corn, black beans, or peas & carrots. A 15oz can or 2 cups fresh/frozen of any given veggie would be a great addition.
• Make it cheesy! After cooking, add a cup of shredded cheese into 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.
• Add toppings! You could top this dish with a sprinkle of cheese, a dollop of sour cream, or crushed tortilla chips. A dash of lime juice would give it a fresh kick.
• Make this a vegetarian dish by using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. If you want to go vegan, you can also substitute olive oil for the butter.

How to Make Instant Pot Mexican/Spanish Rice

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups long-grain white rice
• 10 oz Rotel tomatoes & green chiles (1 small can)
• 8 oz canned tomato sauce
• 15 oz canned diced tomatoes
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 bunch cilantro, chopped

Directions

Set the Instant Pot to saute mode. Once hot, add butter. Once butter is melted, add chopped onion. Brown onion for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add rice and garlic to butter/onion mixture. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently, until rice is just starting to brown.

Add Rotel, tomato sauce, and diced tomatoes; stir, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. After about a minute, add chicken broth, cumin, chili powder, and cayenne pepper. Stir well and lock on Instant Pot lid.

Set the Instant Pot to manual, high pressure, for 7 minutes. Once cook cycle is up, fluff rice with a fork and add in half of the chopped cilantro.

Leftover Storage

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.

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.

Other Recipe Notes

• Don't skip the part where you scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the Instant Pot liner. The rice won't cook properly if there is food stuck to the bottom of the pan.
• This recipe can also be made on the stove top. Saute the onion, garlic, and rice as directed. Then, add remaining ingredients, bring to a simmer, turn heat to low, and cook (covered) for 15-20 minutes, until rice absorbs the cooking liquid.
• This recipe can be halved or doubled without changing the cook time. Warning though: it already makes a lot of food, only double if you need to feed a football team!

FAQs