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Our easy Instant Pot Mexican Rice is a simple, flavorful, and the best way to prepare rice! It is made with simple ingredients that you probably have on hand already, and it is the perfect side dish for all your Mexican favorites!
Instant Pot Mexican Rice
This Mexican-Style Instant Pot Rice is the easiest, most flavorful way to prepare rice in the Instant Pot. It makes the perfect side dish for tacos, burritos and enchiladas, or can be used as a base for delicious burritos bowls.
The Instant Pot is my preferred way to prepare rice. It works a lot like a rice cooker, in that every grain of rice cooks evenly and rice turns out fluffy and tender. You can say goodbye to crunchy or mushy rice using when making rice using an electric pressure cooker.
Pin this recipe for later!Why We Love This Recipe
- Quick and Easy – This dish comes together in a little over half an hour! Perfect to throw on before you make your favorite taco meat.
- Versatile – You can change things up to suit your family’s tastes and preferences. Love the heat? Kick it up a notch! Kids sensitive to spice? Omit the jalapeños.
Recipe Walk-Through
Ingredient Notes
- Olive Oil – Avocado oil also works for this dish, if that’s what you have.
- Jalapeño – Optional, but adds great flavor and heat!
- Garlic – Use fresh garlic, not the jarred kind, for the best results.
- Long Grain White Rice – Make sure it is rinsed well.
- Tomato Sauce – If you want extra flavor and heat, use the El Pato Mexican Tomato Sauce!
How To Make Instant Pot Mexican Rice
See the recipe card below for full, detailed instructions
- Measure rice into a colander and rinse well.
- Turn the Instant Pot to sauté and let it heat up until the pressure cooker reads “HOT.” Add in oil, onion, jalapeño, and garlic. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, then turn Instant Pot off.
- Pour in chicken stock and scrape up any browned bits on bottom of inner pot. This is a really important step to prevent a burn warning. Add in the seasonings and stir well. Now add the rinsed rice and gently push the rice down to completely submerge it in the stock. Top with tomato sauce, but DO NOT stir in the tomato sauce.
- Place the lid on pressure cooker and set to cook on high pressure for 3 minutes. Once the cook time has elapsed, let the pressure release naturally all the way.
- Remove lid and fluff rice with a fork, while stirring in the tomato sauce. Using a fork helps to separate the grains of rice and make the entire dish nice and fluffy.
Serving Suggestions
Mexican rice and beans are a must have for any Mexican recipe. We’ve got tons on the site for you to try, and here are some of our favorites:
- Instant Pot Chicken Tacos
- Chicken Enchilada Casserole
- Mexican Sopes Recipe
- Slow Cooker Creamy Taco Ranch Chicken
- The Best Shrimp Fajitas
Storage Tips
Storage and Reheating
This recipe is an easy side dish to make ahead of time. While it is at its peak immediately after cooking, it works well as a meal-prep side too, and reheats well.
- Mexican rice is best served immediately. To store any leftovers, let rice cool for 20 minutes and then place in a sealed container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- To reheat the rice, add in a splash of water or stock to loosen up rice and heat in 1 minute intervals in the microwave until warmed through.
Recipe Tips
- If you want to use brown rice, follow the recipe as stated, but for perfect Instant Pot Brown Rice, increase the cook time to 22 minutes on High Pressure.
- In place of chicken stock, use vegetable stock to keep this vegetarian.
- Omit the jalapenos for less heat.
- If you are really in a hurry, omit sauteing the onions, jalapeno, and garlic. This helps to develop flavor for the rice, but you can add the ingredients right into the rice without sauteing without sacrificing too much flavor. You can also omit them completely from the recipe.
- If you would like, add in up to 1 cup frozen corn, peas, and carrots to the Instant pot before pressure cooking.
- This recipe can be cut in half if using a mini or 6 quart Instant Pot if desired. For an 8 quart Instant Pot, this recipe cannot be halved.
More Easy Recipes
- Authentic Mexican Rice
- Mexican Shrimp Cocktail
- Mexican Black Beans
- Mexican Chicken Soup
- Mexican Lasagna
Instant Pot Mexican Rice
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- 1/4 cup Onion diced
- 1 Jalapeno seeded and minced, optional
- 2 cloves Garlic minced
- 2 cups Chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon Oregano
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 2 cups Long grain white rice rinsed well
- 2/3 cup Tomato sauce
Instructions
- Turn Instant Pot to saute and let heat up. Once heated, add in oil, onion, jalapeno, and garlic. Saute for 2-3 minutes.
- Turn Instant Pot OFF.
- Add in stock and scrape up any browned bits on bottom of inner pot.
- Add in seasonings and stir well. Add in rice and gently submerge rice into stock. Top with tomato sauce but do not stir tomato sauce into rice.
- Place lid on the Instant Pot and be sure vent knob is pointed to sealed.
- Cook on HIGH pressure for 3 minutes.
- Let pressure release naturally all the way.
- Remove lid and fluff rice with a fork, while stirring in the tomato sauce.
Notes
- Feel free to use vegetable stock in place of chicken stock.
- In place of salt and seasonings, you can use up to 2 tablespoons taco seasoning.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.
Hello,
Instant Pot Noob here –
The sauté setting on my Mueller Pot always burns my garlic, even with constant stirring. How can I prevent this?
Also, my pot does not go lower than 5 minutes. I’m thinking I will just turn it off after 3 minutes for this recipe and let it naturally release steam. Is this good practice or is there something else I can do?
I’m excited to try this – my first Mexican rice in the pot!
Thank you for this recipe!
I would love to try this recipe, but have NEVER used my instapot! I’m actually afraid it’s going to be difficult to use. Am I missing the boat here? Thanks for any tips or encouragement you can provide!
I think it’s an acquired taste. Definitely give it a try though, you might be surprised at how much you love it!
The instapot is the only way I will cook rice. Perfect every time. I’m making this recipe tonight.
The Instant Pot is NOT hard to use! Try a simple recipe, like rice and beans. I was apprehensive at first, too, and was pleasantly surprised by the ease in using it. Clean up is much easier, too! One pot instead of 2, 3, 4, etc.!
Fantastic quick and easy Mexican rice!! I was afraid the jalapeno might be too spicy for my 5, 3, and 1yr, but they loved every bite! Definitely saving this recipe and making it again.
Thank you Lori! Love the feedback, thanks for stopping by.
2nd time making it and we really really love it!
Nice! Thanks for stopping by Nida.
K.
If I wanted to triple this recipe, would I just triple the cook time?
No need to adjust the cook time. The rice should cook in the same amount of time. Just make sure your pot is large enough – Tripling the recipe will yield 12 cups of cooked rice.
Kristin,
This recipe is absolutely delicious! It’s a keeper fore sure. I’ve always wanted to find a great Mexican rice recipe and thanks to you, I have!
Tara
You are so welcome Tara! Thanks for stopping by.
My favorite rice recipe to date! Ty Ty Ty!