Ready in 10 minutes and full of spices and tomato sauce, this Instant Pot Mexican Rice is perfect for your next Taco Tuesday! Serve this side dish with burritos, sheet pan chicken fajitas, or buffalo chicken quesadillas!
If you are tired of boring, old Instant Pot rice, you have to try this ready Instant Pot Mexican rice recipe! The first time I made this dish, I could not believe how easy it was! Even better, it came out perfect and has every time since.
Now, I only make rice in my electric pressure cooker, and it always turns out fluffy and full of flavor in under 30 minutes. Deliciously spiced and virtually failproof, this side dish is the perfect pairing for Mexican-inspired recipes. It's the perfect side dish for Instant Pot Chicken Fajitas, Buffalo chicken quesadillas, Blackstone fried rice, beef tostadas, sopita, on a taco bar with mango salsa!
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What is Mexican Rice?
Mexican rice, also known as arroz rojo or Mexican red rice, is a popular side dish often served in Mexican restaurants. It is made with rice that has been toasted in olive oil or another fat and then cooked with broth and tomatoes.
Flavored with warm spices like cumin and garlic, Mexican rice recipes are warm and aromatic and are bright red in color. Serve it with Mexican-inspired recipes like refried beans, tacos, burritos, enchiladas, etc. It goes really well with a homemade lime margarita mix too!
Ingredients For Instant Pot Mexican Rice
You only need a handful of simple ingredients to make Mexican rice in an Instant Pot!
- Olive oil. To sauté the rice.
- Onion. One medium onion. Yellow or white onions will work.
- Long grain white rice. I used Jasmine rice for this recipe, but Basmati rice works well, too.
- Tomato sauce. One 8-ounce can.
- Chicken broth. I use homemade chicken broth, but storebought will also work. Use low-sodium, if you have it.
- Chili powder. For a kick of heat.
- 3 garlic cloves. Feel free to substitute 2 teaspoons of garlic powder.
Be sure to check out the printable recipe card for full recipe information on ingredients and quantities.
Let's Make Instant Pot Mexican Rice!
Step 1: Peel the onion, and chop it into small pieces. Chop the garlic and set it aside.
Step 2: Rinse the rice in a fine mesh strainer until the water runs clear.
Step 3: Set the Instant Pot to the sauté function, and add the olive oil. Then, add the onion, and cook for 2 minutes.
Step 4: Add the chopped garlic followed by the rinsed rice, and cook for another 3 minutes to toast the rice.
Step 5: Pour the tomato sauce and chicken broth into the Instant Pot. Add the chili powder and ½ teaspoon of kosher salt.
Step 6: Close the Instant Pot, and make sure the knob on the lid is set to the sealing position. Select the "Rice" function on your Instant Pot, and cook for 10 minutes.
Step 7: After 10 minutes, quick release the pressure. Carefully remove the lid, and fluff the rice with a fork.
Tips and Tricks
- The Instant Pot will take 5-10 minutes to come up to temperature.
- If you are not using low-sodium chicken broth, reduce the amount of salt you are adding to the rice. Chicken broth can be quite salty, and you don't want to overpower the rice.
- To avoid mushy rice, make sure you release the pressure from the Instant Pot as soon as the cook time is over.
- Sometimes 8-ounce cans of tomato sauce can be hard to find. In this case, you can use one tablespoon of tomato paste and cook that into the rice. Or, use 2 tomato bouillon cubes in place of the chicken broth.
- If your Instant Pot does not have a rice function, cook the rice on low pressure for 10 minutes.
Variations
- Add beans! Add one drained can of black beans to the Instant Pot before you close the Instant Pot to cook.
- Make it vegan! Use water or vegetable broth instead of chicken broth for a vegan option.
- Use brown rice! Brown rice takes a bit longer to cook. So, you will have to up the cook time to 15 minutes and cook the rice on high pressure.
- Add veggies! Feel free to mix in chopped carrots, peas, or even corn.
Frequently Asked Questions
Make sure that you have enough liquid in your Instant Pot. If there is not enough liquid, the rice will stick to the bottom of the pot and cause a big mess! It's important to remember the ratio of water to rice. It should be 1 cup of rice to 1 ¼ cups of water.
Place any leftover rice into an airtight container, and store the rice in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days. Reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes or until the rice warms through.
The two names are often used interchangeably. However, they aren't quite the same things. The primary difference is that Mexican rice typically includes spices like cumin and tomato, which give it a red hue. Meanwhile, Spanish rice is made with saffron and has a yellow color and slightly firmer consistency.
Yes! If you don't have an Instant Pot, toast the rice in a pot. Then, add the remaining ingredients, and bring the liquid to a boil. Then, cook the rice according to package instructions until soft.
📖 Recipe
Instant Pot Mexican Rice
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon Olive oil Vegetable oil or avocado oil can be used
- 1 Medium Onion chopped
- 2 cups Long Grain Rice
- 8 oz Tomato Sauce
- 2 ½ cups Chicken Broth
- 2 teaspoon Chili Powder
- 3 cloves Garlic Minced
- ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
Instructions
- Peel the onion and chop it into small pieces. Chop the garlic and set it aside.
- Place the rice in a fine mesh strainer and run water over the rice until the water runs through the strainer clear.
- Set the Instant Pot to the saute function and add the olive oil. Add the onion to the Instant Pot and cook for 2 minutes.
- After 2 minutes, add the chopped garlic. Add the rice and cook for another 3 minutes to toast the rice.
- Pour the tomato sauce and chicken broth into the Instant Pot. Add the chili powder and salt and mix together.
- Close the Instant Pot and make sure the knob on the lid is set to the sealing position. Select the "Rice" function on your Instant Pot and cook for 10 minutes on low pressure.
- After 10 minutes, quick release the pressure. With a fork, fluff the rice. Serve immediately with a squeeze of lime if you would like.
Notes
- The Instant Pot will take 5-10 minutes to come up to temperature.
- If you are not using low sodium chicken broth, reduce the amount of salt you are adding to the rice. Chicken broth can be quite salty, and you don't want to overpower the rice.
- If your Instant Pot does not have a rice function, cook the rice on low pressure for 10 minutes.
Kris says
So easy, so good! The spices were spot on - thank you!!
Sherry says
I made your Instant Pot Mexican Rice as a side dish recipe with my chicken quesadillas. What an easy and fast rice recipe and my family loved it!!
laura says
So easy and delicious!! Thanks!!
Rebekah Kuk says
This Mexican Rice was such an easy side to make, using ingredients that I always have on hand. I paired it with some taco beef, black beans, and toppings. My family all loved it!