This Instant Pot Mexican Rice can be either a vegan side dish for a Mexican-style dinner or a simple lunch to be packed in your lunchbox when you’re in a hurry.
The Instant Pot pressure cooker will give you fluffy and flavorful rice in a very short time so that you can also prepare plenty of other recipes to satisfy your cravings for Mexican food.
If you like this colorful rice, check out the Instant Pot Dirty Rice recipe.
Table of Contents
What is Mexican rice?
Mexican rice is a mix of rice and veggies, with tomato sauce. This Mexican rice comes together so easily and quickly in an Instant Pot, which makes for an easy clean-up. The real Mexican rice is called Spanish rice de Mexico.
What can be added?
As you can already tell, Mexican rice has veggies inside. You can toss in your favorite veggies, but do get wild. The base of Mexican rice and carrots, peas, and bell peppers. You can add corn or some spicy peppers, to keep authentic flavors or just one vegetable by your choice. This rice is so good that it does not really need any extra flavors or veggies.
What type o rice should I use?
For this Instant Pot Mexican rice recipe you can use any type of rice you like :] Grab any rice you have and use it. If you want something special you can choose basmati rice, but other plain rice will be okay.
For more info, check out my Instant Pot Rice Calculator.
How to serve?
This rice works great with steak fajitas and barbacoa.
You can also check out What To Serve With Mexican Rice for 15 more delicious ideas.
How to make Mexican rice
Gather your ingredients:
Heat oil in Instant Pot on Saute. Cook rice for 4 minutes, stirring.
Add peas, carrots, onion, and garlic powder.
Pour in water, tomato sauce, and season to taste. At this point, you can add cumin if using. Lock lid into place and cook rice for 4 minutes on High pressure. Once the cooking cycle is done, perform a natural pressure release.
fluff the rice with a fork and serve.
Instant Pot Rice Recipes
Instant Pot Brown Rice and Vegetables
Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice
Instant Pot Mexican Rice
Ingredients
- 1½ cups rice long grain
- 1 ¾ cups water or broth
- ½ cup peas
- ¼ cup tomato sauce
- 3 tablespoon canola oil
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 carrot diced
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- salt to taste
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder optional
Instructions
- Rinse and drain the rice.
- Pour oil into your Instant Pot and press “Sauté”.
- Add rice and stir for about 4 minutes, until it becomes light golden.
- Add peas, carrots, tomato sauce, garlic and onion.
- Add water, broth and salt to taste and stir well.
- Close the lid and cook on high pressure for 4 minutes.
- When cooking time ends, wait for a natural release.
- Once done, remove the lid and fluff the rice using fork.
- Serve and enjoy 🙂
Nutrition
Speedy South-of-the-Border Instant Pot Mexican Rice
Hi Corrie. I have to say that I was really interested in your recipe.
I'm a second generation Latina from East Los Angeles, where we learn basic recipes handed down from our Mexican born grandmother to my mom to me.
Sopa de Arroz is something I've really wanted to try with my instant pot. In my version I've really tried to simplify and shorten the process.
I use either low sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth. I use a small can of Herdez salsa casera. It has everything in there to give it an authentic taste.
I do add some pre-chopped garlic I buy commercially at the market. It's important to add salt before the cooking process begins. Whatever ingredients you use I hope you all enjoy it.
Oh.. If you wind up making a lot, I usually won't put any veggies in because this Mexican rice is simply devine with sunny side up eggs laying across with maybe a mimosa on the side.
Thank you so much for sharing that, Lisa! It sounds very simple to make and very delicious.
Hi corrie" I'm glad that you teach the anglos and anyone else who wants to make mexican dishes.
Thanks! I love Mexican dishes and happy to share them.
In step 5 it says add water, broth and salt...I didn't see any broth in the ingredients. Does it mean either broth or water or did I miss something
Oh yes, you can use either broth or water. I will update the recipe, thanks!
If it is Brown basmati rice is it still only 10 minutes?
Yes, it should be about 10 minutes. If it's not fully cooked after that, continue to pressure cook for a couple more minutes.
For the Mexican rice dish would the time for brown rice still be 4 minutes or do I need to increase the time?
Thank you
Good question! Brown rice takes longer to cook, I would increase the cooking time to 10 minutes. I might also add a little more liquid.