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This Instant Pot Mexican Rice recipe is my favorite side-dish for any Mexican food we eat! I perfected this recipe while living in Mexico– it's completely authentic– and I've adapted it to cook perfectly in the Instant Pot! The end result is Mexican rice that is so perfect, easy and delicious I may never go back to the stove-top version!
If you're a follower of TBFS you may already know that I'm a crazy huge fan of Mexican food. I have soooo many delicious Mexican recipes on my site–probably more than any other type of cuisine–because I LOVE it!
My husband and I lived in Puebla, Mexico for a few months when we were first married. I learned to make several authentic recipes while we lived there, but this Authentic Mexican rice is the one I use the very most. (You can check out some photos from our time there, and the story, here).
I've adapted my recipe to make Instant Pot Mexican Rice, and it turns out PERFECT. I love the way the instant pot cooks rice. You don't have to worry about mushy or gloopy rice. It's fluffy and tender, and exactly how rice should be!
Mexican rice is made of long-grain white rice, tomato, onion and garlic. In Mexico it is also often cooked with diced peas and carrots.
The chef who taught me to make Mexican rice used Tomato bullion cubes for extra great flavor, and to get that perfect orange color that you’re looking for. They should be easy to find at your local grocery store, in the Mexican food aisle.
You could even buy the granules instead of cubes (use 2 teaspoons). I buy tomato boullion at Walmart, in the Mexican food aisle or you can find them on Amazon.
How to make Mexican Rice in the Instant Pot:
Rinse the rice under water until the water runs clear. Drain well.
Turn instant pot to the saute setting. Add oil and rice and stir often, until the rice starts to get slightly golden.
Add tomato sauce, minced garlic, onion, tomato boullion and diced carrots.
Stir well. Add water and stir, making sure the boullion cubes are dissolved.
Turn instant pot off. Secure lid and turn valve to sealed position.
Turn on to Manual or High Pressure, and cook for 3-4 minutes (3 minutes for tender to the bite, or 4 minutes for softer rice).
When timer beeps, allow pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes.
Remove lid and add peas. Gently fluff the rice with a fork (don't stir it).
Place IP lid over the bowl and allow rice to rest for a few more minutes before serving.
Can I substitute brown rice?
Yes! To substitute brown rice, add ¼ cup additional water and cook on high pressure for 22-24 minutes (22 for low elevations, 24 for higher). Once the timer beeps allow the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes before removing the lid and fluffing with a fork.
Don't own an Instant Pot? No Problem!
If you don’t own an instant pot yet, you can make Authentic Mexican Rice on the stovetop with this recipe.
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Instant Pot Authentic Mexican Rice
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups long grain white rice
- 1/4 cup oil, (vegetable or canola oil)
- 1 teaspoon garlic, , minced
- 1/4 medium onion, , finely diced
- 1/4 cup tomato sauce, , or 2 pureed tomatoes
- 2 tomato bouillon cubes, ,finely chopped*, or 2 teaspoons granulated
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 carrot, , diced
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1/3 cup frozen peas
Instructions
- Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. Drain well.
- Turn Instant Pot to saute. Once hot, add oil to the bottom of the pot.
- Add rice and saute, stirring often, until lightly golden, about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic, onion, tomato sauce, salt, tomato bullion and carrots and stir to combine.
- Add water and stir well, making sure the bullion cubes are dissolved.
- Turn instant pot off. Secure lid and turn valve to sealed position.
- Turn on to Manual or High Pressure, and cook for 3-4 minutes (3 minutes for tender to the bite, or 4 minutes for softer rice).
- When timer beeps, allow pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes.
- Remove lid and add peas. Gently fluff the rice with a fork (don't stir it).
- Place IP lid over the bowl and allow rice to rest for a few more minutes before serving.
Notes
Don't own an Instant Pot? No Problem!
If you don’t own an instant pot yet, you can make Authentic Mexican Rice on the stovetop with this recipe. Find my tips (and step-by-step photos) for cooking perfect mexican rice, above in the post.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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After reading through the comments I would like to add that when you saute rice in the IP you need to make sure to scrape and incorporate all the browned bits when you add the water otherwise the burn notice is likely.
I think another recipe said this and I have never had the notice when following those directions. HTH
Great recipe! Everyone enjoyed it with our street tacos, Cuban Black beans and Margharitas!
Thanks–
For all those with the burn notice, here’s what I did. First I did like three attempts, measuring everything, watching the pot, and I still got the burn notice. So, on the fourth attempt, I sauted the rice in a cast iron and set aside, then I blended all the veg and spices and boullion togther in the food processor, and carefully added an extra 1/4 cup of wine. Finally, I sprayed the bottom of the IP with spray oil (canola) and put the rice on top. then I poured the mixture over the top. Sealed it, set for 4 mins on High Pressure setting, watched the pot to make sure the pin popped up, and then let it do its thing. After, I natural released for about 15 and then quick released the rest.
The rice was perfect, not soggy at all, in fact it was perfectly cooked with a wonderful flavor. The Knorr tomato cubes, wine, and 15g of garlic paste (from Aldi) were the winning combination.
This sounds delish and fairly eady! I’m freaking out a bit because I need to make enough for a crowd (about 30) and I’ve never made Mexican rice. Your recipe sounds doable, but how would I do that? I’ve got the big instant pot. And when you say cups of rice do you mean actual cups or the rice cups? Thanks!
Cups means measuring cups. I would make several batches and make them ahead of time. This is a great recipe to make ahead and rewarm.
Definitely add some more water or you’ll get an error notice. Otherwise amazing yummy rice!
How much extra water did you add? I did two attempts and burned it both times. Salvaged the second one in the rice cooker and it tastes delicious, but I’d really like to figure out the IP version!
Sorry for your troubles! I would refer to the liquid requirements in your IP manuel!
I followed this recipe to the letter and all it did was burn in my instant pot. I’m sure it would have been very good if it actually turned out.
I made this today. The rice was so nice and fluffy. Tasty also. this will become a go to whenever we do Mexican.
Can I make it in the instant pot and leave it on keep warm, or will it get mushy?
Yes, you can leave it on warm and it will be fine!
Other than multiplying the ingredients, would you need to alter the time cooking of you tripled or quadrupled this recipe? (Want to make for a gathering)
Nope–the instant pot will just take longer to come to pressure, with more inside.
This is the best – my family loved it. I have made it twice in the last week! Thank you for sharing this delicious, easy to make dish!