Instant Pot Mexican Rice
Whenever I make enchiladas or tacos, this Instant Pot Mexican Rice is on the table too. It’s flavorful enough to stand alone, but also makes everything else better. Fluffy, bold, and absolutely fuss-free!
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 3 TB olive oil
- ¼ cup onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ⅔ cups long grain white rice, or jasmine rice
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- 1 cup chunky salsa, your desired spice level
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
Optional Garnishes:
- freshly chopped cilantro
- lime wedges
Instructions
- In the Instant Pot, add oil and turn to sauté mode. Once oil is sizzling hot, add onions and garlic, stir for no longer than 1 minute.
- Add rice, broth, and salsa, mixing well.
- Close lid tightly and pressure cook on high for 3 minutes. Let Instant Pot do a natural release, and let it go into "warm mode" for 10 minutes before opening lid.
- Uncover, fluff with fork, and add salt/pepper to taste. Serve with freshly chopped cilantro and lime wedges.
Notes
- Alternate Stovetop Method: All ingredients remain the same, but increase to 2 cups chicken broth. Sauté onions and garlic in hot oil for 3 minutes. Add rice and stir 2 minutes. Stir in salsa and broth. Bring to a boil. Cover immediately and simmer 25 minutes or util liquid has been fully absorbed. turn heat off and let rice rest covered for 15 minutes. Uncover, fluff with fork, amd add salt/pepper to taste.
- Rinse the rice before cooking to remove excess starch. This helps prevent clumping and results in fluffier rice.
- Do not sauté onions/garlic too long , or the bottom of the pot may become a bit scorched with brown bits, which can lead the the Instant Pot giving a burn signal during rice cooking
- Don’t skip the natural release. Letting the rice rest in warm mode for 10 minutes after pressure cooking ensures the grains finish cooking evenly without turning mushy.
- Taste and season at the end. Depending on your salsa and broth, you may not need much extra salt.
- This recipe is part of our Mexican & Tex-Mex Recipes Collection.
- Serve Mexican Rice alongside Carne Asada, Sheet Pan Chicken Fajita, or some Salsa Verde Chicken for a filling meal.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 271kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 506mg | Potassium: 199mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 209IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 1mg