Irresistible Instant Pot Mexican Rice: Authentic & Easy Recipe

This Instant Pot Mexican Rice recipe is poised to become your new favorite side dish for all your Mexican feasts! Having honed this recipe during my time immersed in the heart of Mexico, I can confidently say it delivers truly authentic flavors. Now adapted for the magic of the Instant Pot, this recipe simplifies the process without compromising on that genuine taste. Prepare to be amazed by Mexican rice that’s consistently perfect – fluffy, tender, and bursting with flavor, all achieved with incredible ease. You might just find yourself saying goodbye to stovetop rice forever!

Perfectly cooked Instant Pot Mexican Rice with peas and carrots, a flavorful and easy side dish recipe.

For anyone familiar with gaymexico.net, you’ll know we have a deep appreciation for Mexican cuisine. Our website is brimming with delicious Mexican recipes, reflecting our genuine love for the vibrant and diverse flavors of Mexico. This Instant Pot Mexican Rice recipe is a staple in our kitchen, and we’re excited to share the secrets to achieving authentic taste and perfect texture every time.

My personal journey with Mexican cooking deepened when I lived in Puebla, Mexico. During those formative months, I had the incredible opportunity to learn authentic cooking techniques and recipes directly from local chefs and home cooks. Among the many dishes I mastered, this Authentic Mexican Rice recipe quickly became a favorite, used time and time again. Adapting it for the Instant Pot has been a game-changer, streamlining the process while maintaining that cherished authentic taste.

What truly sets Instant Pot Mexican Rice apart is the consistently perfect results. Forget about mushy or undercooked rice – the Instant Pot ensures each grain is fluffy, tender, and cooked to perfection. It’s the foolproof method for achieving rice that is just right, every single time.

Authentic Mexican rice, at its heart, is a simple yet flavorful dish. It’s built upon a foundation of long-grain white rice, infused with the savory essence of tomato, onion, and garlic. In Mexico, it’s common to find it enriched with diced peas and carrots, adding a touch of sweetness and color to the dish.

The secret ingredient to truly authentic Mexican rice, as taught to me by a local chef, is tomato bouillon. These little cubes are flavor bombs, adding a depth of tomato richness and that signature orange hue that characterizes perfect Mexican rice. You can easily find tomato bouillon cubes in the international aisle of most grocery stores, especially in the Mexican food section. Alternatively, you can use tomato bouillon granules, using about 2 teaspoons for this recipe. Look for them at Walmart or online retailers like Amazon for easy access to this essential flavor enhancer.

Mastering Instant Pot Mexican Rice: A Step-by-Step Guide

Let’s walk through the simple steps to create delicious Mexican Rice in your Instant Pot:

First, prepare your rice by rinsing it under cold water until the water runs clear. This removes excess starch and helps achieve fluffier rice. Once rinsed, drain the rice thoroughly.

Next, turn your Instant Pot to the “Sauté” setting. Add oil to the pot and let it heat up. Once hot, add the drained rice. Sauté the rice, stirring frequently, until it starts to take on a light golden color. This toasting process adds a wonderful depth of flavor to the final dish.

Add the minced garlic, diced onion, tomato sauce, tomato bouillon cubes (or granules), and diced carrots to the pot.

Sautéing rice and adding ingredients for authentic Mexican rice in the Instant Pot.

Stir everything together well, ensuring the tomato bouillon cubes are evenly distributed and begin to dissolve. Pour in the water and stir again, making sure to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. This prevents the dreaded “Burn” notice on your Instant Pot.

Turn the Instant Pot off to stop the sauté function. Secure the Instant Pot lid, ensuring the valve is set to the “Sealing” position.

Select “Manual” or “High Pressure” and set the cooking time for 3-4 minutes. For rice that’s tender but with a bit of bite, 3 minutes is perfect. If you prefer softer rice, opt for 4 minutes.

Ingredients for Mexican rice in the Instant Pot before and after cooking with peas added.

Once the cooking cycle is complete and the timer beeps, allow the Instant Pot to naturally pressure release for 10 minutes. This means you do nothing and let the pressure release on its own for 10 minutes.

After the natural pressure release, carefully manually release any remaining pressure. Remove the lid and add the frozen peas. Gently fluff the rice with a fork – avoid stirring vigorously, as this can make the rice mushy.

Replace the Instant Pot lid loosely over the bowl and let the rice rest for a few more minutes. This allows the peas to thaw and the rice to absorb any remaining moisture, resulting in perfectly textured Mexican rice.

Finally, your Instant Pot Mexican Rice is ready to serve! Fluff it one last time and enjoy this flavorful and authentic side dish.

Serving of Instant Pot Mexican Rice in a bowl with a spoon.

Brown Rice Substitution for a Healthier Twist

Looking for a whole-grain option? You can easily substitute brown rice in this recipe. For Instant Pot brown rice Mexican rice, simply increase the water to 1 ¾ cups and cook on high pressure for 22-24 minutes. Choose 22 minutes for lower elevations and 24 minutes for higher elevations. After cooking, allow for a 10-minute natural pressure release, just as with white rice, before fluffing and serving.

No Instant Pot? No Problem! Stovetop Mexican Rice

While the Instant Pot simplifies the process, you can still make delicious Authentic Mexican Rice on the stovetop. Refer to our Authentic Mexican Rice recipe for stovetop instructions and enjoy the same authentic flavors using traditional cooking methods.

Recipe

Close up image of cooked Instant Pot Mexican Rice.

Instant Pot Authentic Mexican Rice

This Instant Pot Mexican Rice recipe delivers authentic Mexican flavor with the ease of pressure cooking, perfect as a side dish for any Mexican meal.

Print Recipe

Author: Lauren Allen
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 6
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 13 minutes
Total Time: 23 minutes

Ingredients

1 ½ cups long grain white rice
¼ cup vegetable or canola oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
¼ medium onion, finely diced
¼ cup tomato sauce (or 2 pureed tomatoes)
2 tomato bouillon cubes, finely chopped, or 2 teaspoons granulated
¼ teaspoon salt
1 carrot, diced
1 ½ cups water
⅓ cup frozen peas

Instructions

Rinse rice until water runs clear, then drain.
Set Instant Pot to “Sauté”. Add oil and heat.
Add rice and sauté until lightly golden, about 5 minutes, stirring often.
Add garlic, onion, tomato sauce, salt, tomato bouillon, and carrots; stir to combine.
Add water and stir well, dissolving bouillon.
Turn Instant Pot off. Secure lid and set valve to “Sealing”.
Cook on “Manual” or “High Pressure” for 3-4 minutes.
Allow 10 minutes natural pressure release.
Manually release remaining pressure, remove lid, and add peas. Gently fluff rice.
Replace lid loosely and let rest for a few minutes before serving.

Recipe Notes

Tomato bouillon cubes or granules are key for authentic flavor and color. Find them in the Mexican food aisle. Chicken broth can be substituted, but the color and depth of flavor will be different.

No Instant Pot? No Problem!

For stovetop instructions, see our Authentic Mexican Rice recipe.

Nutrition