Instant Pot Mexican Rice

A bowl of Spanish rice with a spoon inserted.

4.88 from 8 votes

Simple, flavorful, and fragrant, this is one of our favorite side dishes! This Instant Pot Mexican Rice comes together so easily in one pot with pantry staples.

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Total Time20

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings: servings

Calories: 289kcal

Author: Danielle Wolter

Equipment

Instant Pot

Ingredients

2 cups long grain white rice rinsed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 jalapeno diced
½ medium onion chopped
1 clove garlic minced
2 cups chicken stock/broth
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ cup canned tomato sauce

Instructions

Using the sauté function on the Instant Pot, heat the olive oil.
Add the onion, garlic and jalapeno and sauté until soft, about 2-3 minutes.
Pour in the broth and use a spoon to scrape off any caramelized bits on the bottom of the pot.
Add the rice and the seasonings. Stir to combine.
Pour the tomato sauce over the top and place the lid on. Don't stir it in!
Turn on the pressure cook function on the Instant Pot and cook for 3 minutes.
Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then use the quick release to release any remaining pressure.
Fluff with a fork and serve garnished with fresh cilantro (optional).

Video

Notes

Substitute brown rice for white. Increase cooking time to 22 minutes if using brown rice.
For extra spice, add an additional jalapeno or ¼ to ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper.
When handling jalapenos, be sure to wash your hands afterwards as you don’t want to accidentally rub your eyes or nose with jalapeno residue on your hands.
For the best flavor, use fresh cumin seeds, toast them until fragrant in a skillet, then grind them.
Using a good quality olive oil for sautéing will always provide better results.
Substitute any kind of paprika for the smoked paprika if desired. Sweet paprika gives your rice a sweeter note to it compared to the smoky flavor from smoked paprika. Other types of paprika you could try include Hungarian paprika or Spanish paprika.
Don’t stir in the tomato sauce – tomatoes tend to cause the Instant Pot to give a burn notice.
Adjust salt to taste at the end if necessary.
To rinse the rice, run the rice in a fine mesh sieve under cold water or in a large bowl, swirl the rice, submerged in cold water, around with your hands, drain, and repeat until the water runs clear.

Nutrition