The perfect addition to any Mexican dinner, this Instant Pot Mexican Rice is infused with incredible flavor and a rich red color, thanks to the tomatoes, jalapenos, and other simple ingredients. Enjoy with tacos, burritos, fajitas, and more.

Looking for more Instant Pot Recipes? Don’t miss our Instant Pot Spaghetti or Instant Pot Chicken Thighs.

Easy Mexican Rice Recipe

Mexican rice is a simple side dish served at Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants with almost all meals and adds incredible flavor to every dish.

Making rice in the Instant Pot makes the process quick and easy. From start to finish, this Mexican rice can be prepared in under 25 minutes, though the deep flavor will make it seem like it was cooking for hours!

Enjoy this Mexican rice with your tacos, burritos, carnitas, or other Mexican favorites. But don’t stop there, this rice is a great side dish to any meal, Mexican or not!

What Is Mexican Rice?

Mexican rice is long grain rice that’s infused with loads of flavor and a red color. It’s traditionally served at Mexican restaurants with a variety of dishes and is super easy to make! The flavor of this rice comes from a puree made of tomatoes, onion, and jalapenos, as well as tomato paste which also gives the red color.

Mexican Rice is also often called Spanish Rice, though the two are technically made with different herbs and Spanish rice is usually more yellow than red in color.

Ingredients Needed

Here’s all you’ll need for this Instant Pot rice.
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)

• White rice – Rinse the rice with cold water until the water runs clear, to remove any extra starch.
• Canola oil – This helps keep each grain of rice separate, instead of clumping together.
• Tomatoes – Be sure to choose juicy, ripe tomatoes. Remove the cores before chopping and blending.
• Onion and Garlic – For flavor and wonderful aromatics.
• Jalapenos – Remove the seeds, unless you want it extra spicy.
• Broth – You can use chicken or vegetable broth (or even water, although it won’t have as much flavor.)
• Tomato paste – Adds a rich taste and nice red color to the rice.
• Salt – For flavor.
• Fresh cilantro – Adds flavor and a pop of color at the end as a garnish.
• Lime wedges – For serving.

Can I Use Brown Rice?

Yes, you can make Mexican rice with long grain brown rice. However, you will need to significantly increase the cook time from 4 minutes to 22 to 24 minutes. You’ll also want to add an additional 1/4 cup of water or broth before cooking.

Recipe Variations

Here are a few variations of this easy Mexican rice recipe.

• Add some peas and carrots. Peas and tiny diced carrots are sometimes added to Mexican Rice in Mexico. Feel free to stir them in when you add the tomato paste.
• Add tomato bouillon. For more tomato flavor and a darker red color, add a tomato bouillon cube, from the Mexican section of your local grocery store.
• Make it spicy. This rice is flavorful, not spicy. If you’d like to add a bit more heat to it, add some cayenne pepper. Similarly, if you don’t want any heat, you can omit the diced jalapeno or reduce the amount in half.

How to Make Instant Pot Mexican Rice

The best part of this Mexican rice (other than the great flavor) is it’s ready in just a few easy steps.
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)

1. Create the onion puree. Blend the tomatoes, onions, and one jalapeno in a blender.
2. Saute the rice. Add oil to the Instant Pot. Saute the rice until translucent and light golden brown. Add the garlic and the minced jalapeno.
3. Cook the rice. Add a cup of the onion mixture, broth, tomato paste, and salt to the Instant Pot with the rice. Pressure cook on high for 4 minutes, then naturally release for 10 minutes.
4. Serve. Fluff the rice with a fork, stir in the cilantro, and serve with a side of lime wedges.

Serving Suggestions

Mexican rice makes a great addition to your favorite Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes or any meal that needs a pop of flavor. Here are a few of our favorite dishes to serve with this easy rice recipe:

• Burrito bowls
• Steak burritos
• Salsa Verde chicken
• Sofrito chicken
• Queso chicken
• Chile Relleno Casserole
• Shrimp fajitas

How to Store & Reheat Leftovers

• How to store leftovers. Mexican rice can be refrigerated for up to 4 days in an airtight container. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
• Can I freeze Mexican rice? Yes, rice freezes quite well. Allow it to cool completely then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months, then thaw in the fridge before reheating.

More Mexican Recipes:

• Horchata
• Huevos Rancheros
• Mexican Omelet Pie
• Mexican Rice Salad
• Esquites (Mexican Street Corn Salad)
• Mexican Lasagna

I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!