Name: Instant Pot Mexican Rice
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1/2 cup onion (finely diced); 2 cloves garlic (minced); 1 1/2 cups long-grain rice (uncooked); 1 tablespoon taco seasoning; 1/4 cup tomato paste; 2 3/4 cups chicken broth; 1/2 cup tomato sauce; 1 (14-oz) can fire roasted tomatoes (drained); Optional: 1-3 seeded and minced jalapeño peppers and/or 2-3 tablespoons diced mild green chiles; salt, pepper and red pepper flakes (to taste)

top down view on instant pot filled with Mexican rice

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5 from 2 votes

Yield: servings

Ready In: 30 mins

This is one of my favorite side dishes to make when I need something quick and easy to go with a Mexican inspired main. My kids regularly request this with my Southwestern Baked Chicken!

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Recommended Equipment:

Instant Pot

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup onion (finely diced)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 1/2 cups long-grain rice (uncooked)
1 tablespoon taco seasoning
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 3/4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 (14-oz) can fire roasted tomatoes (drained)
Optional: 1-3 seeded and minced jalapeño peppers and/or 2-3 tablespoons diced mild green chiles
salt, pepper and red pepper flakes (to taste)

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 10 mins

Extra Time: 10 mins

Ready In: 30 mins

Instructions

Set a 6-quart electric pressure cooker to sauté.
Add oil and onion. Cook, stirring often, for 2 to 3 minutes or until softened.
Add garlic and uncooked rice. Stir until coated with oil, then stir in taco seasoning and tomato paste.
Add broth, scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the pot (IMPORTANT or you may trigger the burn warning during pressure cooking!).
Stir in tomato sauce and drained tomatoes (and jalapeño peppers/green chiles, if using).
Close and lock lid. Set pressure valve to the "sealing" position. Choose "pressure cook" on high (or "manual" on high on older models) for 6-7 minutes (6 for rice that still has a bite, 7 for well done rice).
Once time is up, open pressure cooker immediately using quick release method. Stir well before serving and adjust seasoning to taste.

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Step by Step Recipe Video

Nora’s Tips

Ingredient Notes:

Rice: I use a plain old long grain rice that cooks in 20 minutes on the stove (according to the package). Don’t use instant rice, or minute rice. They will turn into mush. Also, I have never tried this with brown rice and I’d assume it needs more liquid and more cooking time, so try at your own risk.

Taco Seasoning: If you want to avoid packaged food, I have my own taco seasoning recipe!

Fire roasted tomatoes: Regular diced, canned tomatoes work, too.

Cooking Tips:

Do make sure to scrape ALL browned bits off the bottom of the pot, or you might not be able to pressure cook the rice due to the burn warning being triggered.

Manually release the pressure (according to manufacturer’s instructions) immediately once the pressure cooker indicates cooking time is up, to keep the rice from overcooking.

This tastes best served immediately, it will thicken more and more as it sits.

Stovetop:

Follow instructions for the instant pot in a large Dutch oven on the stove up to sealing the pot. Instead, close the lid, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for around 20 minutes, stirring a few times.