Make this Instant Pot Mexican Rice for a fast side dish that the whole family will love! This copycat restaurant rice pairs well with so many dishes. No pressure cooker? You’ll also find stovetop instructions in the recipe.
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This Instant Pot Mexican Rice is our favorite side for just about any main dish. It’s super tasty, is made in a flash, and can also easily be made vegan/vegetarian.
Try it alongside Air Fryer Taquitos, Air Fryer Chicken Fajitas, Air Fryer Shrimp Tacos, top with Pickled Shallots, and combine with some Spicy Instant Pot Black Beans as a tasty base for our Baked Tortilla Bowls.
Is Spanish Rice the Same As Mexican Rice?
Nope. Many people/restaurants use the term interchangeably, but typically, Spanish rice includes saffron. This simple Mexican Rice recipe is one I have adapted to the Instant Pot from my friend’s mother-in-law who is from Guadalajara.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Do NOT stir the tomato juice into the rice before cooking. Instead, pour it on top without combining, and then cook. If the tomato makes contact with the bottom of the Instant Pot insert, you will likely get a burn notice.
- If you want to double the recipe, the cooking time will remain the same. However, because there is more food, the Instant Pot will take longer to come to pressure.
- If you use short-grain rice, you’ll need to increase the cooking time by 2 minutes.
- To make this a faster weeknight meal, use frozen onions and frozen minced garlic.
- I freeze any leftover tomato juice in Souper Cubes to use in Instant Pot Tortilla Soup With Rice, Ravioli Soup, and Whole30 Beef Stew.
If you love Instant pot rice dishes, check out our Instant Pot Asparagus Risotto, Instant Pot Garlic Butter Rice, Instant Pot Jasmine Rice, Instant Pot Sushi Rice, Instant Pot Basmati Rice, Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice, Instant Pot Coconut Rice, and Instant Pot Brown Jasmine Rice.
Instant Pot Mexican Rice
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 cups Jasmine rice {or other long-grain white rice}{do not rinse}
- 1/4 cup onion {diced}
- 3 cloves garlic {minced}
- 1.5 cups chicken stock {use vegetable to make plant-based}
- 1 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup low-sodium tomato juice
Equipment
Instructions
- Set the Instant Pot to sauté. Allow it to get hot and add the oil.1/4 cup olive oil
- Add the rice and stir to combine with olive oil. Cook on sauté until rice is toasted (~9 minutes).2 cups Jasmine rice
- Add onion and sauté until slightly softened (~2 minutes). Add garlic and stir.1/4 cup onion, 3 cloves garlic
- Press “off/keep warm”to turn the Instant Pot off.
- Add chicken stock and salt. Use chicken stock to deglaze the insert if anything stuck to it.1.5 cups chicken stock, 1 tsp salt
- Add the tomato juice but do not stir it into the rice mixture.3/4 cup low-sodium tomato juice
- Place the lid on the Instant Pot and set the vent to sealing. Press Manual>High>6 minutes.
- Allow for a 5-minute natural release and then do a quick release.
- When the vent has dropped, carefully open the lid and fluff the rice to incorporate the tomato juice.
Notes
Heat olive in a heavy saucepan (like a dutch oven) and stir in rice. Toast until lightly browned. Add onion and sauté until slightly softened. Add garlic and stir. Add chicken stock, tomato juice, and salt. Stir. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce to low, and cook for 20 minutes with the lid on. Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes with the lid on.
Thank you, thank you, thank you – I will no longer have to endure my husbands clumpy, tasteless attempts to make Mexican rice! The whole family loves this Mexican rice and I love how quick and easy it is to make. A perfect accompaniment to our fajita and burrito nights. Plus, I now know what often causes a burn notice with my Instant Pot, tomato based ingredients, who knew. Side note, I pureed a can of diced tomatoes as I didn’t have any tomato juice, which worked well.
The start of this made me laugh! So glad to have “saved” you from clumpy tasteless rice. 🙂
Great tip about the diced tomatoes! They’re such a versatile ingredient to have in the pantry.
This was delicious! I had to modify because I didn’t have tomato juice, but tomato sauce mixed with some seasonings worked great. It was perfectly cooked—thanks, Sarah!
So glad you enjoyed it, Alicia! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review. 🙂
Sounds delicious. Do you think a blob of tomatoe paste with some water would be an adequate substitute for tomatoe juice?
Yes, as long as the volume is the same. The flavor will be a bit low-key but still tasty.
Just make sure you don’t stir it in until after it cooks. 🙂