Restaurant style Mexican Rice made in the Instant Pot! This pot meal makes a great side and also be served with tacos, beans, burritos! Vegan and gluten-free.
Recipe Snapshot
- Prep time: 10 minutes
- Cook time: 20 minutes
- Total time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 as a side
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup basmati rice (200 grams, rinsed until water turns clear and drained until dry)
- 1/2 red bell pepper (finely chopped)
- 1 jalapeño (seeded & chopped)
- 1 small red onion (finely chopped)
- 2 garlic cloves (chopped)
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 1 cup water (8 oz)
- 1 cup crushed canned tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons cilantro (minced)
- lime juice (optional)
Method
- Rinse the rice until water turns clear. Then drain the water and let the rice dry.
- Press the saute button on your Instant Pot. Once it displays hot, add oil to the pot. Then add the rice and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until toasty.
- Add the bell pepper, jalapeno, onion, garlic and saute for 1 minute.
- Add the cumin, salt and saute for 30 seconds.
- Now add the water and stir to deglaze the pot (there shouldn't be anything sticking to the bottom).
- Add the canned crushed tomatoes on top. Do NOT STIR.
- Close the pot with its lid. Press the manual or pressure cook button and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes. The pressure valve should be in the sealing position.
- Let the pressure release naturally for 2 minutes and then do a quick pressure release.
- Open the pot, now carefully stir the tomato with the rice using a spoon. Cover pot with a glass lid, let it remain like that for 2 minutes.
- Remove the lid and add the cilantro. Fluff the rice with a fork. You may squeeze in some fresh lime juice.
- Serve Mexican Rice as a side or with beans or inside tacos, burritos!
Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note
Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.