This Authentic Restaurant-style Mexican rice, aka Spanish rice, is an easy, spicy-flavored rice recipe that requires just a few ingredients and takes less than 30 minutes to make in an Instant Pot pressure cooker or stovetop. Vegan and Gluten-free.
Fresh Lime juice enhances its taste and gives it a distinctive flavor. It is perfect for office lunch boxes, kids' lunch boxes, and picnics. It takes less than 30 minutes to make this yummy Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Spanish rice. Also, check my easy Instant pot chipotle copycat cilantro lime rice from my blog.
Today I am sharing Instant Pot, Traditional Indian Stovetop Pressure Cooker, and stovetop pot ways of making Mexican rice recipes.
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What is the difference between Mexican Rice and Spanish Rice
Mexican Rice and Spanish Rice share many similarities in the ingredients, but they are not the same. Spanish Rice uses saffron and has a more yellow color, while Mexican rice uses cumin. Mexican rice is also called Arroz Roja or Mexican red rice.
How to make easy Mexican Rice Recipe in Instant Pot
Press SAUTE on Instant Pot. Add oil and once it's hot, add minced garlic and onions and saute till onions are soft and translucent.
Next, add rinsed basmati rice. Toast the rice for 30 secs (till aromatic). This step helps your rice cook up into separate grains and is more flavorful. This step is optional.
Add diced red bell pepper, jalapeño, red chili powder, ground cumin, salt, water, or vegetable broth and give a quick stir and deglaze the pot. Make sure there is no food particle sticking to the pot to avoid burn alerts.
Add the tomato sauce or canned crushed tomatoes on top. Do NOT STIR.
Close the Instant Pot with pressure valve to Sealing. Cook on High Pressure for 5 minutes.
Allow natural pressure release for 5 minutes and then do Quick Release for any remaining pressure.
Add fresh cilantro/coriander leaves, and lime juice. Stir well to combine.
Serve this instant pot restaurant-style Mexican aka Spanish rice as a side or inside burritos or tacos!
How to cook Mexican Rice on Stovetop?
- Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add oil and once it’s hot, add minced garlic and onions and saute till onions are soft and translucent.
- Next, add rinsed basmati rice. Toast the rice for 30 secs (till aromatic). This step helps your rice to cook up into separate grains and is more flavorful. This step is optional.
- Add diced red bell pepper, jalapeño, red chili powder, ground cumin, salt, water or vegetable broth, and tomato sauce, and give a quick stir. Reduce the heat to low and cover with a lid.
- Simmer for 20-25 minutes, until all liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender.
- Then follow the steps to add the lime juice and cilantro to the restaurant-style Mexican rice. Note make sure to add an extra 1 cup of water while cooking on a stovetop.
How to Serve Mexican Rice?
Serve this flavorful spicy pressure cooker Mexican/Spanish rice recipe with Mexican black beans with sautéed peppers and onions for a complete meal.
Tacos
Burrito with Mexican rice
Guacamole and chips
Fajitas
Tips to make the Best Mexican Rice
- Do not forget to deglaze the pot before adding tomato sauce. You might end up getting a burn notice alert. After adding tomato sauce DO NOT STIR.
- Rice cooking time variations:
- White Basmati rice: Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes, 5 minutes natural pressure release, rice/water ratio is 1:1. No soaking required.
- Brown rice: Cook on high pressure for 22 minutes, 10 minutes natural pressure release, rice/water ratio to 1:1¼
- Quinoa: Cook on high pressure for 2 minutes, 10 minutes natural pressure release, reduce water ratio to 1:1
Variations
- Add vegetables: like diced carrots, green beans, tomatoes, frozen peas, and sweet corn to make it more healthy and nutritious.
- Add beans: You can add black or pinto beans to this Mexican rice making it a protein-rich dish.
FAQs
You can make Mexican rice without canned tomato sauce if you dont have it handy. Replace the tomato sauce with canned crushed tomatoes, fresh tomato puree, canned or fresh diced tomatoes, or salsa.
The nice red color of the dish comes from red chili powder (paprika) and tomato sauce.
Absolutely! You can store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Then, thaw and Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Toasting your rice before adding liquid adds flavor to your rice, and also it helps to cook it up into separate grains. However, this step is certainly not a required step in cooking rice.
More Instant Pot Rice Recipes
Instant Pot Mexican Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup basmati rice (long grain rice) rinsed
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- ½ cup red bell pepper finely chopped (optional)
- 1 jalapeño seeded & chopped
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
- salt to taste
- 1 cup water or vegetable broth
- 1 can 8 oz tomato sauce (about 1 cup) or crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoon cilantro (coriander leaves ) finely chopped
- juice of half lime (or lemon juice)
Instructions
Instant Pot Method:
- Press SAUTE on Instant Pot. Add oil and once it's hot, add minced garlic and onions and saute till onions are soft and translucent.
- Next, add rinsed basmati rice. Toast the rice for 30 secs (till aromatic). This step helps your rice cook up into separate grains and is more flavorful. This step is optional.
- Add diced red bell pepper, jalapeño, red chili powder, ground cumin, salt, water, or vegetable broth and give a quick stir and deglaze the pot. Make sure there is no food particle sticking to the pot to avoid burn alerts.
- Add the tomato sauce or canned crushed tomatoes on top. Do NOT STIR.
- Close the Instant Pot with pressure valve to Sealing. Cook on High Pressure for 5 minutes.
- Allow natural pressure release for 5 minutes and then do Quick Release for any remaining pressure.
- Add fresh cilantro, lime juice. Stir well to combine.
- Serve this restaurant-style Mexican aka Spanish rice as a side or inside burritos or tacos!
Stovetop Pressure Cooker Method:
- Follow the same steps and close the lid place a whistle and cook for 1 whistle on medium flame.
Stovetop Pot Method:
- Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add oil and once it’s hot, add minced garlic and onions and saute till onions are soft and translucent.
- Next, add rinsed basmati rice. Toast the rice for 30 secs (till aromatic). This step helps your rice to cook up into separate grain and is more flavorful. This step is optional.
- Add diced red bell pepper, jalapeño, red chili powder, ground cumin, salt, water or vegetable broth, tomato sauce, and give a quick stir. Reduce the heat to low and cover with lid.
- Simmer for 20-25 minutes, until all liquid has been absorbed and rice is tender.
- Then follow the steps to add the lime juice and cilantro to the restaurant style mexican rice. Note make sure to add an extra 1 cup of water while cooking on a stovetop.
Notes
Tips & Variations:
- Do not forget to deglaze the pot before adding tomato sauce. You might end up getting a burn notice alert. After adding tomato sauce DO NOT STIR.
- Add vegetables like chopped carrots, green beans or frozen peas, corn to make it more healthy.
- Rice cooking time variations:
- White Basmati rice: Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes, 5 minutes natural pressure release, rice/water ratio is 1:1. No soaking is required.
- Brown rice: Cook on high pressure for 22 minutes, 10 minutes natural pressure release, rice/water ratio to 1:1¼
- Quinoa: Cook on high pressure for 2 minutes, 10 minutes natural pressure release, reduce water ratio to 1:1
Nutrition
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Lolly
I make this recipe all the time and have recommended it to others. So easy for a quick, inexpensive dinner or lunch and tastes just as good as leftovers!
Sometimes I mix it up with different veg or by adding some cooked meat. Really easy to adapt.
Alison
I am never disappointed by your recipes, Bhavana. Absolutely delicious!
I was a little confused because in some parts of the recipe it says lime and other places, lemon. I'm assuming you meant lime and that's what I used.
Bhavana Patil
Hi Alison, Thank you so much for your kind words.
I am sorry its lime juice, i corrected it.
Calvin Doerr
How long should I cook the rice if I want to double the recipe?
Bhavana Patil
Hi Calvin, You can double the recipe with the same pressure cooking time ie 5 min on HIGH PRESSURE. Hope this helps.
Wes
Was out of red peppers and cilantro. Cut red pepper in 1/2 due to whimps in the family ☺️
Came out very good anyways. Now to see if any of the whimps will eat some.... 😅
Bhavana Patil
That's nice to hear, Thanks for sharing your feedback.