Instant Pot Mexican Rice
This Authentic Restaurant style Mexican rice aka Spanish rice is an easy, spicy flavored rice recipe requires just a few ingredients and takes less than 30 minutes to make in an Instant Pot Pressure Cooker.
Servings 2
Calories 254kcal
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 lemon
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
I have prepared this dish in my electric pressure cooker, Instant Pot DUO60 6 QT
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
Calories: 254kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 365mg | Potassium: 261mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 645IU | Vitamin C: 29.2mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 1.3mg