Instant Pot Mexican Rice

Love Mexican rice

At a Mexican restaurant, we always order Mexican rice because we love it so much! I started it making it home after I got my Instant Pot.

This vegetarian/vegan fried Mexican rice is a red-colored side dish made with rice, beans, and spices. It's extremely flavorful yet simple and easy to make.

Are Mexican rice and Spanish rice the same

No, they are not! Although they both are almost vegan (barring sour cream and cheese) and made with rice and beans, they are slightly different but often used interchangeably.

What differentiates these two are the seasonings used. Spanish rice uses saffron which adds a different aroma and yellow color to the dish.

Mexican rice uses cumin, tomatoes, chilly powder, and other spices to give it a tangy flavor and red color. Also, Spanish rice is a bit firmer whereas Mexican rice is softer.

Why make this

• Very customizable
• Is a vegan and gluten-free beans and rice dish
• The recipe is scalable (halved or doubled) with no change in the cook time
• Make it in the Instant Pot and on a stovetop
• This can be made ahead of time and stored
• Loved by all

Why Instant Pot

I prefer making rice dishes in the Instant Pot these days. It always guarantees fluffy separate grains and I don't have to worry about it becoming mushy and lumpy.

Plus it saves me time and reduces the number of vessels used. Win-Win for me! Trust me, you will never go back to the stove-top version!

There are many variations to making Mexican rice in the Instant Pot. I have tried a couple of them and finally settled on this recipe.

My Instant pot Mexican rice recipe is fail-proof and comes out delicious every single time. I like my Mexican rice to be loaded with flavors and this recipe hits that sweet spot!

BTW, I have an entire category dedicated to Instant Pot recipes in case you want to check it out.

Rice - I like to use Basmati rice to make this Mexican rice recipe. You can also use any long grain rice or Jasmine rice instead. You will have to alter the cooking time accordingly.

Veggies - onion, scallions, bell pepper, sweetcorn are the veggies I like to add to this rice recipe.

Herbs and spices - garlic, serrano peppers, taco seasoning, cumin powder, oregano, red pepper flakes, and Mexican seasoning mix give this rice an authentic flavor.

Beans - I have used low sodium canned Pinto beans. You can any other beans like kidney beans, black beans, and/or even chickpeas to make this vegan rice.

Salsa - Medium chunky salsa is what you will need. You can use store-bought or make it at home.

These are what you need to garnish the Instant Pot vegetarian/vegan Mexican fried rice.

Greens - The green part of the scallions, shredded lettuce, cilantro are the greens you would need.

Sour cream - If you are vegan, then use vegan sour cream or use regular sour cream if you are not.

Tortilla chips - Use any tortilla chips that are available to you. You can also make it at home.

Salsa - Medium chunky salsa is what you will need. You can use store-bought or make it at home.

If using dry Pinto beans, soak them overnight and then cook them the next day. Rinse rice under running water till the water runs clear. You can also add it without rinsing.

1. Add butter and oil to the Instant Pot. Turn it on to saute mode. Fry minced serrano peppers, garlic, the white part of scallions, and chopped onions.
2. After the onions have turned translucent, add the chopped bell peppers and sweetcorn. Saute for a minute.
3. Add the rinsed rice to the pot.
4. Then add red pepper flakes, oregano, cumin powder, Taco Seasoning, and Mexican seasoning mix (if adding). Mix and saute the rice for a minute.

5. Now add water, deglaze the pot, and scrape all the sides.
6. Next, add the salsa in the center. Do not mix it. Cancel the saute mode. Close the lid. Cook in manual/pressure mode for 4 minutes.
7. Release pressure naturally after 10 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork. Do not stir it just yet. Let it sit for about 5 minutes. Then add the canned pinto beans.
8. Garnish with green part of scallions and cilantro. Mix them all with the rice lightly. Check and add salt.

How to make it on a stovetop

If you don't own an Instant pot, no worries. You can easily make it on the stovetop.

You can either use precooked or leftover rice or cook the rice with all the ingredients together on a stovetop.

1. Add butter and oil to the pan. Fry minced serrano peppers, garlic, white part of scallions and chopped onions.
2. After the onions have turned translucent, then add the chopped bell peppers and sweetcorn. Saute for 2 minutes.
3. Next add the salsa or tomato puree. Continue to saute for 2 more minutes.
4. Then add red pepper flakes, oregano, cumin powder, Taco seasoning, and Mexican seasoning mix (if adding). Mix and saute for a minute.
5. Now add the drained and rinsed Pinto beans.
6. Add the rinsed rice to the pot along with water and salt. Mix, cover and cook on medium flame for 10-12 minutes.
7. Check if the rice is done by pressing the grains between your fingers.
8. When its done, garnish it with cilantro, and the green part of the scallions.

If using pre-cooked rice, follow the same steps as above and finally add the cooked rice, mix, garnish, and serve.

Serving suggestions

Serve it with shredded lettuce, crushed tortilla chips, shredded cheese, sour cream. You can also dress it up any way you like or enjoy it without any toppings.

Instant Pot Mexican fried rice can be served as a side with any Mexican dish. You can also enjoy it by itself or use it as filling in a burrito. It can be served for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!

Serve this vegetarian/vegan Mexican fried rice for potlucks, brunches, date nights, weekday meals, weekend parties, Cinco de Mayo, or even pack them in lunch boxes.