Instant Pot Mexican Brown Rice

Instant Pot Mexican Brown Rice is a perfect side dish for all your favorite Mexican meals. This easy homemade rice is super flavorful and simple. The instant pot takes out all the guess work, for perfect rice every time.

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I love cooking rice in the instant pot. No more closely watching the pot to prevent boil overs. No more mishaps with mushy rice. Once you find the instant pot formula for the type of rice you are using, you get perfect rice every single time. The best part is that rice made in the instant pot is completely set-it-and-forget-it. It cooks itself in about half the amount of time needed to make rice on the stove top, while you go about your business making your main dish.

We eat a lot of Mexican food in my house. Which means I was determined to perfect an instant pot recipe for Mexican rice. Instant pot Mexican rice is a great complement to all kinds of Mexican dishes. It’s the perfect easy side dish for sour cream chicken enchilada casserole or sheet pan fajitas. It’s great as a burrito bowl, topped with black beans, sautéed bell peppers, rotisserie chicken and flavorful salsa. This is an all-around versatile and easy recipe.

This version of Mexican rice uses whole grain brown rice for a little extra fiber and a boost of nutrients. Brown rice is chewier than white rice, with a dense and hearty texture and a light nutty flavor. I particularly love short grain brown rice. Short grain rice has more starch and typically cooks up with a creamier texture than it’s long grain counterparts (which is why it’s used for dishes like paella and risotto). While long grain Mexican rice might be fluffy and drier, this short grain Mexican brown rice recipe is perfectly chewy and al dente, and develops a yummy creamy and starchy tomato sauce with tons and tons of flavor.

You Will Love This

• This instant pot Mexican rice recipe is a great addition to any Mexican dinner.
• Using short-grain brown rice yields chewy flavorful rice with a yummy starchy tomato sauce.
• Pressure cooking rice is a really simple cooking process once you get comfortable with it, and cuts the cooking time of this rice nearly in half.

Equipment

For this recipe, you will need an Instant Pot. The instant pot is an electric pressure cooker. I have had mine for years, and it is one of my most-used kitchen tools. For busy parents looking for a shortcut to a homemade dinner, the instant pot is a great investment. Pressure cooking is a great way to speed up dishes that would otherwise take hours. For more delicious instant pot recipes, check out my instant pot navy bean soup and instant pot turkey meatballs.

Ingredients

For this yummy instant pot rice you will need the following simple ingredients (exact measurements are in the recipe card below):

• Olive oil: You could substitute vegetable oil here. Make sure you don’t skimp on the oil in this recipe. It may seem like a lot, but you need to fully coat the bottom of your instant pot with olive oil so that you avoid a burn notice.
• Onion
• Garlic cloves: You could substitute about a 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder instead of the garlic cloves.
• Tomato sauce
• Spices, including cumin, chili powder, paprika and kosher salt: You could substitute about 2-3 teaspoons of your favorite taco seasoning. The rice may be a little more spicy or mild, depending on the seasoning you use.
• Short grain brown rice
• Chicken broth: You could use vegetable broth for a vegetarian option.

Instructions

Step One: Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Set the instant pot on the sauté function. Add the olive oil to the instant pot and sauté the onion until translucent and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for one more minute. Cancel the sauté function.

Step Two: Add the chicken stock to the instant pot, and use a wooden spoon to scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pot. Add the tomato sauce and spices to the chicken stock, and stir to combine. Rinse the brown rice, and add the rice to the pot. Stir everything well.

Step Three: Put the lid on the instant pot and set the pressure valve to “Sealing.” Cook on high pressure for 20 minutes. When the cook time is finished, allow a natural pressure release for at least 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, you can quick release the remaining pressure, or allow a full natural release if you have the time.

Step Four: Remove the lid of the instant pot, and fluff the rice with a fork. If the rice has too much liquid remaining when you open the instant pot, you can put the cover back on for a few more minutes and allow the rice to sit and steam while your instant pot stays on the “Warm” setting. It will absorb additional liquid as it sits.

Storage

Store leftover rice in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. This recipe is great for meal prep. The rice reheats well and can be the base or side dish for a variety of delicious meals throughout the week.