Instant Pot Mexican Rice – Light and Fluffy Flavored Rice

Instant Pot Mexican Rice brings all the the flavor of your favorite Mexican restaurant right in your own home! This is the same rice that you find on the oval platter next to the refried beans when you order your favorite fajitas, burritos, enchiladas, etc.

Here is the affiliate link to the 6 quart Instant Pot Duo that we use: Instant Pot

Mexican rice provides a burst of flavor when compared to standard white rice. The combination of onions and peppers with the crushed tomatoes and spices makes this a stand alone side dish.

Instant Pot Mexican Rice gains the characteristic red color from both the tomatoes and the chili powder. On the contrary, Spanish rice, but also sometimes referred to as Mexican rice, is more yellowish in color from the spice saffron.

You can adjust the spice levels in the recipe to your preference. For instance, if you can handle a little heat, dice the entire jalapeno and add it to your dish. The heat from peppers originates in the seeds and ribs. If you remove them you will have less heat in your dish.

Secrets to Instant Pot Mexican Rice

Making rice directly in your Instant Pot can be tricky. I have heard horror stories of individuals getting the dreaded BURN message on the display screen.

I have also heard that the pot won’t seal but the timer begins to count down, falsely indicating that it is in cooking mode.

There are a few of reasons that these errors occur.

1. First of all, make sure that you add enough olive oil and you saute the rice prior to cooking. This helps ‘pre-cook’ long grain rice prior to pressure cooking and seasons the pot to prevent sticking.
2. Second, be sure to add enough liquid to the pot. Not enough liquid will almost guarantee the burn message will appear.
3. Scrap the bottom of the liner to clear any stuck materials. Once you add your liquid, be sure to remove any debris that is stuck on the bottom of the pot. If you don’t, it won’t come to pressure.
4. Finally, this isn’t the time for thick crushed tomatoes. The thicker the crushed tomatoes, the more likely you will receive the BURN message. Use crushed tomatoes that are just that, crushed and have produced a lot of liquid.

I have never had a problem with this recipe giving me the burn notice or not coming to pressure. However, if all else fails, use the Pot-in-Pot method.

After you have completed the saute mode, remove contents into a bowl that can fit into your Instant Pot. (I use pyrex or corningware bowls).

Place the trivet in the bottom of the liner and fill it with 1 cup of water. Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and place on the trivet. Proceed to cook as instructed.

This rice pairs perfectly with our Instant Pot Enchilada Casserole recipe.

Check out the printable recipe below and all of our recipes and let me know what you think!

To receive our 3 Recipe Articles in your inbox each week, sign up for our free email list. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. This article may contain affiliate links.