Instant Pot Mexican Rice (Arroz Rojo)

This incredibly straightforward instant pot Mexican rice recipe is destined to become your favorite Mexican dish ever. It’s an effortless side that will gather the entire family around the table. Not only can you prepare this pressure cooker Mexican rice in a fraction of the time it would require on the stovetop, but it’s also bursting with flavorful tomatoes, delightful, and made using a few essential pantry ingredients.

Add this instant pot Spanish rice recipe (Arroz Rojo) to the lineup of side dishes your family will adore! You can count on perfectly separate grains of rice every time; no sticky mess here!

Instant Pot Rice Recipe

I have repeatedly mentioned here that the simplest item to prepare in your instant pot pressure cooker is rice, and this instant pot Mexican rice is no exception. Ever since I purchased my pressure king pro and instant pot, I haven’t cooked rice on the stovetop.

Making rice in a pressure cooker eliminates much of the uncertainty associated with the myriad questions you might have about the appliance. Just push that one button and carry on with your activities for about 15 minutes.

I am gradually expanding my pressure cooker rice repertoire for the blog, which I promise to share with everyone in due time.

These pressure cooker rice and chicken, along with instant pot coconut rice recipes, are gaining popularity, and for valid reasons as well. These directions are fail-safe; they have been tested with various rice types, including plain basmati, brown, and long grain rice.

Now is the moment to stop letting your instant pot pressure cooker gather dust and start whipping up delightful and straightforward recipes that you and your family will enjoy.

Guess what—electric pressure cookers are truly user-friendly and easy to operate, and I have some incredibly simple recipes to help you ease into it.

Now, let’s return to today’s topic: instant pot Mexican rice. Allow me to demonstrate how to create a restaurant-grade Mexican side dish in your pressure cooker. It’s swift, uncomplicated, and requires minimal preparation.

What Is The Difference Between Mexican Rice And Spanish Rice

Mexican and Spanish rice have numerous similarities; both belong to Latin American cuisine and are prepared using common ingredients such as easy cook long grain rice, tomatoes, chicken or vegetable broth, and onions.

Mexican rice and Spanish rice can be used interchangeably but should not be confused with Spanish Paella, which incorporates saffron as part of its ingredients. Within the context of American Latin (Tex-Mex) cuisine, and for the purposes of today’s recipes, these terms are synonymous. It is also referred to as red rice or Arroz Rojo.

Related post: take a look at this instant pot rice and beans recipe made with my homemade taco seasoning.

Ingredients

A comprehensive list of ingredients utilized is available in the recipe card at the bottom of the page!

Long grain rice can be substituted with white basmati or brown rice. Refrain from using short grain rice for this recipe unless you are preparing paella; otherwise, you will end up with sticky rice.

Fresh Roma tomatoes can be replaced with passata (tomato sauce) or canned diced tomatoes.

Tomato paste.

Chopped onions.

Chicken stock: I utilized a mixture of water and chicken bouillon cube; you can also opt for a vegetable bouillon cube to make this dish completely vegan or vegetarian. If you prefer not to use those, try tomato bouillon instead for added color and richness of flavor.

Salt to taste: I did not add salt in this recipe as I used a salted chicken bouillon cube. Taste the rice and adjust as necessary, starting with about 1 teaspoon of salt.

Chili powder.

Cumin.

Garlic: I used garlic granules, but you can swap them for fresh garlic cloves.

How To Make Easy Instant Pot Mexican Rice

Authentic Mexican rice necessitates toasting or sautéing the rice for a few minutes or until it begins to brown before incorporating the remaining ingredients. Thanks to the sauté function or browning capability of an electric pressure cooker, this allows you to achieve restaurant-quality Spanish rice in the comfort of your own home.

Step 1: Rinse the rice under cool water until the water runs clear and is no longer cloudy. Drain using a sieve and set aside. Chop the onions and tomatoes and prepare the other ingredients.

Step 2: Activate the sauté function of your instant pot, add vegetable oil, and heat until hot. Add the chopped onions and sauté until they become soft, translucent, and fragrant. Next, incorporate the rinsed rice and continuously stir for an additional 3 minutes, ensuring it does not stick to the bottom of the pot until the rice is slightly browned.

Step 3: Add the chopped jalapeño and tomatoes and stir to combine, followed by the chicken stock. Stir again to combine and deglaze the pot simultaneously. Don’t skip this step to prevent receiving a BURN notification during the pressure cooking phase.

Step 4: Add tomato paste, then cumin and chili powder on top of the rice; do not mix.

Step 5: Securely lock the IP and set the valve to the sealing position. Choose the manual or pressure cook button and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes.

When the cooking cycle is complete, allow for a natural pressure release for 5 minutes and then carefully perform a quick release to depressurize the cooker. Remove the lid.

Step 6: Fluff the rice with a fork or stir to combine. Serve and savor!

Important Note For This Recipe:

The sautéing procedure makes the instant pot Mexican rice recipe susceptible to burning during cooking; to avoid this, ensure that nothing adheres to the bottom of the pot.

Another approach to bypass this is by taking this additional step: after sautéing the rice, transfer it to a separate bowl, clean the instant pot, and resume the cooking process. Depending on your comfort level when using an electric pressure cooker, this can be helpful.

The cooker, a BURN alert does not signify the conclusion for the meal you are preparing; a solution always exists.

Furthermore, the latest model of the instant pot, such as mine, the instant pot DUO V2 6Qt, is notorious for this predicament. You should not encounter this concern with the pressure king pro.

Variances in Rice Cooking Time

Brown rice: cook on high pressure for 20 minutes, followed by 10 minutes of natural pressure release, adjust the water/stock ratio to 1:1¼.

Pure Basmati rice: Cook on high pressure for 6 minutes, allow 5 minutes for natural pressure release, water/stock ratio remains at 1:1¼. Soaking beforehand is unnecessary for this rice.

Golden Sella Basmati rice: high pressure for 6 minutes, followed by 5 minutes natural pressure release, maintaining a water/stock ratio of 1:1½.

Stovetop Technique

Utilizing a similar approach as the instant pot, sauté the rice in a spacious skillet until it turns slightly brown.

Incorporate the diced tomatoes, jalapeño, tomato paste, cumin, and chili powder, then cover with chicken stock. Stir to combine and allow the rice to boil over medium heat. Once cooked, fluff it with a fork and serve.

Note: Increase the liquid quantity for this method.

Suggestions

• Include vegetables such as chopped carrots, green beans, or frozen peas to enhance the recipe.
• Double the recipe based on your requirements.

Crafting Mexican Rice without Tomato Sauce

You can create Mexican rice without tomato sauce if you lack it on hand. Simply substitute the tomato sauce with tomato bouillon cubes or incorporate paprika into the ingredients, which will lend the rice the traditional orange tint of Spanish rice.

Storage Recommendations

In the refrigerator: Allow to cool completely, place in an airtight container, and keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. This rice is also excellent for meal prepping.

In the freezer: Spanish rice can be kept for up to 3 months in a portioned airtight container or Ziploc freezer bag. Remember to label it appropriately.

To reheat on the stove: Sprinkle a little water over the rice, mix well, and simmer on low heat for about 5 minutes. Alternatively, you can warm it in the microwave.

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