Soft, fluffy and bursting with flavor, this Mexican Rice recipe will become your go-to side dish for Tex-Mex Night! In my take on this easy Instant Pot recipe, I combine simple ingredients and make the most delicious Restaurant-Style Mexican Rice.
Easy Delicious Vegan & Gluten-Free Recipe
Make this vegan and gluten-free side in your Instant Pot pressure cooker, or on the stove, and enjoy it with your favorite Mexican or Tex-Mex entree!
Restaurant-Style Mexican Rice with Salsa
My family LOVES Mexican food. We have a few favorite local restaurants that we visit a lot, plus we cook quite a few Tex-Mex dishes at home.
After having tried many versions of Mexican rice, this recipe was declared the winner over and over again by my kids. It is a fairly simple recipe that can be made in a pressure cooker, or on the stove.
I saute the rice with garlic, onion, corn, peppers and taco seasoning. Then, I cook it with fire-roasted salsa and water . Using fire-roasted salsa in this recipe gives this dish its unique and robust flavors, and that gorgeous reddish-orange color.
This recipe is a Tex-Mex variation of the traditional Mexican Red rice or Arroz Rojo.
How to Make Mexican Rice Step by Step in an Instant Pot
Making rice in the Instant Pot pressure cooker is a breeze. What I love about it is that the process is so easy, consistent and mostly hands-off. Here is how I make Mexican Rice:
- Saute: Turn on Instant Pot on Saute high mode. When it displays 'hot', add garlic, onions, peppers, corn, drained rice and seasoning to the pot. Saute everything for 2 minutes. (Picture 1-6)
- Pressure Cook: Add water and salsa to the pot. Stir everything and close the lid. Turn off Saute mode. Cook on Pressure cook/Manual for 6 mins. (Picture 7-9)
- NPR 5, then QR: After cooking, wait 5 minutes and then release the pressure manually. If using DUO model, turn the knob to 'Venting' position, if using ULTRA model, simply push down the pressure valve. (Picture 10)
- Fluff Rice and garnish: Open the lid after the pin drops. Using a fork, gently fluff the rice. Garnish with cilantro and fresh lime juice and enjoy with your favorite entree. (Picture 11-12)
Picture 1: Turn on Saute, add oil, garlic 
Picture 2: Onions 
Picture 3: Pepper, corn 
Picture 4: Drained rice 
Picture 5: Taco Seasoning 
Picture 6: Saute 
Picture 7: Add water 
Picture 8: Salsa or crushed tomato 
Picture 9: Pressure Cook 
Picture 10: NPR 5, then QR 
Picture 11: Fluff with a fork 
Picture 12: Enjoy warm!
How to Make Mexican Rice on the Stove
No pressure cooker? No worries. This easy to follow recipe can be made on the stove too.
- Heat a sauce pan over medium-high heat, and follow all the steps for sautéing.
- Then, add water, seasoning and salsa. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, cover and cook for 10 minutes.
- Once done, open the lid and fluff the rice with a fork, and place the lid back. Let it rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Garnish with cilantro and fresh lime juice and enjoy with your favorite entree.
Serving Suggestion: What to Serve with Mexican Rice
This is such a versatile side that pairs well with anything with Mexican flavors. We love to serve it with Enchiladas, Tacos, Quesadilla, Burrito, Tostada, and even with a side of creamy black beans.
Recipe Tips for Perfect Mexican Rice
Here are a few things things that I do, which result in fluffy and flavorful rice every single time!
- Rinse the rice: Whenever I use long grain white rice, I always rinse it 2-3 times, until the water runs clear. What that does is remove the extra starch coating the rice kernels. This prevents the rice from being sticky and they turn out fluffy.
- Adding paprika and salsa: Using these two ingredients gives this dish its iconic reddish-orange color. Salsa adds a spiced tomato flavor to the rice, which compliments any dish you pair it with.
- Saute the rice: I always saute the rice with aromatics for a couple of minutes before adding water. Sautéing brings out the nutty flavor of rice and when you toast it with aromatics, it blends all the flavors really well. It also makes the end texture fluffy.
Popular Mexican Food Recipes from my Kitchen (Tex-Mex)
- Chicken Tortilla Soup
- 3-Ingredient Salsa Chicken
- Pulled Chicken Fajita Tacos
- Creamy Black Beans
- Chicken Enchilada Soup
- Mexican Quinoa
- Carnitas
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Mexican Rice - Instant Pot | Stove (Tex-Mex Style)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil light/refines, or vegetable oil
- 4 cloves garlic crushed or grated
- ½ cup onion, chopped ½ medium onion
- ½ cup bell peppers, chopped any color
- ½ cup corn frozen or fresh
- 1 cup basmati rice (or Jasmine) Rinsed well and drained
- 2 tablespoon Taco Seasoning (I user Trader Joe's brand- see notes for substitute))
- ½ cup fire-roasted salsa (or crushed tomato, I use Trader Joe's brand)
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- 1 cup water
Garnish
- 2 tablespoon chopped cilantro
- 1-2 teaspoon Lime juice (about ½ a lime)
Instructions
- Rinse Rice: Using a wide sieve, rinse the rice 2-3 times until water runs clear. Let is soak in fresh water till you chop and prep the other ingredients. After that, drain the rice and keep aside.
Instant Pot Method
- Saute: Turn on Instant Pot on Saute high mode. When it displays 'hot', add garlic, onions, peppers, corn, drained rice and seasoning to the pot. Saute everything for 2 minutes.
- Pressure Cook: Add water and salsa to the pot. Stir everything and close the lid. Turn off Saute mode. Cook on Pressure cook/Manual for 6 mins.
- NPR 5, then QR: After cooking, wait 5 minutes and then release the pressure manually. If using DUO model, turn the knob to 'Venting' position, if using ULTRA model, simply push down the pressure valve.
- Fluff Rice and garnish: Open the lid after the pin drops. Using a fork, gently fluff the rice. Garnish with cilantro and fresh lime juice and enjoy with your favorite entree.
Stove-Top Instructions
- Heat a sauce pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add oil, garlic, onions, peppers, corn, drained rice and seasoning. Saute for around 2 minutes.
- Then, add water and salsa. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, cover and cook for 10 minutes.
- Once done, open the lid and fluff the rice with a fork, and place the lid back. Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with cilantro and fresh lime juice and enjoy with your favorite entree.
Video
Notes
- Estimated Time includes roughly 10 mins for pressure build-up.
- Cook time = Time to set for pressure cooking.
- This recipe has been tested in a 3qt and 6qt Instant Pot. If making this in an 8Qt size, adjust the water quantity to meet the minimum requirement.
- Substitute for Taco Seasoning: 1 tablespoon Mexican chili powder + 1 teaspoon ground cumin + 1 teaspoon ground coriander + 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano.
- Tips for Perfect Mexican Rice:
- Rinse the rice: Whenever I use long grain white rice, I always rinse it 2-3 times, until the water runs clear. What that does is remove the extra starch coating the rice kernels. This prevents the rice from being sticky and they turn out fluffy.
- Adding paprika and salsa: Using these two ingredients gives this dish its iconic reddish-orange color. Salsa adds a spiced tomato flavor to the rice, which compliments any dish you pair it with.
- Saute the rice: I always saute the rice with aromatics for a couple of minutes before adding water. Sautéing brings out the nutty flavor of rice and when you toast it with aromatics, it blends all the flavors really well. It also makes the end texture fluffy.
Esther says
I got a burn notification before it even got to pressure...
I followed the recipe exactly except I doubled it. Because I’m aware of how tomatoes can cause burn notifications, I mixed everything up together except the salsa, and then added that on top, last.
It was indeed beginning to burn when I got the notification, so I transferred it to a heavy bottom pot and am cooking it on low on the stove... it smells good and I’m sure it will be yummy if I can get it to cook right!
Aneesha says
Hi Esther, sorry you got the burn notice. If you doubled the recipe, 2 cups of water was more than enough plus the juices from tomato. I suspect some brown bits got stuck to the bottom while sautéing and that caused the burn notice. I'll add that clarification step in the recipe to scrape the bottom before closing the lid.
Esther says
I actually was very careful to de-glaze and scrape the bottom of the IP after I added the liquid ingredients. And when I got the burn notification, it really was burning on the bottom even before it had gotten to pressure.
Not sure why I’ve had problems with these Mexican rice recipes 😕
Thankfully I was able to finish cooking it on the stovetop (where it also burned... but at least cooked thoroughly) and everyone thought it was amazingly delicious.
Aneesha says
Hi Esther, some pots are just more sensitive to the burn sign. Out of the various models I own, I avoid using Ultra for this recipe for that very reason. I would suggest, next time don't mix the salsa in, add it after mixing water and rice and don't stir all the way to the bottom. Hopefully, that should prevent the burn notice. Thanks!
Kathy Soule says
You can p/c canned beans? Why would you want to?
Aneesha says
Hi kathy, yes you can. When I'm making chili or adding them to rice, I like to cook them with other ingredients just so they take on the flavor.
Tammy says
Is it possible to use brown rice instead of white rice for this recipe???
Aneesha says
Hi Tammy, absolutely. You can see details on timing and proportions for Brown Rice in this recipe: https://spicecravings.com/brown-jasmine-rice-in-instant-pot
Dhanya says
Hi Aneesha,
I am looking forward to trying this! I want to try making this as a one-pot meal, with black beans as well as the vegetables you suggested. I have not cooked black beans in the IP before, and was wondering if I could add half or one cup of rinsed, canned black beans in with everything in your recipe. Will the 6 mins pressure cooking overcook the canned beans? Or should I just stir in the canned beans after the rice is cooked in the IP?
Thanks for your help!
Dhanya
Aneesha says
Hi Dhanya, you can add a whole can of rinsed and drained canned black beans along with rice and pressure cook for 6 mins. I'd love to hear how you like it! Enjoy!
Dhanya says
I finally tried it... It was great! Thank you Aneesha.
Aneesha says
Hi Dhanya, I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you 🙂
Laverne Kelln says
Love this recipe, will make again many times for sure!!
Aneesha says
Hi Laverne, thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it! Happy New Year!
Flory says
My go to now 🙂 thank you!
Aneesha says
Hi Flory, Yay! I am so happy you're enjoying this recipe!