This easy Instant Pot Spanish Rice (AKA Mexican Rice) is packed with authentic flavor that is prepared to perfection in just minutes. Serve with all your favorite Mexican dishes – refried beans, tacos, guacamole, salsa verde, and lime crema – for a better-than-a-restaurant experience!
I have yet to meet a soul who doesn’t love taco night, and I’ve met a lot of souls. My family loves it, our friends love it, and I’ll just bet that taco night is a hit at your house as well. There are two things I personally love about Mexican dinners in general, and taco night especially.
- They are easy to prepare for large crowds (hello, party of 15).
- Taco night (or burrito night, or enchilada night) is basically a vehicle for delicious sides and toppings – something most of my family and guests seem to agree upon.
I serve this rice alongside my slow cooker carnitas and ground beef taco meat with ALL the taco fixings (including homemade flour tortillas, lime crema, and homemade salsa).
When you see how easy and authentically delicious this Instant Pot Spanish Rice is, you will be adding it to your next taco night, too!
I love this recipe because it isn’t complicated, but also because it’s:
- Quick! White rice cooks in just a few minutes, and brown rice within a half hour!
- Easy. Combine the ingredients, set the Instant Pot, and walk away!
- Kid-friendly. This is a perfect meal (or side dish) to feed a group, and kids love it because it’s mild, yet SO flavorful.
- Freezer-friendly. Make ahead for your monthly meal plan, freeze it, and store flat in freezer bags. Just grab, warm and serve!
Instant Pot Spanish Rice Ingredients
- Rice
- Water (or homemade chicken broth)
- Butter
- Salt
- Onion
- Canned Tomatoes
- Homemade Taco Seasoning (Here is how to make it)
- Frozen Vegetables
Notes on Ingredients
- Any type of rice works, but I chose to use brown rice in order to eat more whole grains. If you only have long grain white rice, go for it! Whatever rice you use, you need RAW rice to use the Instant Pot. (By the way, I like this Instant Pot here).
- Use any type of canned tomatoes. We’re going old school here with plain Jane canned diced tomatoes, but whatever you have on hand, or whatever is on sale, works.
- Frozen vegetables are totally okay to use! I use a blend of carrots, peas, corn and green beans for my Instant Pot Spanish rice because that’s what the Mexican restaurants serve, but feel free to work with what you have on hand.
Tips for the Best Instant Pot Spanish Rice
- You can use pre-cooked rice. If you happen to have rice already cooked and stored in the freezer (which means you’re already following Crumbs tips for batch cooking!), you can absolutely use it for Spanish Rice!
- Make your own taco seasoning! You have wiggle room with the rice, canned tomatoes, and veggies… But PLEASE – for the love of Pete – do NOT use store-bought taco seasoning. It’s cheaper, healthier, and tastes way better. Here is the recipe.
- This recipe is entirely gluten-free, as long as you make your own taco seasoning, since store bought seasoning blends will often have gluten as a filler. You’ll also want to be sure that your rice hasn’t been processed in a facility that processes gluten.
- For a simple meal, use your Spanish Rice as a base and add some protein. Shredded chicken, sausage links, and even hot dogs make great add-ins for a delicious, budget-friendly, well rounded meal.
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Step by Step Instructions
Step 1. Place 2 cups uncooked rice + 2 cups water + 1 Tbsp butter + ½ tsp salt + 1 onion + 15 oz can diced tomatoes + 2-3 Tbsp homemade taco seasoning in the Instant Pot and stir gently.
Step 2. Lock the lid, seal the valve and cook on high pressure for 22 minutes for brown rice, 3 minutes for white rice.
Step 3. When the timer goes off, use the quick release method.
Step 4. Next, stir in the frozen vegetables and lock the lid. Let the rice sit for 5 minutes.
Step 5. Finally, season with salt as desired, and fluff rice with a fork. Spanish rice tastes great the day it’s made, but it’s also delicious as leftovers!
Stove Top Directions
Step 1. Start with 4 cups of prepared rice in a large stock-pot.
Step 2. Add the remaining ingredients and stir well.
Step 3. Finally, cook over medium low, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is absorbed and the vegetables are cooked through, about 10-15 minutes.
FAQs
Is Spanish rice the same as Mexican rice?
In my book, there is no difference, so for the purpose of this recipe, I’ve used the names interchangeably. If you want to get technical, Spanish rice traditionally contains saffron instead of cumin, which would be a tasty variation to this recipe!
What is the ratio of water to rice in the Instant Pot?
There is a 1:1 ratio of water to rice when cooking in an Instant Pot. If cooking on the stove top, that ratio changes to 1 part rice to 2 parts water.
How long does rice cook in an Instant Pot?
It takes 3 minutes to cook white rice in an Instant Pot, and 22 minutes for brown rice.
More Easy Instant Pot Recipes
Dinner on a Dime
Subscribe to my newsletter and get instant access to “Dinner on a Dime”: 15+ family-friendly and kid-approved recipes that are quick, cheap and healthy!Instant Pot Spanish Rice
This delicious Spanish rice, AKA Mexican rice, is packed with authentic flavor. Quick and easy to make in the Instant Pot, you can serve this perfectly cooked side with all your favorite Mexican dishes for a better-than-a-restaurant experience!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 3-22 minutes
- Total Time: 8-27 minutes
- Yield: 6–8 cups cooked 1x
- Category: Sides
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients
- 2 cups uncooked rice
- 2 cups water (or Homemade Chicken Stock)
- 1 Tbsp butter
- ½ tsp salt (plus additional, as needed)
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
- 2–3 Tbsp homemade taco seasoning (Recipe here)
- 1 16 oz bag of frozen vegetables (any variety)
Instructions
- Place uncooked rice, water or chicken stock, butter, salt, onion, tomatoes, and Homemade Taco Seasoning in the Instant Pot and stir gently.
- Lock the lid, turn the sealing valve to the sealing position and cook on high pressure for 22 minutes for brown rice, and 3 minutes for white rice.
- When the timer goes off, turn the sealing valve to the release position to quickly release the pressure. Be careful as hot steam will come out of the sealing valve.
- When the pressure is fully released, stir in the frozen vegetables and lock the lid. Let the rice sit for 5 minutes. The residual heat from the rice and the pressure cooker will thaw and steam the vegetables within the rice.
- Taste and season with salt as desired. Spanish rice tastes great the day it’s made, but it’s also delicious as leftovers!
For the Stove-top:
- Start with 4 cups of prepared rice in a large stock pot.
- Add the remaining ingredients and stir well.
- Cook over medium-low, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is absorbed and the vegetables are cooked through, about 10-15 minutes.
Notes
- Any type of diced tomato works for this recipe; whatever you have in the pantry or find on sale will work well!
- While there is lots of flexibility with tomatoes and rice, definitely take the time to make your own Taco Seasoning. It is cheaper, healthier, and tastier!
- This recipe is entirely gluten-free as long as you make your own taco seasoning. Store-bought seasonings often have gluten as a filler.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ½ cup
- Calories: 160
Keywords: Spanish rice
Easy, tasty, it’s a keeper.
★★★★★
Just a question, I am guessing that ‘prepared rice’ is rice that has been cooked completely done, or to what stage of doneness when preparing the spanish rice in a pan on the stovetop.
HI Makenzie!
When I make rice on the stovetop, I bring the water to a boil (with all of the spices inside), once boiling add your rinsed rice, stir it as it boils for about 30 seconds, put the lid on it, turn the heat to low, and leave it to cook, undisturbed, on low for 19 minutes. After your timer sounds, immediately turn off the burner and let the rice sit for 5 minutes undisturbed with the lid still on. After 5 minutes, remove the lid and fluff your perfectly cooked rice with a fork. Hope this helps! 🙂
don’t have an IP but do have a crock pot can I do this in it and what time
Hi Fay!
I haven’t done this recipe in the slow cooker, but I would say the cook time is 2 to 2 1/2 hours on low.
Are the amounts for a 6 quart or 8 quart IP?
Jan, Tiffany uses an 8 quart normally but either will work.
Hi Honey!
Thanks so much for bringing this glitch to our attention! We will fix it. Yes, the brown rice takes longer since it’s a whole grain. Thanks again!
Do you adjust the amount of water if you’re using brown rice?
I have an instant Pot but this will be the first time using it. How long does it take from start to finish to make the rice. I know the cook time is 5 minutes but how long does it take to get to the correct pressure before the 5 minute cook time starts?
Hi Maggie! I’d allow 10-15 minutes to come to pressure for recipes similar to this one. 🙂
How do you reheat it when it is leftover? Can you double or triple the recipe and if so, do you need to adjust the cooking time?
Yes, you can double or triple without adjusting the cooking time. That’s the beauty of the IP! I reheat in the microwave, but you can do it in the oven or on the stovetop (you might have to add a tablespoon or two of water).
This is my question too, a post update on white rice timing.
I like 4 minutes on high pressure with quick release. I’ll make sure to do a post on this one!
Help!! Got a burn notice on my instant pot! Scrapped and added more water and tried again. Another burn notice. This was doing 4 minute with white rice.
This happened to me too. I put it on the stove after 2 burn notifications. Curious if this happened to anyone else or if there is a help around this.
Having looked around, it’s the tomatoes that cause the burn notice. Mix everything together except the tomatoes. Just dump the tomatoes on top of the rice without stirring and then turn on the instant pot. You won’t get the burn notice.
Do you mean 3 minutes for white rice or 23 minutes for white rice? Sorry – crazy question… Thanks!
Would it be okay to add cooked ground beef to this in the Instant Pot?
Sure!
Just finished making and taste testing! Couldn’t be easier and very tasty! Unfortunately my rice didn’t cook all the way, but hopefully when I reheat it tomorrow, it will be perfect.
★★★★
When do you put in the butter and 1/2t salt?
If you’re following the IP method and starting with raw rice, you’ll add the butter and salt with the rice. I’ll update the post to clarify!