My family is a huge Mexican food lover. I make Mexican dishes quite often at home. Out of all, Mexican red rice and green rice (aka Arroz Verde) are the most favorite side dishes. Why? Because its
Simple one-pot recipeVegan and Gluten-freeVersatileCrowd pleaserBudget-friendlygreat as a side with enchilada and quesadilla or inside the tacos or burritos.
Today I am sharing the recipe of Mexican red rice with you all. While it isn’t hard to make this recipe on the stovetop, sometimes you need a quick shortcut, which is where the Instant Pot comes into play. This recipe is completely cooked in the Instant Pot and takes no time at all to put together. Instant Pot makes this crowd-pleaser side dish even faster for weeknight meals. It’s super delicious and loves the texture. It has just the right amount of fluffiness without being soggy and non-sticky. I love how every grain separates!
Ingredients required to make this recipe –
This recipe starts with simple ingredients and ends with moist, flavorful, aromatic, impossible to resist and perfect side dish for summer parties or get-together.
Basmati White long grain riceTomato sauceRed bell pepperOnionGarlicJalapenoGround cumin powderSaltOilLemon juice and cilantro
How to make Instant pot Mexican rice? Step by step pictures –
Press the saute button on your Instant Pot. Once it displays hot, add oil to the pot. Then add grated garlic and chopped onion. Saute for a few seconds. (Photo 1 and 2) Now add the rice and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until toasty. Stir frequently. (photo 3 to 4) Add the bell pepper and Jalapenos. Add the cumin, salt and saute for 30 seconds. (photo 5 to 7) Now add the water and stir to deglaze the pot (there shouldn’t be anything sticking to the bottom). Add the canned tomato sauce on top. Do NOT STIR. (Photo 8) Close the pot with its lid. Press the manual/ pressure cook button and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes, the pressure valve should be in the sealing position. (photo 9 and 10) Let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes and then do a quick pressure release. (photo 11) Open the pot, now carefully. Let it sit like that for 10 minutes before stirring. (photo 12) Now add the cilantro. Fluff the rice with a fork. You may squeeze in some fresh lime juice if you wish. Serve as a side dish with Enchiladas or Quesadillas. Enjoy! I love this kind of dish because it is pretty foolproof. But you need to be careful in a couple of things.
Don’t forget to scrap and deglaze the pot before adding tomato sauce. Otherwise, you might get the burn notice.After adding tomato sauce DO NOT STIR.If you don’t have an Instant Pot you can make right on your stovetop too. It does take a little time, but totally worth making. Please check the recipe card for the stove-top version.This recipe is easily customizable. You can even add corn, peas or carrot here to make it more nutritious.This recipe can definitely be doubled if you were feeding a crowd.Replacement for white rice – Brown rice – To make Mexican brown rice, replace brown rice with white rice, add more water and increase the cooking time. Quinoa – to make Mexican quinoa, simply replace quinoa with white rice. Everything else will remain the same. Substitution of tomato sauce Salsa Canned Crushed tomatoes Fresh tomato puree Canned Diced tomatoes Add vegetable broth to make it more flavorful. I didn’t have on hand so used just water. What is the difference between Mexican rice and Spanish rice? Both rice dishes are very similar. They both have tomatoes and onions in them. One big difference is that Spanish rice uses saffron, while Mexican rice uses cumin. Mexican rice is called Arroz Roja (red rice) and Spanish rice is called Paella. Why do you saute rice before cooking?
When you sauté rice before boiling or cooking, the rice can absorb flavors from oil and it will give it more of a toasted, nutty flavor. This slightly toasted exterior keeps the rice from becoming too mushy!
Looking for more Instant pot rice recipes?
Enchilada Rice Paneer pulao Mushroom rice Vegetable biryani Pineapple Fried rice Raw Mango rice ★ Have you tried this recipe? We’ll love your feedback, Please click on the stars in the recipe card below to rate and leave your feedback in the comment box below. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for tasty and easy video recipes. Looking for more Instant Pot recipes? Check out our delicious Instant Pot Recipe board on Pinterest. Warm regards, Dhwani.
