While I have three other kind-of similar Mexican rice recipes on this blog (click here and here and here), this one is super easy because you make it in the Instant Pot, freeing up space on the stove for other cooking during your meal prep. We have made this rice probably 3 or 4 times already, tweaking it slightly each time to get an end result that we liked. Depending on how flavorful and strong you like your rice, I am including a range for the spices so you can adjust accordingly to your tastes. This makes a big batch (double) to use an entire can of tomato sauce, but we froze half the batch to use another time.
Instant Pot Mexican Restaurant Rice
Ingredients:
- 1-2 Tbl cooking oil
- 2 cups rice, rinsed until water runs clear
- 1 big spoonful minced garlic from jar (1-2 Tbl)
- 1 can tomato sauce (8 oz)
- 1/2-1 tsp oregano
- 1-2 tsp onion powder
- 1-2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2-1 tsp cumin
- 1-2 Tbl chicken bouillon
- 2 cans chicken broth (15 oz each)
- salt to taste
Directions:
- Set your Instant Pot to the sauté function on high. Add enough cooking oil to the bottom of the pot to coat.
- Add your rice and cook until slightly brown and fragrant, stirring occasionally.
- Slightly before you think the rice is browned to your liking, add in 1 spoonful of minced garlic (I used a regular spoon, like the kind your eat your meals with, and put a heaping spoonful into the pot, maybe one to two level tablespoons). At this point, you might want to turn down or turn off the sauté function and just use residual heat.
- Stir and cook the garlic for just a minute or so, being careful not to burn it. Then add your tomato sauce and spices, cooking for a minute or so longer before adding in your chicken broth.
- Stir and scrape the bottom of the pot to clean off any bits to avoid a burn warning on your pot during cooking, and cover the pot with the lid, turning the valve to "seal" and cook on high pressure for 12 minutes.
- Quick-release the pressure, stir/fluff the rice and serve. Add additional salt, if desired.
