Instant Pot Spanish Rice Recipe| Mexican Rice - Recipe Vibes (2024)

This Instant Pot Spanish rice recipe also known as Mexican rice is easy, quick, and ready in 25 minutes. This pressure cooker rice is a tasty one-pot dish that is packed full of flavor and delicious.

If you've been following this blog you already know we love rice. Instant pot perfect basmati rice, long grain rice, and Jollof rice are a few of our favorite rice recipes. This Spanish rice in instant pot is top of the list because it's just so good. It is made with tomato sauce, spices, herbs, and of course rice.

Why You Will Love This Instant Pot Spanish Rice Recipe

• Easy- This Instant Pot Spanish rice (Arroz Rojo) is one of the easiest rice to cook, especially when it's cooked in the Instant Pot or any pressure cooker.
• One pot- With this instant pot Mexican rice, just dump everything in the pressure cooker and go do your thing while the instant pot does its thing! Life is just easier with the instant pot and I can't say enough how much I love and appreciate my instant pot duo 6 quarts.
• Flavorful - It's packed full of flavor and delicious.

Aside from instant pot rice recipes, there are so many easy recipes you can cook in your IP, like instant pot chicken curry and instant pot chicken wings. If you are new to the instant pot, check out my post on how to use instant pot- a simple guide. It's a good place to start.

Related: Instant pot jollof rice

Ingredients

Here are the ingredients you'll need to make Instant pot Spanish rice:

Rice - I used long grain rice.

Sunflower oil - You can substitute it with vegetable oil or olive oil.

Onion

Garlic

Paprika

Chilli - Adjust quantity to suit personal taste

Cumin

Tomatoes - Fresh tomatoes. In the absence of fresh tomatoes, substitute canned chopped tomato

Tomato puree - Forms what gives Spanish rice its color.

Chicken broth - You can use turkey broth or Vegetable broth if vegan. Use rich stock.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How To Cook Spanish Rice in Instant Pot - Step-By-Step Instructions

This pressure cooker Spanish rice is easy to make and with this recipe, you get fluffy, separate grains and delicious rice. Let me show you how:

First, get all the ingredients ready. Chop the onion, mince garlic, chop tomatoes, and other preparation necessary as detailed in the recipe card below.

Switch on the instant pot and set it to saute. Add sunflower oil into the instant pot, then add chopped onion and garlic. Sautee onion and garlic for 2 minutes.

Wash rice in warm water till water runs clear.

Add the washed rice and stir with the onions and garlic for 3 minutes before adding paprika, chilli, chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, chicken broth, and salt.

Switch off the saute function of the instant pot.

Give the instant pot content a good stir before covering and locking in place the instant pot lid.

Turn the valve into sealing position and select manual pressure cook for 8 minutes. After pressure cooking for 8 minutes, do 10 minutes natural pressure release.

Once the pot is depressurized, open the instant pot. Sauce and bits of the chopped ingredients will be nicely settled on top of the rice. Stir to incorporate with the rice and that's instant pot Spanish rice ready.

Serve and enjoy with any protein of your choice.

What to Serve With

Although this is best paired with Mexican dishes like chicken tacos, other dishes you can pair with it include:

Baked boneless chicken thighs

Instant pot chicken thighs

Best Instant pot chicken drumsticks

Baked chicken legs

Sauteed vegetables

Air fryer vegetables

Pan fried cod

How To Store

Leftover Spanish rice can be stored in the fridge for 3 - 5 days. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. To store, transfer it to an airtight container or freezer bags, label with name and dates, and put it in the fridge or in the freezer.

When needed, reheat it in the microwave or on the stove.

Tips

• Give the rice a good stir so it's mixed well with the other ingredients before you close the instant pot and pressure cook. This is also good to avoid instant pot burn error which can occur if tomato sauce is settled at the bottom.
• There are some instant pot models that are sensitive to burn errors. It hasn't happened to me with this recipe but If you ever get burn notice while cooking rice in IP, it's not the end. Just turn off the instant pot without releasing the pressure. Set a timer to what's left of the cooking time and natural release time. After this time you can then open the instant pot. The rice will be cooked.
• Wash rice till water runs clear to avoid sticky rice.
• Use good quality rice.
• You can use stock cubes like knorr, oxo, Maggi for extra seasoning or to replace chicken broth.
• Spanish rice is best served warm.

Recipe FAQS

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Hope you like this recipe as much as we do. If you try this Instant Pot Spanish rice recipe, rate it and leave a comment below. Will love to read from you!

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This recipe was first published on November 7, 2019.

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