Wondering how to make your tacos or quesadillas a complete meal? The answer is Instant Pot Mexican Rice! The perfect side for all your Tex-Mex faves, it’s perfectly seasoned, full of veggies, and a combination of tomato sauce and fresh lime adds bright flavour.
When you go to a Mexican restaurant and order enchiladas or quesadillas, they almost always give you a scoop of Mexican rice and refried beans on the side. So lately, when I’ve been making us something like Jackfruit Tacos or Vegan Enchiladas for dinner, I add this Instant Pot Mexican rice and homemade refried beans to the plate. It makes dinner feel a little more special, like we’re eating at a restaurant—especially when I add some Mango Mojitos to the table too!
Why This Mexican Rice Will Be Your Go-To Recipe
Taco night will never be the same! And neither will your burrito bowls. Here’s what makes this Mexican rice recipe a win:
- Perfectly cooked, every time . If you often find yourself with soggy, wet rice when you cook it on the stovetop, the Instant Pot is a game-changer. It’s fluffy and perfect!
- So much flavour . With aromatics, spices, cilantro, tomato sauce, and lime, I pack a TON of flavour into this Mexican rice recipe. It’s anything but boring!
- Versatile . There are endless ways to put this recipe to use, from meal prep to parties, and I’ll share some of my favourite pairings later in this post.
Notes on Ingredients
Below you’ll find some notes about the ingredients for this Instant Pot Mexican rice. Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- Olive oil
- Yellow onion and garlic – Aromatics that infuse the rice with flavour as it cooks. You can mince the garlic with a knife or push it through a garlic press.
- Long grain white rice – Don’t substitute another variety! Different types of rice require different cooking times and amounts of liquid, so your results may not be the same.
- Ground cumin, salt, and chili powder
- Tomato sauce – Use the kind that comes in a can, not pasta sauce.
- Low-sodium vegetable broth – I like to use my homemade Vegetable Broth .
- Carrots and frozen peas – Or swap in frozen peas and carrots to save a little prep time.
- Lime
- Cilantro – Not a fan? You can skip it or use parsley.
How to Make Mexican Rice in an Instant Pot
Here’s how easy it is to make Instant Pot Mexican rice!
Cook the onion and garlic.
- Sauté the aromatics . Use Sauté mode to cook the onion in the olive oil. Once the onion is translucent, add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, or until it’s fragrant.
- Toast the rice. Stir in the rice and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until it’s golden and smells a little bit nutty. Stir in the cumin and salt.
Deglaze the pot.
- Deglaze . Press Cancel, then stir in the tomato sauce, chili powder, broth, and carrots. Scrape up any brown bits at the bottom.
- Pressure cook . Secure the lid and set to Manual (High Pressure). Cook for 4 minutes, then do a natural release for 10 minutes. Do a quick release after 10 minutes have elapsed.
- Add the peas. Stir in the frozen peas and fluff the rice with a fork.
- Finish . Season to taste, then add a squeeze of lime juice and fresh cilantro.
Tips for Perfect Mexican Rice
- Dice the onion small . You don’t want big pieces of onion in your rice, so make sure it’s diced small. Also be sure that it’s diced evenly so it all softens at the same time.
- Don’t skip the deglazing . The acid from the tomato sauce will help loosen any brown bits at the bottom of the Instant Pot. It’s important to take the time to scrape them all up, because a) this incorporates more flavour into your rice, and b) it helps prevent the dreaded burn notice.
- Add the peas right away . As soon as you open the lid, stir in the peas. The heat from the rice will warm them. If you add them too late, they’ll still be cold!
My Favourite Ways to Use and Serve Mexican Rice
Friends, you have SO many options! Here’s some inspiration.
- With tacos, enchiladas, and quesadillas . Like my Vegan Birria Tacos , Black Bean and Corn Quesadillas , and Crispy Cauliflower Tacos with Chipotle Crema . I love having friends over for tacos and margs and this Instant Pot Mexican rice makes an easy side.
- Burrito bowls and burritos . Skip the plain rice and use Mexican rice in your Vegan Burrito Bowls for extra flavour.
- Rice and beans . Make the classic vegetarian dinner tastier by swapping in Mexican rice. This is great for meal prep!
- As a side for other dishes . Like Elotes or Southwestern Tofu Scramble .
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerator : Transfer leftover Mexican rice to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Freezer : You can also freeze leftovers in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
- To reheat : The best way to warm up leftovers is in the microwave, but you can also transfer them to a pan with a splash of broth, cover, and heat over medium-low until warmed through.
More Vegan Rice Recipes
- Vegan Fried Rice
- Dirty Rice Recipe
- Broccoli Cheese Rice Casserole
- Pineapple Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil , 30 mL
- ½ small yellow onion , finely chopped – about 50 g
- 3 cloves garlic , minced – 1 tbsp. / 9 g
- 1 ½ cups long grain white rice , rinsed – 285 g
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin , 1 g
- 1 teaspoon salt , 5 g
- ½ cup canned tomato sauce , 120 mL
- 1 ½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth , 360 mL
- ½ teaspoon chili powder , 2 g
- ¾ cup diced carrots , 100 g
- ½ cup frozen peas , add after cooking – 100 g
- Juice of ½ lime , about 1 tbsp. / 15 mL
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro , for garnish – 4 g
Instructions
- Set the Instant Pot to Sauté mode. Once hot, add olive oil and chopped onion. Sauté for 3–4 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds, stirring often.
- Stir in rinsed rice and sauté for 2–3 minutes until lightly golden. Add cumin and salt. Mix well.
- Press Cancel to stop sautéing. Stir in tomato sauce, chili powder if using, vegetable broth, and diced carrots. Scrape up any brown bits at the bottom of the pot to prevent a burn notice.
- Secure the lid and set the Instant Pot to cook on Manual (High Pressure) for 4 minutes.
- Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then quick release any remaining pressure.
- Stir in the frozen peas immediately after opening the lid so they heat through but stay bright green. Fluff the rice with a fork.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve with a squeeze of lime juice and garnish with fresh cilantro.
Notes
- Refrigerator : Transfer leftover Mexican rice to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Freezer : You can also freeze leftovers in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
- To reheat : The best way to warm up leftovers is in the microwave, but you can also transfer them to a pan with a splash of broth, cover, and heat over medium-low until warned through.
Instant Pot Mexican Rice
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil 30 mL
- ½ small yellow onion finely chopped – about 50 g
- 3 cloves garlic minced – 1 tbsp. / 9 g
- 1 ½ cups long grain white rice rinsed – 285 g
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin 1 g
- 1 teaspoon salt 5 g
- ½ cup canned tomato sauce 120 mL
- 1 ½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth 360 mL
- ½ teaspoon chili powder 2 g
- ¾ cup diced carrots 100 g
- ½ cup frozen peas add after cooking – 100 g
- Juice of ½ lime about 1 tbsp. / 15 mL
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro for garnish – 4 g
Instructions
- Set the Instant Pot to Sauté mode. Once hot, add olive oil and chopped onion. Sauté for 3–4 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds, stirring often.
- Stir in rinsed rice and sauté for 2–3 minutes until lightly golden. Add cumin and salt. Mix well.
- Press Cancel to stop sautéing. Stir in tomato sauce, chili powder if using, vegetable broth, and diced carrots. Scrape up any brown bits at the bottom of the pot to prevent a burn notice.
- Secure the lid and set the Instant Pot to cook on Manual (High Pressure) for 4 minutes.
- Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then quick release any remaining pressure.
- Stir in the frozen peas immediately after opening the lid so they heat through but stay bright green. Fluff the rice with a fork.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve with a squeeze of lime juice and garnish with fresh cilantro.
Notes
- Refrigerator : Transfer leftover Mexican rice to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Freezer : You can also freeze leftovers in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
- To reheat : The best way to warm up leftovers is in the microwave, but you can also transfer them to a pan with a splash of broth, cover, and heat over medium-low until warned through.
Nutrition
Instant Pot Mexican Rice https://jessicainthekitchen.com/instant-pot-mexican-rice/ August 20, 2025
Hearty oats make these Banana Oatmeal Muffins extra satisfying! Serve these moist, tender muffins for breakfast, a snack, or any time of day. They freeze beautifully!
Bananas are the most perfect ingredient for muffins, if you ask me. Whether it’s these banana oatmeal muffins, Pumpkin Banana Muffins , or Double Chocolate Banana Muffins , the beauty of bananas is that they help give muffins a moist, tender crumb, they add sweetness so you don’t need as much sugar, and then there’s that lovely banana flavour. This banana oatmeal muffin recipe has become a favourite for my little one, especially when I make them with chocolate chips!
Why These Fluffy Muffins Are Our New Favourite
My daughter is definitely right: there’s a lot to love about these easy vegan banana oatmeal muffins! Here’s what makes them such a hit.
- The perfect muffin texture . Without the right ratios of ingredients, banana muffins can end up overly moist and dense or dry and flavourless. These banana oatmeal muffins are absolutely perfect—moist and tender, yet still light and fluffy. I also love how the oats add a chewy, hearty texture to the mix. They’re divine!
- Sweet, but not TOO sweet . I didn’t want these banana oatmeal muffins to taste like cupcakes (because if I want cupcakes, I’ll make Chocolate Cupcakes !), but the brown sugar and ripe banana make them just sweet enough. And, of course, the chocolate chips add some sweetness too!
- Easy to make . The thing I love about making muffins is how EASY they are. Even though I adore baking, I don’t always have time to bake something elaborate, so this is the kind of recipe that’s ideal for busy days. It makes me feel like I’ve accomplished something by baking from scratch, without taking several hours of effort!
Notes on Ingredients
If you have a well-stocked pantry, you probably have a lot of these ingredients already! Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- Ground flaxseed – These are used to make a flax egg .
- Almond milk – Unsweetened and unflavoured.
- Banana – Make sure it’s ripe and quite brown, which is how you get all that sweetness and banana flavour!
- Coconut oil – Or another oil you like to use for baking.
- Light brown sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Old-fashioned rolled oats – Not steel cut oats, which won’t soften enough in your muffins, and not quick oats, which don’t add as much texture.
- All-purpose flour – You can swap in a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend if you’d like.
- Baking powder
- Ground cinnamon
- Salt
- Vegan chocolate chips – Not all chocolate chips are vegan! Make sure you read the label on the package. You’re usually safe with dark or semisweet chocolate.
How to Make Banana Oatmeal Muffins
Here’s what you’ll need to do to make these tasty little muffins.
Make the flax egg.
- Prepare . Preheat your oven to 350ºF and grease or line your muffin pan with paper liners. Whisk together the flax and almond milk and let them sit for 5 minutes, until the flaxseed gels. Mash the banana in a larger mixing bowl.
- Mix the wet ingredients. Whisk the flax egg, coconut oil, brown sugar, and vanilla extract into the bananas.
Add dry ingredients.
- Add the dry ingredients. Stir in the oats, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt just until combined.
- Finish the batter . Fold in the chocolate chips.
Divide batter into pan.
- Bake. Divide the batter between the muffin cups. If you’d like, sprinkle some oats or chocolate chips on top, then bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
- Cool. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Tips for Perfect Muffins
These are some universal tips that work for any muffin recipe, including these banana oatmeal muffins.
- Don’t overmix the batter . It’s always better to have some streaks of flour left in the batter than to mix too much, which can over-develop the gluten in the flour. The result is dense, tough muffins that don’t rise much in the oven.
- Divide the batter equally . Using a cookie dough scoop or small measuring cup can help you make sure the same amount of batter goes into each muffin cup. This ensures that they all finish baking at the same time.
- Rotate the pan if needed . Some ovens don’t cook evenly. If you know that yours has a tendency to be hotter on one side than the other (you’ll know this if things tend to be consistently browner or under-baked on one side), I recommend rotating your muffin pan halfway through the baking time.
Variations
Instead of chocolate chips, you can add chopped nuts—pecans and walnuts both work well in banana muffins (and Banana Bread !). You can also skip the chocolate chips and make your muffins plain, which works well for toddlers (no chocolatey fingers!) and if you want to slather your muffins with Strawberry Jam . Yum!
How to Store
- Room temperature : Let the muffins cool completely, then transfer them to an airtight container. Store at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- Freezer : These banana oatmeal muffins freeze very well! Transfer them to a freezer bag or airtight container and keep them in the freezer for up to 2 months. You can let them thaw at room temperature before serving or warm them in the microwave until they’re heated through.
More Vegan Muffin Recipes
- Carrot Cake Muffins
- The Best Vegan Blueberry Muffins
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Vegan Lemon Poppyseed Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 ½ tablespoons ground flaxseed , 10 g
- ⅓ cup almond milk , 80 mL
- 3 medium ripe bananas , mashed – about 1 ⅓ cups / 300 g
- ⅓ cup melted coconut oil , or any neutral oil – 80 mL
- ¾ cup light brown sugar , 150 g
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract , 5 mL
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats , 80 g
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour , 180 g
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder , 3 g
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon , 2 g
- ¼ teaspoon salt , 1.5 g
- ½ cup vegan chocolate chips , 80 g
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or lightly grease it.
- In a small bowl, stir together the ground flaxseed and almond milk. Let sit for 5 minutes to thicken.
- In a large mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas until mostly smooth.
- Add the flax mixture, melted coconut oil, light brown sugar, and vanilla extract to the bananas. Whisk until combined.
- Stir in the oats, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Mix until just combined—do not overmix.
- Gently fold the chocolate chips into the batter.
- Divide the batter evenly between the 12 muffin cups, filling each almost to the top. Sprinkle extra oats or chocolate chips on top if desired.
- Bake for 22–25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean (melted chocolate is fine).
- Let the muffins cool in the tin for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Room temperature : Let the muffins cool completely, then transfer them to an airtight container. Store at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- Freezer : These banana oatmeal muffins freeze very well! Transfer them to a freezer bag or airtight container and keep them in the freezer for up to 2 months. You can let them thaw at room temperature before serving or warm them in the microwave until they’re heated through.
