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Home » Instant Pot Recipes » Instant Pot Spanish Rice with Salsa

Instant Pot Spanish Rice with Salsa

Published: Nov 5, 2020

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Easy Instant Pot Spanish rice with salsa.

This restaurant favorite one pot dish and can be easily made in the instant pot.

Serve it a side with tacos, burritos, enchiladas or enjoy it with guacamole and chips.

spanish rice served in a white plate with guacamole and jalapeno

What is Spanish Rice?

Spanish rice also refereed as Mexican rice is made by sautéing onion, peppers and garlic in oil. After the onion turns soft, rice and spices are added and coated with the onion mixture. Finally, vegetable broth and salsa are added and the rice is pressure cooked till nice and fluffy.

You will love this recipe

  • because it is a one pot meal
  • made with pantry staple ingredients
  • its vegan and vegetarian
  • a great make ahead recipe

Ingredients:

ingredeints needed to make spanish rice

Ingredient note:

Long grain rice – I used white basmati rice

Bell Pepper – any colored bell pepper works

Salsa – it’s important to use a good quality salsa for the overall taste. I have used mediumly spiced salsa.

Liquid – definitely will recommend using vegetable broth, but water will work too.

Step by Step Photo Instructions:

Prep work-

Chop the onion and bell pepper, garlic and jalapeno.

Wash the rice about two to three times till water runs clear. Drain the water and set a side.

1- Press saute mode in your instant pot and add the oil. Once the oil gets hot, add the onion and bell pepper and cook till soft, about 3 minutes. Add the minced garlic and saute for 30 seconds.

2- Add the rice and coat with oil. Now add salt, cumin powder and jalapeno ( or red chili powder). Mix it well and cancel the saute mode. (Do not saute the the rice for more than 30 seconds, if not the rice will become dry and will not cook properly)

3- Immediately add the stock ( or water) and mix. Degalze the pot to avoid burning. Finally add the salsa on the top, do not mix.

4- Secure the lid and adjust the vent to sealing position. Cook on high for 6 minutes and wait for 10 minutes to release the pressure.

5 – Once done, the rice may look little wet but will absorb the moisture in few minutes.

6- Fluff the rice with a fork and cover it with a glass lid for 3 minutes. Finally add some coriander leaves and serve.

sauteed onion, pepper, jalapeno and rice cooked with salsa and vegetable broth in the instant pot

Serving Suggestions:

Serve it as a main meal with chips and guacamole or 7 layer bean dip. You can also serve as a side with tacos, burritos and enchiladas.

Spanish rice is also a great lunch box dish for kids and adults.

spanish rice served in a white plate with guacamole and jalapeno, sour cream and chips

Pro Tips:

Saute the onion, bell pepper till soft and saute the garlic till raw smell goes away. Sauteing adds so much flavor to the rice

Use vegetable broth to add more taste and flavor to the rice.

Add lots of coriander with the stems to give fresh vibrant taste to the Spanish rice.

WHAT KIND OF RICE TO USE-

Long grain rice is preferred, I used basmati rice which I bought in Indian store.

SHOULD I RINSE THE RICE?
Yes, rinse the rice with water about 2 to 3 times until water runs clear.

What is the difference between Mexican rice and Spanish rice?

Though the names are sometimes interchanged, there is no much difference in the recipe, sometimes Spanish rice has saffron in it.

Few easy dinner ideas-

Masala Vegetable Quesadilla

Easy Spaghetti with Raos Sauce

Instant Pot Puerto Rican Rice and Beans

If you tried this recipe, don’t forget to give a star rating below.

For more recipes and to see what’s cooking in my kitchen, follow me on  Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram.

spanish rice served in a white plate with guacamole and jalapeno

Instant Pot Spanish Rice with Salsa

Instant Pot Spanish Rice with Salsa is a easy and tasty vegetarian side dish made in the instant pot. Flavorful one pot meal made with pantry ingredients.
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican, Spanish
Prep Time: 7 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 3
Author: Madhavi

Equipment

  • 6 qt Instant Pot

Ingredients

  • 1 cup white basmati rice ( or any long grain rice)
  • ⅓ cup finely diced onion
  • ½ cup chopped bell peppers any color is ok
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp chopped jalapeno ( or mild red chili powder)
  • 2 tsp oil
  • 1 cup salsa I used medium spiced salsa
  • 1.5 cups water see notes
  • salt to taste
  • 2 tbsps finely chopped coriander leaves

Instructions

  • Chop the onion and bell pepper, garlic and jalapeno.
    Wash the rice about two to three times till water runs clear. Drain the water and set a side.
  • Press saute mode in your instant pot and add the oil. Once the oil gets hot, add the onion and bell pepper and cook till soft, about 3 minutes. Add the minced garlic and saute for 30 – 45 seconds.
  • Add the rice and coat with oil. Now add salt, cumin powder and jalapeno ( or red chili powder). Mix it well and cancel the saute mode. (Do not saute the the rice for more than 30 seconds, if not the rice will become dry and will not cook properly)
  • Immediately add the stock ( or water) and mix. Degalze the pot to avoid burning. Finally add the salsa on the top, do not mix.
  • Secure the lid and adjust the vent to sealing position. Cook on high for 6 minutes and wait for 10 minutes to release the pressure.
  • Once done, the rice will look little dry on the top and wet in the bottom. Once mixed the rice will absorb all the moisture.
  • Fluff the rice with a fork and cover it with a glass lid for 3 minutes. Finally add some coriander leaves and serve.

Notes

Do not saute the the rice for more than 30 seconds, if not the rice will become dry and will not cook properly.
After the salsa is added do not mix it. 
Saute the onion, pepper and garlic till soft before proceeding with the next step.
We like the rice well done, so I used 1.5 cups of water. If you like it aldente use 1.25 cups of water.
Please note that the rice to water ratio my vary depending on the kind of rice used. 
Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @MadhusEverydayIndian or tag #MadhusEverydayIndian!

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Comments

  1. Sujatha

    November 06, 2020 at 2:11 am

    5 stars
    Very nice recipe

    Reply

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Hello there, I am Madhavi, welcome to my blog! I share vegetarian, dairy and egg recipes from India and around the world. Hope you enjoy my recipes and Happy Browsing!

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