How to Make Instant Pot Mexican Rice and Beans

This Instant Pot Mexican Rice and Beans recipe is the perfect taco filling for meatless Monday or as a side dish for Taco Tuesday. We had this a few times a month during our full-time RV travels and it was always a big hit!

When I’m asked what my number one go-to cooking gadget is for RV travel, without a doubt I say the Instant Pot. After getting over my fear of using it (because seriously, that steam and noise was quite frightening at first), I realized what an asset it was for RV travel. It’s such a reliable way to cook!

Meat turns out perfect. Rice turns out fluffy and delicious. And don’t get me started on all of the incredible soups I can whip up thanks to the beloved pressure cooker. (Soup recipes coming soon!)

This Instant Pot has been all over the U.S. and Canada and has helped me whip up some delicious meals on the road.

While this Mexican rice is not your traditional recipe, it’s one I’ve changed and adapted to our tastes over the years and we absolutely love it. Since one of our kiddos is a vegetarian, I can make this for his taco filling and then grill up some chicken for us meat-eaters. Easy peasy.

We don’t eat a whole lot of meat, especially while RVing because our refrigerator space is so limited, so I like to have some go-to meatless recipes like this.

You can serve this cheesy Mexican rice as a taco filling, as a base for a burrito bowl, over tortilla chips for a twist on nachos or as a side dish.

Through some trial and error, I’ve learned how to cook Jasmine rice in the Instant Pot so it turns out fluffy and delicious every single time. When I first started using the Instant Pot to cook rice, it was either mushy or the rice had a crunch to it. 

Steps to Make Perfect Instant Pot Rice

Here’s how I get perfect Instant Pot rice every time:

• Rinse the 2 cups of rice in a mesh colander well with water until it runs clear, this keeps removes the excess starch which makes it stick together
• Put the 2 cups of rinsed rice, 2 cups of water, 1 tbsp of oil and a pinch of salt in the Instant Pot
• Make sure all of the rice of off the sides of the Instant Pot and in the water
• Put the lid on and manually set the rice to cook for 5 minutes
• After the timer goes off, turn the Instant Pot off the warm setting (I’ve found this keeps it from sticking and over-cooking) and do a 10-minute natural release
• After 10 minutes, quick release the pressure and fluff the rice with a fork. 

Your rice is now ready for the following yummy ingredients!

List of Ingredients

Here’s what’s in this recipe: 

• 2 cups rice, cooked in the Instant Pot
• 2 Tbsp oil of your choice
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 jalapeno, diced
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 Tbsp. taco seasoning (I use homemade)
• 1/2 cup shredded co-jack cheese
• 1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
• salt and pepper, to taste

It’s probably been about 10 years or more since I stopped using packaged taco seasoning and just use my own spices. Here are the ingredients I use for homemade taco seasoning:

• 1 Tbsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp dried minced onion
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin

Instant Pot Cheesy Mexican Rice Instructions

1. Cook the rice according to directions above
2. While rice is cooking, heat 1 Tbsp oil in the skillet and add red onion and pepper. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes, just until soft
3. Add diced jalapeno and cook for one minute
4. Add rinsed and drained black beans and taco seasoning to skillet. Heat for one minute.
5. Stir the pepper and bean mixture into the Jasmine rice. Add cheese, cilantro, salt and pepper, and mix.
6. Serve as a taco filling, burrito bowl or side dish.

Do you have a go-to RV recipe? If you do, please share in the comments below!

If you’re looking for a traditional Mexican rice recipe with tomato sauce, check out this Mexican rice recipe from All Recipes or this recipe from Tastes Better From Scratch.

Here is your free printable recipe for this delicious and easy to make rice dish.

Instant Pot Mexican Rice Recipe

Yield: 4 people

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

This Instant Pot Mexican Rice and Beans recipe is the perfect taco filling for meatless Monday or as a side dish for Taco Tuesday. We had this a few times a month during our full-time RV travels and it was always a big hit!

Print

Ingredients

• 2 cups uncooked Jasmine Rice
• 2 cups water
• 2 tbsp oil of your choice
• 1/2 cup red onion, diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 jalapeno, diced
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 tbsp taco seasoning, homemade or packaged
• 1/2 cup shredded co-jack cheese
• 1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped

Instructions

1. Rinse the 2 cups of rice in a mesh colander well with water until it runs clear, this keeps removes the excess starch which makes it stick together
2. Put the 2 cups of rinsed rice, 2 cups of water, 1 tbsp of oil and a pinch of salt in the Instant Pot. Make sure no rice is sticking to the sides of the Instant Pot.
3. Put the lid on and manually set the rice to cook for 5 minutes
4. After the timer goes off, turn the Instant Pot off the warm setting (I've found this keeps it from sticking and over-cooking) and do a 10-minute natural release
5. After 10 minutes, quick release the pressure and fluff the rice with a fork. 
6. While rice is cooking, heat 1 Tbsp oil in the skillet and add red onion and pepper. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes, just until soft.
7. Add diced jalapeno and cook for one minute
8. Add rinsed and drained black beans and taco seasoning to skillet. Heat for one minute.
9. Stir the pepper and bean mixture into the Jasmin rice. Add cheese, cilantro, salt and pepper, and mix.
10. Serve as a taco filling, burrito bowl or side dish.

Are you curious about what I keep in my RV kitchen? Here is my list of the essential kitchen items as well as a comprehensive list of all the must-have tools and recommendations for items that are perfect for RV kitchens. These are the supplies and tools I used in the kitchen during our full-time RV travels:

• Top 7 RV Kitchen Essentials
• A Full-Timer’s Kitchen Set-Up: 50+ RV Kitchen Accessories

PIN TO SAVE FOR LATER