Easy Instant Pot Mexican Rice and Beans Recipe
This Instant Pot Mexican rice and beans is the kind of dinner you make when you want something filling and flavorful without having to stand over the stove. Everything cooks together in one pot, no babysitting, no extra steps. Just add the ingredients, turn it on, and come back to a meal that’s ready to go. It’s simple, hands-off, and works just as well on its own as it does tucked into burrito bowls, quesadillas, or tacos.
I started making this recipe when I finally got comfortable using my Instant Pot and realized how much easier dinner could be. Since then, it’s been on repeat, especially on busy weeknights when I don’t want to think too hard about what to make. I’ve tested a lot of low-effort dinners over the years, and this is one I keep coming back to because it’s reliable, reheats well, and actually feels worth the effort it takes, which is not much.
If you like how easy this Instant Pot Mexican rice and beans is, there are a few other Instant Pot dinners I make on repeat for the same reason. The Instant Pot chickpea pasta is a great no-fuss option, the shredded chicken tacos are perfect for an easy weeknight meal, and the chicken fried rice comes together quickly with minimal effort. I also love the Asian chicken and noodles when I want something a little different but just as hands-off.
Welcome to the Cooking Burnout Club
This recipe is meant to be flexible, not perfect. Use what you have, skip what you don’t, and keep it simple. That’s the whole point of the Cooking Burnout Club.
If you want more stupid-simple, low-effort dinners like this, this recipe is part of my weekly meal plans designed for nights when cooking feels like too much. No complicated steps, no extra decisions, just food that works in real life.
Ingredient spotlight
A few ingredients here make this recipe especially easy and reliable. Please see the recipe card for the full list of ingredients.
- Brown jasmine rice – This is what the recipe is written for and it works really well in the Instant Pot. It cooks quickly and holds up well for leftovers without getting clumpy, which makes it great for meal prep.
- Diced tomatoes with chilies – These add a lot of flavor with no extra work. Be sure to drain off the excess liquid before adding them to the Instant Pot so the rice doesn’t turn out too soupy. If you don’t have them, fire roasted diced tomatoes work just as well.
- Frozen bell peppers – These make this recipe extra easy since there’s no chopping involved. You can use just peppers or a mix of peppers and onions. They get stirred in at the end and heat through quickly, but they really help round this out into a full meal.
- Spices or taco seasoning – The chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and salt create a simple taco-style seasoning. If you want to make this even easier, you can use about 3 tablespoons of your favorite taco seasoning instead.
How to make instant pot Mexican rice and beans
Start by rinsing off the rice until the liquid runs clear. Add it to the instant pot. Next add water, black beans and spices and stir well. Drain off the liquid from a can of diced tomatoes. Add the tomatoes to the instant pot but don’t stir (they can burn at the bottom). Cook on high pressure for 7 minutes. Manually release the pressure. Open the instant pot, stir the rice and beans and add the frozen bell peppers. Stir and place the lid on for 5 minutes. Once the peppers are defrosted and warmed through, serve.
Tips for success
- Use salsa instead of tomatoes – If you don’t have diced tomatoes, salsa works great. If it’s not very runny, you don’t need to drain it.
- Easy to double or meal prep – This recipe doubles well and reheats great. You can also freeze leftovers in individual portions for easy meals later.
Instant Pot Mexican Beans and Rice (Dump and Go)
Ingredients
- 1 cups brown jasmine rice (or basmati)
- 1.5 cups water
- 2 cans black beans (rinsed and drained) - or kidney beans, pinto beans or even white beans
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1.5 teaspoons sea salt
- 1.5 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1.5 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 can diced tomatoes and green chile (drained) - 15 oz can
- 2 cups frozen bell peppers
Instructions
- Rinse the rice well (I use a mesh strainer) until the water runs clear.1 cups brown jasmine rice (or basmati)
- Add rice, water, rinsed and drained black beans, chili powder, salt, ground cumin and garlic powder to instant pot. Stir well.1 cups brown jasmine rice (or basmati), 1.5 cups water, 2 cans black beans (rinsed and drained), 2 tablespoons chili powder, 1.5 teaspoons sea salt, 1.5 teaspoons ground cumin, 1.5 teaspoons garlic powder
- Drain the liquid from the canned tomatoes, add them on top of the rice and beans, do not stir.1 can diced tomatoes and green chile (drained)
- Put lid on and cook high pressure 7 minutes. After the instant pot is done, manually release the pressure.
- Once all the pressure is released, add the frozen bell peppers and stir well. Let sit 4-5 minutes (I often put the lid back on for this). Once the peppers are defrosted and warmed through, dinner is ready.2 cups frozen bell peppers
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Recipe Notes
- Rinse the rice
Rinse the rice before adding it to the Instant Pot to remove excess starch and help it cook up fluffy. - Add tomatoes last and don’t stir
Add the diced tomatoes or salsa on top and do not stir. Stirring can cause a burn notice in the Instant Pot. - Adjust cook time and water for white jasmine rice
If using white jasmine or basmati rice, reduce the cook time from 7 minutes to 3 minutes and reduce the water to 1.25 cups. - Store leftovers: In the fridge for up to 5 days or in a freezer safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Defrost before reheating.
Nutrition Information
Other additions
A couple of easy ways to change the flavor or texture:
- Add spice or smokiness – Stir in crushed red pepper flakes, diced jalapeños, or 1–2 chipotle peppers in adobo with the rice and beans before cooking.
- Make it creamy – When adding the frozen bell peppers, you can also stir in shredded cheese, a few tablespoons of cream cheese, or some whipped cottage cheese.
How to Serve
You can eat this straight from the pot, but there are a few easy ways to turn it into a full meal.
- Keep it simple
Serve it as-is with toppings like avocado, salsa, red onion, and cilantro. - Burritos or bowls
Use it as the base for burrito bowls or wrap it in tortillas with your favorite toppings. - With eggs
Leftovers are especially good with scrambled eggs or a fried egg on top. A little chili oil is great here too. - Add to salads
Spoon it over a salad to make it more filling. It pairs really well with a cilantro lime dressing or cilantro lime tahini dressing.to serve Mexican rice and beans
Can you add ground beef?
Nicole I haven’t tried this before with cooked ground beef but I bet it would work great, you might want to add more spices though to ensure the dish is well seasoned. Let me know if you try this out!