Best Baked Vegan Mexican Rice (or Instant Pot)

This vegan Mexican Rice is easy to make and comes out full of savory flavor and fluffy every time!  Garlic, onion, diced tomatoes and green chilis blend together into a quick broth to make this Mexican rice the best you’ve ever had!  Make this family favorite in either your oven or Instant Pot Pressure cooker!

How to make Vegan Mexican Rice:

First, thoroughly rinse your rice in a colander under cold running water.  This will take several minutes, but it helps remove the starch and create fluffy rice!  

After rinsing let the rice drain and add to large oven-safe pot or skillet.  Sauté rice over medium heat with the olive oil until grains become an opaque white (Photo 1).  Be sure to stir frequently to prevent burning – usually takes 7-8 minutes.

In a blender add vegetable broth, onion, garlic cloves, canned diced tomatoes with chilis (Rotel) and salt (Photo 2).  Blend until smooth and add to the rice (Photo 3).  Stir to combine.  

Bring rice mixture to a boil over medium heat without the pot lid on.  Once the rice is beginning to boil, put the pot lid on and place the pot into the preheated oven to bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.  After 15 minutes, remove pot from oven and stir to make sure all the rice is well coated.  Return the pan to bake for the remainder of the time.  

What kind of rice is the best for this recipe?

I’m partial to long-grained white rice for this recipe.  It is absolute perfection.  You can certainly make substitutions, but if you’re wanting to switch brown rice for white you’ll need to make time and water ratio adjustments.  

Does this recipe have to be baked?

Baking the rice gives it a fluffiness that is hard to beat with other methods.  If you don’t have a pot that has a lid that can go in the oven you can complete the first three steps on the stove-top and then carefully transfer everything to a casserole dish and cover VERY well with foil.  You may need to bake a couple of extra minutes.  

This recipe can also be made in the InstantPot.  The results are a little bit more wet, but I find that if you leave the lid off of the pressure cooker for a few minutes after completing the rice, that moisture will dissipate.  I’ll include specific instant pot directions in the notes below the recipe.

This vegan Mexican Rice is a crowd favorite and an all-time perfect recipe to pair with:

• Enchiladas
• Tacos
• Taco Salad
• Tamales
• Fajitas
• Burritos
• Basic Pinto or Black Beans

I can’t stop thinking about Mexican food so maybe it’s time for me to hit the kitchen and whip up some of these favorites too:

• Vegan Nacho Cheese
• Best Easy Guacamole
• Mom’s Best Salsa

If you’ve tried this Vegan Mexican Rice or any other recipe on my blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I LOVE hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see more delicious food and what this blueberry farm girl is keepin’ busy doing!!!

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Vegan Mexican Rice

Make restaurant style Mexican rice in your oven or Instant Pot with this quick and easy recipe! Everyon'e favorite dinner that's healthy, vegan, and gluten free!

4.96 from 21 votes

Print Comment

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: Vegan Mexican Rice

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Servings: 6 people

Calories: 322kcal

Author: Rebecca

Ingredients

• 2 cups white rice long grain
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 10 oz. canned diced tomatoes with chilis Rotel or similar
• 1 med white onion
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 cups no chicken broth or vegetable broth
• 1 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees or follow instant pot directions in notes below.
• Thoroughly rinse your rice in a colander under cold running water for several minutes. Let rice drain and shake to remove excess water.
• Add the rice to large oven-safe pot or skillet.  Sauté rice over medium heat with the olive oil until grains become an opaque white.  Be sure to stir frequently to prevent burning – usually takes 7-8 minutes.
• In a blender add no chicken or vegetable broth, onion, garlic cloves, canned diced tomatoes with chilis and salt.  Blend until smooth and add to the rice.  Stir to combine.  
• Bring rice mixture to a boil over medium heat without the pot lid on.  Once the rice is beginning to boil, put the pot lid on and place the pot into the preheated oven to bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.  After 15 minutes, remove pot from oven and stir to make sure all the rice is well coated.  Return the pan to bake for the remainder of the time.  

Notes

WHAT KIND OF RICE IS THE BEST FOR THIS RECIPE?

I’m partial to long-grained white rice for this recipe.  It is absolute perfection.  You can certainly make substitutions, but if you’re wanting to switch brown rice for white you’ll need to make time and water ratio adjustments.  

DOES THIS RECIPE HAVE TO BE BAKED?

Baking the rice gives it a fluffiness that is hard to beat with other methods.  If you don’t have a pot that can go in the oven you can start on the stove-top and then carefully transfer everything to a casserole dish and cover VERY well with foil.   

How to make this rice in the Instant Pot Pressure Cooker:

• Rinse your rice under cool running water for several minutes. Shake vigorously in the colander to remove excess water. 
• Turn your instant pot onto Saute’ mode and add the 4 Tbsp. Olive Oil. Add rice and cook for around 5 minutes stirring occasionally.
• (The rice will stick a little, but just use a wooden spoon and scrape at it so it doesn’t burn. It won’t stick to the bottom at all once you add the liquid mixture.)
• Blend the can of tomatoes with green chilis, garlic, onion, salt, vegetable broth until smooth.
• Pour blended mixture over the rice after the 5 minutes is up. Stir a little to combine everything.
• Cancel your current instant pot mode and close the lid, remembering to also close the vent.
• Set to Manual-Low Pressure mode and cook for 12 minutes. 
• Allow natural release for about 10 minutes after it’s done.
• Leave the lid off of the instant pot for several minutes to allow the trapped moisture to dissipate, then fluff the rice and serve!

 

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 322kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 899mg | Potassium: 106mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 165IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 0.6mg