Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice

My favorite thing to order at Chipotle is their cilantro lime rice, so here’s my copycat version made in the Instant Pot. It’s full of flavor and really easy to make. And turns out light and fluffy every single time. Plus, it’s vegan and gluten-free.

If you’re a fan of cilantro-lime rice like me, then you’re going to LOVE this version. It’s made in the Instant Pot which means that you’ll get consistent results every time you make it.

I used a cheap rice cooker for years, but when I got my Instant Pot, that’s all I use to cook rice.

Adding cilantro, lime juice, and zest to the cooked rice makes it super flavorful and tasty. It will make the perfect side dish to your favorite Mexican inspired meal and a great base for bowl recipes, as well as an ingredient for burritos and tacos.

I love my Instant Pot so much that I use it to cook almost everything. From breakfast recipes, to lunches, dinners, and desserts. I even use it to make the best homemade yogurt.

To make this flavorful rice, I put rice into my Instant Pot for only 20 minutes altogether. This gives me some time to do other chores, to come back to this delicious bowl of rice.

Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice Ingredients

To make this recipe, you will need the following simple ingredients:

Long grain rice (I used basmati rice but any long-grain rice works perfectly here), vegetable oil, salt, fresh cilantro leaves, bay leaves, and a couple of limes.

How to Make Cilantro Lime Rice in the Instant Pot?

Here’s how I made this delicious rice:

• Start by rinsing the rice thoroughly in a colander until the water runs clear to remove any debris and surface starch from rice grains.
• Add vegetable oil to the bottom of the pot, and spread it so it covers the pot very well.
• Add the drained rice, salt, bay leaves, and water.
• Stir everything together quickly, then cover the pot with the lid.
• Press on MANUAL or PRESSURE COOK on high, and set at 4 minutes.
• Allow the Instant Pot to come to pressure and cook for 4 minutes, then naturally release the steam for 10 minutes. Carefully open the lid, and fluff the rice with a fork.

• Add chopped cilantro, lime juice, and lime zest to the cooked rice (while it is still in the instant pot).
• Stir and fluff the rice again, and serve warm.

What to Serve This Rice With?

This Cilantro Lime Rice is a great side dish to any Mexican meal, a great base to bowl recipes and an ingredient for burritos and tacos. This is why I always cook a batch of it in my Instant Pot. You can serve it with:

• Quesadillas
• Mexican Shredded Chicken
• Tacos
• Enchiladas
• Creamy Salsa Chicken
• Burrito Bowls

Storing Instructions

• Fridge: You can store Cilantro Lime Rice in the fridge in a tightly-closed container for up to 5 days. 
• Freezer: Avoid freezing Cilantro Lime Rice as cooked rice becomes hard when frozen and its texture becomes grainy. However, if you don’t mind the change in the texture, then you can freeze it after being completely cooled in a freezer-safe, airtight container. Therefore, in terms of food safety, it is totally fine to freeze rice up to 6 months. 
• To reheat, defrost the rice in the fridge overnight before reheating. Then, add a bit of boiling water to the rice and stir for a few minutes until it warms up.

For more delicious and nourishing recipe ideas, click here. Also, make sure to check out my other Instant Pot recipes.

If you try this recipe, please don’t forget to rate it and share a picture on social media, tagging #NourishPlate in your posts. I would really love to see your creations. Bon appetit! 

Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice

Easy and flavorful Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice which turns out light and fluffy every single time.

5 from 43 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Western

Keyword: cilantro lime rice, instant pot rice

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Servings: 6

Calories: 237kcal

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Equipment

• Instant Pot

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 cups long-grain rice I used basmati
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 2 bay leaves
• ▢ 3 cups water or enough water to cover the rice by ½ inch
• ▢ 1 cup cilantro leaves lightly packed
• ▢ 3 tablespoons lime juice
• ▢ 1 lime zested

Instructions

• Rinse the rice in a colander until the water runs clear.
• Add vegetable oil to the bottom of the pot, and spread it so it covers the pot very well.
• Add the rice, salt, bay leaves, followed by water. Add 3 cups of water (or enough water to cover the rice by ½ inch).
• Stir everything together quickly, cover the pot with the lid.
• Press on MANUAL or PRESSURE COOK on high, and set at 4 minutes.
• Allow the Instant Pot to come to pressure and cook for 4 minutes, then naturally release the steam for 10 minutes. Carefully open the lid, and fluff the rice with a fork.
• Mix in chopped cilantro, lime juice, and lime zest. Mix well, and serve.

Notes

• Rinse the rice thoroughly to remove any debris and surface starch from rice grains. 
• Use cilantro leaves and tender stems
• Rice to water ratio recommended for this recipe is 1 to 1.5. 

Nutrition

Calories: 237kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 392mg | Potassium: 105mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 180IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1mg