Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice is a copycat version of Chipotle's rice but is made SUPER fast thanks to the instant pot. This flavorful rice is made with fresh limes and cilantro and makes a great side dish or as a filling for burritos.
Cilantro Lime Rice is perfect for serving with Burrito Bowls, Instant Pot Pork Tacos, Beef Tacos, and even pairs great with Instant Pot Mongolian Beef, and Instant Pot Sweet and Sour Chicken, for a bold, fresh contrast to the rice Chinese-American dishes.
One of my favorite things to make in the Instant Pot is rice. Instant Pot Rice is extremely easy to make, and the rice always turns perfectly. The rice is fluffy, chewy, nutty--everything good rice should be.
While I often make plain rice in my pressure cooker and love Instant Pot Spanish Rice, another favorite here is a copycat version of Chipotle's Cilantro Lime Rice.
It is full of fresh cilantro and bright lime flavor--just like you get at Chipolte! And it is ready in minutes.
Key Ingredients
- Rice: Use brown long-grain rice or white long-grain rice for this recipe. The recipe card will walk you through the different cook times for both varieties of rice.
- Liquid: I have used water, vegetable broth, chicken stock, and even pineapple juice for this Cilantro Lime Rice. All work great. For an authentic tasting copycat version, I recommend stock or water for the best results.
- Limes: Fresh limes are a must for the best flavor. First, zest the limes and then juice the limes and use both to really achieve a strong lime flavor.
- Cilantro: Add chopped cilantro to the rice for a pop of flavor and color. I feel it is important to note that you can prepare this without the cilantro--for delicious lime-infused rice.
How To Make Rice in Instant Pot
Step One: Rinse Rice
- Place rice in a colander and rinse well. This step is CRUCIAL to fluffy Instant Pot Rice that does not stick to the inner pan.
Step Two: Add ingredients to Instant Pot
- Place stock, salt, and lime zest in the pressure cooker.
- Add in rinsed, damp rice, and gently push down the rice with a spoon. DO NOT STIR!
Step Three: Pressure Cook
- Place lid on the pressure cooker and be sure to point the valve to the sealed position.
- Pressure cook rice.
- Brown Long Grain Rice: 24 minutes on high pressure.
- White Long Grain Rice: 3 minutes on high pressure.
- Let pressure release naturally the entire way.
Step Four: Add Flavor
- Remove the lid from Instant Pot and add in fresh lime juice and chopped cilantro.
- Fluff rice with a fork, as you incorporate flavors into cooked rice. Fluffing the rice with a fork versus stirring the rice keeps the rice from breaking down and getting mushy.
Instant Pot Side Dish Recipes
- Instant Pot Green Beans
- Instant Pot Crispy Potatoes
- Instant Pot Baked Beans
- Instant Pot Baked Potatoes
- Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
If you enjoyed this copycat recipe of Cilantro Lime Rice, please take the time to leave a comment or a review.
Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice
Ingredients
- 2 cups rice (brown or white long grain) rinsed and drained
- 2 cups vegetable broth low sodium
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon lime zest
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped
Instructions
- Rinse and drain the rice well.
- Place stock, lime zest and salt into pressure cooker.
- Add in wet, rinsed rice and gently push rice down into stock to submerge. DO NOT STIR RICE.
- Place lid on the pressure cooker and be sure the vent knob is pointed towards sealed.
- For Brown Rice, cook on high pressure for 24 minutes. For White Rice, cook on high pressure for 3 minutes. Select pressure or manual and then adjust the cook time using the plus of minus buttons.
- Once cook time has elapsed, let the pressure release naturally.
- Add in the chopped cilantro and fresh lime juice and fluff with a fork before serving.
Equipment Needed
Notes
- Feel free to use chicken or vegetable broth or water for Cilantro Lime Rice.
- If using stock that is not low sodium, omit salt and add at end of cooking if needed.
- This recipe for Instant Pot Rice is for long-grain white or brown rice.
- Leftover rice can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
carol emig
Hi. I would like to make your recipe but was wondering how much is a serving? 1/2 c cooked rice, 2/3 c or 3/4? 8 Servings is great but trying to plan for a wedding and need to know how big the servings are to allow for 8. Thanks for your time
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Carol! Each cup of dried rice makes about 3 cups of cooked rice. So this recipe makes about 6 cups of rice. So each serving is 3/4 cup. I hope that helps!
Lauren
24 minutes for brown rice and only 3 minutes for white? Is that correct? Why the huge difference?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Lauren! Yes, that is correct. It simply takes longer to cook whole grain rice than white rice. You can see that is the case when prepared on the stove as well. The reason is that the white rice has had the bran and germ removed, making it easier to break down while it cooks, but also losing key nutrients and fiber.
Natalie
Can I double and triple at one time in the instapot without compromising the outcome? I need to make 50 servings?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Natalie! I have doubled this recipe with success, but I am not sure tripling will work. You need to be sure you don't exceed 2/3rds of the way full, so it will depend on your size of the instant pot. When doubling recipes the timing should remain the same 🙂
Sue
Made this tonight and it was so easy and wonderful. Got the “do again” from my guy. Now my rice cooker will go into storage. Thanks for the great recipe.
Kristen Chidsey
Yay!!! I love hearing your success and it is ALWAYS a great thing when your family and friends ask for a repeat.
Jillian
Cilantro lime rice is a must for taco nights at my house. So glad I came across this recipe; it makes taco night so much easier and it's so yummy!
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad you enjoyed Jillian! This recipe is SUPER easy!
Carrie
This was great for putting it in burritos.