Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice is made with perfectly cooked rice, fresh cilantro, lime juice, and lime zest, and makes a quick and easy side dish!
Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice is a flavorful side dish full of fresh flavors that takes about 30 minutes to prepare from start to finish. It’s an easy dump-and-go recipe that only requires a few ingredients.
The rice turns out light and fluffy with hints of cilantro and lime in every bite. It’s the perfect addition to Chile Relleno Casserole, Chicken Taquitos, and Flat Iron Steak Fajitas.
Since ours is made in an Instant Pot, you know it’s going to be easy. In fact, there are only five steps to the cilantro rice. It doesn’t get much easier than that.
How to make Instant Pot cilantro lime rice:
As you will see in the photo below, everything is done in the Instant Pot. To begin, juice and zest the lime and chop the cilantro, then set those ingredients aside.
Next, add the rice, water, and oil to the stainless steel insert of the Instant Pot. If you saw our recent Instant Pot White Rice post, you’ll know that I don’t rinse rice when cooking in the Instant Pot.
It goes against what most other recipes recommend, but I’ve found that rinsing the rice makes it gummy. I just dump it in dry and unrinsed.
If you’d prefer to rinse the rice, go for it. It’s important to do what works for you.
Next, stir the ingredients, and make sure the rice is submerged in the water. After that, put the lid on the cooker and close the valve so everything is sealed.
Then, press the, “rice,” button, and it should show 12 minutes on low pressure. We use this Instant Pot, and the rice button automatically adjusts to a low pressure setting.
Once the timer goes off, press cancel, and allow the Instant Pot to complete a ten minute natural release before opening the valve to let out the remaining steam.
Last, fluff the rice with a fork, then stir in the fresh cilantro, lime juice, lime zest, and salt.
Serve the rice immediately with your favorite main dish. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
How do you make minute rice with cilantro lime?
Use this recipe for Minute Rice in the Instant Pot, and omit the frozen vegetables. When the rice is done, add the fresh cilantro, lime zest, and lime juice.
How do you keep the rice from burning and sticking to the bottom of the pot?
Every model of Instant Pot cooks a little differently. If your model of Instant Pot tends to burn food more easily, add a little more water to the rice to prevent it from sticking.
Can this recipe be doubled?
Yes, this recipe can be doubled as long as it doesn’t go over the “max fill” line in the Instant Pot. If you double the recipe, the time does not need to be doubled.
How do you make this recipe if there is no “rice” button?
This Easy Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice recipe shows how to make cilantro lime rice without a rice button. It uses slightly different instructions and amounts of ingredients, but it looks fantastic!
Other Instant Pot recipes you may love:
Don’t forget to check out our Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice web story!
Easy Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice
Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice is made with perfectly cooked rice, fresh cilantro, lime juice, and lime zest, and makes a quick and easy side dish!
Ingredients
- 2 Cups White Rice, unrinsed (long grain, Jasmine, or Basmati)
- 2 ¼ Cups Water
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- ⅓ Cup Cilantro, chopped
- 2 Tablespoons Lime Juice
- 1 Tablespoon Lime Zest
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Place rice, water, and oil into the liner of the Instant Pot. Stir to ensure all the rice is covered by the water.
- Close the lid, and set the valve to sealing. Press the “rice” button, and the time should automatically default to 12 minutes at low pressure.
- After the time is up, turn off the Instant Pot using the “cancel” button, and allow a 10 minute natural release before opening the valve to release any remaining pressure.
- Open the lid, and use a fork to fluff the rice. Add the cilantro, lime zest, lime juice, and salt. Mix well to combine the ingredients.
- Serve hot, and store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
*The calories listed are an approximation based on the ingredients in the recipe card and a serving size of ½ cup of cilantro lime rice. Actual calories will vary.
*For more information, tips, and answers to frequently asked questions, please refer to the post.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 0.5 cupsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 68Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 76mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 1g
*The calories are an estimate and are based on the ingredients and serving size listed. The calories can vary depending on the brand of product purchased.