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instant pot fiesta rice bowl in a gray bowl with avocado chunks and sliced green onion
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4.38 from 29 votes

Instant Pot Fiesta Rice Bowls

These instant Pot fiesta rice bowls are a vegetarian, gluten-free recipe that works great for meal prep! Just dump it all in the Instant Pot, press the button, and you're done!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time3 minutes
Coming to pressure & natural pressure release30 minutes
Total Time48 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican
Diet: Vegetarian
Servings: 6
Calories: 379kcal
Author: Denise Bustard

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 cup basmati rice see note 1
  • 1 red onion diced
  • 3 tomatoes chopped; see note 2
  • 1 bell pepper diced
  • 11 oz can of corn drained; 341 mL
  • 18 oz can of black beans drained & rinsed; 541 mL
  • 4.3 oz can green chiles 127mL
  • 3 tablespoons taco seasoning
  • 1 cup water 1 ½ cups (total) for 8 quart *see note 3

After cooking

  • 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese shredded
  • fresh tomatoes, cilantro, guacamole, salsa or other toppings

Instructions

  • Assemble ingredients - add all ingredients (except for tomatoes) into the stainless steel inner pot of an Instant Pot (6 quart): rice, onion, peppers, corn, black beans, chiles, taco seasoning and water. Stir to combine, then add the diced tomatoes on top (do not stir). Put the lid on and set valve to 'sealing'.
  • Pressure cook - Place the lid on the Instant Pot, set the valve to 'sealing', and pressure cook on high for 3 minutes. Allow for a full natural pressure release (takes around 15 minutes).
    instant pot with 3 minutes on the timer
  • Add cheese - remove the lid and stir in 1 cup of the cheese. Sprinkle the top of the rice with the remaining ½ cup cheese and put the lid back on for a few minutes until the cheese is melted.
    instant pot fiesta rice bowls after cooking, in instant pot with shredded cheese
  • Serve - with your choice of suggested toppings such as guacamole, cilantro, and salsa.
    instant pot fiesta rice bowl in a gray bowl with avocado chunks and sliced green onion

Video

Notes

1 - though this recipe has only been tested with basmati, any long grain white rice should work.
2- some readers have successfully used canned diced tomatoes, but we have not tested; if you use them, add last and do not stir into the rice.
3- this recipe has been tested in both a 6 quart, and 8 quart instant pot:
  • For 6 quart: use 1 cup of water.
  • For 8 quart: drag the serving size to 1.5 x of the recipe to meet the minimum liquid requirement of 1.5 cups of water
Stove Top Directions
To prepare these fiesta rice bowls on the stovetop, the recipe will remain the same, with the exception of increasing the water to 2 cups. Then, follow these directions: 
  1. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to rest for an additional 10 minutes (do not take the lid off).
  2. After 10 minutes of resting, stir in the cheese and enjoy!
Freezer packs
  1. Assemble all ingredients in step 1 a large gallon size freezer bag or large meal prep container with date and cooking instructions.
  2. Freeze for up to 3 months uncooked in freezer.
  3. Thaw completely before cooking- the Instant Pot may not come to pressure if cooked from frozen.
  4. Cook as directed in the recipe card, and enjoy!
Leftovers
  1. Cool completely after cooking.
  2. Portion out into air tight meal prep containers, and store in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
  3. Thaw completely if frozen (overnight in the fridge), then reheat in the microwave until steaming hot.
  4. Add fresh toppings, and serve!

Nutrition

Serving: 1fiesta bowl | Calories: 379kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 285mg | Potassium: 644mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 955IU | Vitamin C: 13.2mg | Calcium: 183mg | Iron: 2.7mg