Easy Instant Pot Spanish Rice (30 Minutes)

This is the most amazing instant pot Spanish rice, and it is going to knock your socks off! Invite friends over because this one’s a crowd-feeder! I am normally a “less is more” type of gal for recipes, but this is one that I have to say needs all the ingredients to make the magic happen! It’s still pretty much a “dump and go” recipe, so don’t be deterred!

This recipe comes from a friend and has been adapted to the Instant pot. It has been around for decades, but it’s super easy to make.

It’s a little sweet and tangy with a robust herb taste. You’ll love the basil, oregano and Italian seasonings. It is full of those flavors in each bite. YUM! Look at the herbs used here so you are going to get those Italian flavors more so and it is DELISH!

Also, this is a huge hit with kiddos! The ketchup makes it sweet while the basil/oregano makes it Italian…a great mix for kids. Cut back on the ketchup if you want to ensure this is a little less sweet. The flavors meld together great overnight but when you first make it, the sweetness is there!

🍚 Ingredients

If you aren’t drooling by the time you finish reading this recipe, I will be surprised. It’s filled with amazing ingredients, and I can’t wait to share some information about the main ones.

✅Chuck ground: There is nothing better than adding some ground chuck to this. The beef makes it hearty and satisfying. If you want to save some money, cut back on meat or skip it altogether, but we almost always add it in.

✅Vegetables: The veggies consist of sweet onions, green peppers, and stewed tomatoes. It’s a fabulous combination, and it’s easy to add in extra ingredients if you want.

✅Seasonings: We love using chili powder, Italian seasoning, oregano, basil, brown sugar, garlic salt, salt, and pepper. You can’t go wrong with these flavors, and they make the perfect combo for this recipe.

✅Success rice – I use this variety for convenience. It’s ready in 10 minutes! Feel free to replace with 4 cups of cooked regular, white rice, or any other kind you enjoy.

✅Butter

✅Heinz ketchup

🍽️ Instructions

This is an easy recipe to pull together and using your Instant Pot is going to make it even easier. Don’t let the number of ingredients scare you – this is still a Savor + Savvy simple recipe that we stand by.

👉Step 1: Turn on the SAUTÉ setting on your INSTANT POT, and melt the butter. Once it is heated up, place the chopped onions and green peppers in and sauté until caramelized. This will take few minutes. Patience is the key so this is a great time to clean out the fridge or unload the dishwasher while you are waiting.

👉Step 2: Once the onions and peppers are caramelized, remove them and toss in the ground chuck to brown. Make sure it is fully cooked and then turn off the SAUTÉ setting. Again, this takes a few minutes so do another kitchen chore for a few while you are waiting. 

👉Step 3: Remove any fat from the beef mixture by using a fine colander over the sink.

👉Step 4: Place the drained beef back into the Instant Pot with your caramelized onions and peppers and add spices. Add the liquid from the stewed tomatoes can (keep the tomatoes in the can for a minute!) Using a large knife or kitchen shears, cut up the stewed tomatoes into small pieces and add them to the Instant Pot. 

👉Step 5: Add the ketchup, tomato paste, water, tomato sauce, chili powder, Italian seasoning, oregano, basil, and brown sugar, and stir well to combine. Place the lid on the Instant Pot, until it beeps and locks.

👉Step 6: Close the pressure relief valve and place on MANUAL setting for 10 minutes. 

👉Step 7:  While the meat and tomato mixture is cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil on the stove and cook the Success Rice for 10 minutes. When the rice is done, drain it well.

👉Step 8: When the Instant Pot is done,  it will beep; watch the time, and after five minutes, do a QUICK RELEASE. When all the pressure has been released, and the float valve is down, open the lid. Stir the mix, and then add the rice. Stir to combine. Don’t over stir or it will become too thick and mushy.

🍲 How to Meal Prep

This recipe has so many ways to prepare. I love this part as meal prep is my jam! I want it to be yours too, so make sure to start with my Meal Prep 101 guide if you’ve never done it before.

✔️Pre cook the rice and place it in a container until it is needed.

✔️Chop the onions and peppers ahead of time and put them in a container in the fridge. 

✔️Brown the hamburger the day before.

✔️Measure all the spices, put them in a sealed container until ready to use. 

These preparation steps will turn this into a true DUMP AND GO meal. It will take you less than 15 minutes on a Sunday to prep it for the week. The added benefit is that this makes so much that you can easily save the leftovers for lunches for days!

If you don’t know how to use your Instant Pot-check out the Instant Pot Manual page here to verify anything that may be slightly different on your model!

🥶 How To Freeze

This is a freezer friendly meal and you should take advantage of it as leftovers or to prep 100% and freeze for a later time.

1. Prepare as directed and allow it to cool. 
2. Place it in freezer safe Ziploc bags and seal. Lay them flat in the freezer. 

Feel free to use my free editable freezer labels to keep track of your freezer meals. These are super practical, and I heavily rely on them. I designed these labels so we can write down everything for meal prep packages and pre-made meals, including the ingredients of the bag and any usage instructions.

TIP: If at the end, the mixture is a bit soupy, you may have too much moisture. If you allow the rice to set for about ten minutes, it will start to soak it up! 

❗ Expert Tips

Don’t over stir when combining the rice or it will thicken it too much.

Don’t substitute diced tomatoes for the Stewed Tomatoes. Stewed tomatoes are prepared with onion/pepper/celery and seasonings, and give them a wonderful flavor. It is easy to slice them in the can, and there’s no mess to clean up. I like to use my kitchen scissors and just cut them inside the can.

🌶️ Variations

Instant pot Spanish rice is a forgiving recipe – you have plenty of room to change it up. We mostly stick to the original version as it’s mild and kid-friendly. But you know me….every once in a while I need some culinary adventure.

Here are some of my favorite variations:

⭐Make it spicy – Add a diced jalapeño or a pinch of cayenne pepper for a little heat.

⭐Add beans – Stir in a can of rinsed black beans or kidney beans at the end, along with the rice.

⭐Add fresh veggies – This will give a bit of texture to the dish. My favorite option is corn. You can use frozen or fresh corn. Simply add it at the end, when you add the cooked rice.

⭐Cheesy topping – Add some shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese right before serving.

❓ FAQ

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