Today’s Tex-Mex Rice comes together so easily you just might think you’re at a restaurant. Try and recruit willing participants to make guacamole at your table for full-effect. Will it be as awkward? No one can say, but you should try.
I debated whether to categorize this recipe as a side or a meal. I think as an omnivore I would’ve marked it as a side, because you’re trained to always have meat and meat is usually the main. But as a badass vegan a colorful dish of rice boomin’ with flavor makes a perfect main. And you can dress it up or down depending on hunger and nutritional requirements. On a good workout day I’d add beans and avocado or guacamole and on a not-as-active day a little bit of mixed greens.
This rice is a great base for homemade burrito bowls, taco salads, burritos, or even use it in nori-filled maki rolls.
💞 🌮 🌯 🌮 🌯 💞
Tex-Mex rice is what I think of when we go out to eat for Mexican food. It’s red-orange, deliciously salty, brimming with spices, and leaves a little oil behind to let you know it was there.
This recipe has all the flavor, but no added oil or msg, contains only 4 spices, and uses simple tomato sauce for coloring and flavor enhancement. It’s also vegan—in case you’re new here. All ingredients easily go into the Instant Pot for quick-no-watch-no-hover cooking.
I used jasmine rice, but white basmati would also be lovely. The rice grains turn out almost fluffy having absorbed all the delicious bits and are sure to melt in your mouth. If you use brown rice, just adjust the cooking time accordingly.
Cut a few bits of green onion on top for garnish.
When buying Better than Bouillon look for the little V on the front and phrasing ‘no —– base’. The brand also offers a lot of meat and seafood based bouillon.
One Pot Instant Pot Tex-Mex Rice
Additional Nutritional Information // total carbohydrates: 49g • fiber: 1g • sugar: 1g • protein: 5g • vitamin a: 8% • vitamin c: 2% • calcium: 1% • iron: 17% • vitamin e: 3%
Ingredients
- 2 cups jasmine rice
- 3 cups of water
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 heaping teaspoon Better Than Bouillon No Chicken Base
Instructions
- Add water and bouillon to Instant Pot and whisk until dissolved. Rinse rice in a sieve for one minute, tap out excess water, and add to the Instant Pot with remaining ingredients. Stir a few times to disperse the ingredients and then secure the lid. Set pressure nozzle to 'seal' and select the rice button*. Time should default to 10 minutes and will automatically start. When the rice is done let it cool down naturally or release the steam for a quick open.
Notes
*If using brown rice use the manual setting and adjust time up/down accordingly.

How I feel when dinner is almost ready.
I would love to see your food pics! If you give this recipe a whirl, let us know. 💞 Leave a comment below and don’t forget to tag a picture with #feedyourskull on Instagram!
Simple, versatile, and flavorful? Sounds like the perfect sort of dish to me, no matter if you call it a side or an entree!
Hannah recently posted…Ay, Chihuahua!
Made this about two weeks ago, and it was a huge hit with my family. Am making again this evening. It is simple, quick, and delicious! Thanks so much for posting!
Thank you so much for reporting back Laura 🙂 I’m so happy you and your family enjoyed the recipe!