Name: Vegan Instant Pot Mexican Rice and Beans
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1 cup long grain white rice (or basmati if you’re feeling fancy); 1 can (about 15oz) black beans, drained and rinsed (or pinto beans); 1 can (about 15oz) fire-roasted diced tomatoes (regular diced tomatoes are fine); 1/2 large onion, chopped; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 jalapeño, finely chopped (optional); 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth (or water if needed); 1 tsp ground cumin; 1/2 tsp smoked paprika; 3/4 tsp salt; 1/2 cup frozen corn (optional); 1 handful chopped cilantro for serving; Juice of 1 lime (or wedges for serving)

A Cozy Night Dinner (From My Slightly Chaotic Kitchen)

Let me tell you, this Vegan Instant Pot Mexican Rice and Beans recipe is serious comfort food. It actually started as an experiment back when my cousin dropped by unannounced (which, to be fair, happens more often than I’d like to admit), and I had like fifteen minutes to figure out dinner. I tossed a bunch of things into my Instant Pot—didn’t expect much. But, honestly? It became the thing I make when I want something cozy but don’t want to wrestle with three pans or wash a mess of dishes after. My sister once called this meal “the reason she bought an Instant Pot in the first place,” which is possibly the highest praise in our taco-loving family.

Why I Keep Coming Back to This (Besides Being Lazy)

I make this whenever chaos reigns supreme (so, most weekdays?) or whenever I need to feed hungry people fast. My family goes crazy for it because it’s rich and comforting, but not heavy—plus, it’s vegan without anyone even noticing. And if you’ve tried to make rice and beans on the stove only to end up with gluey rice OR crunchy beans, well, same—no more of that here. Also, any time I’m about to go on a trip, I’ll batch-make this so there’s something hearty in the fridge. I guess I’m also partial to it because, on a cold rainy night, the smell from the Instant Pot is like a hug (okay, maybe one of those slightly awkward hugs, but still, a hug).

What You’ll Need: Ingredients (Plus My Swaps and Shortcuts)

1 cup long grain white rice (I sometimes use basmati if I’m feeling fancy — my mom on the other hand swears by plain old long grain!)
1 can (about 15oz) black beans, drained and rinsed (pinto beans work too, or even kidney beans if that’s all you’ve got)
1 can (about 15oz) fire-roasted diced tomatoes (regular diced tomatoes will do in a pinch)
1/2 large onion, chopped (red onion gives a bit more bite; yellow is sweeter—take your pick)
2 cloves garlic, minced or smashed up
1 jalapeño, finely chopped (sometimes I skip it, but if you like heat, keep the seeds; else ditch ‘em!)
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth (water works fine—I’ve done it when the fridge was basically empty)
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp smoked paprika (don’t sweat it if you only have plain paprika, though I like the extra smokiness)
3/4 tsp salt, plus more to taste
1/2 cup frozen corn (optional, but kids love it)
1 handful chopped cilantro for serving (my friend hates cilantro, so feel free to skip it!)
Juice of 1 lime (or just a couple of wedges at the table)

How I Usually Make It (and What Goes Wrong…Sometimes)

Start by dumping the rice, beans, tomatoes (with their juices!), onion, garlic, jalapeño, broth, cumin, paprika, salt, and corn right into the Instant Pot. Give it all a good stir. (Yes, just pile it in—this is one of those not-too-fussy meals. If your pressure cooker rebels, just poke things around a bit.)
Lock the lid, make sure the valve is set to “sealing” (one time I forgot and, well, nothing cooked). Set on manual high pressure for 6 minutes. I used to second-guess this timing, but trust me, 6 is the magic number here.
When the timer’s done, let the pressure release naturally for about 10 minutes, then do a quick release—very carefully! (Steam facial, anyone?)
Remove the lid. You might think it looks weird, but a quick stir makes everything come together. If it’s a little watery, give it 5 minutes with the lid off and the ‘keep warm’ setting on; if it’s dry, just drizzle a splash more broth and stir.
Now’s the fun part—I squeeze in lime juice and fold in the cilantro if I haven’t already used it up on guacamole. This is where I taste for salt, too. Sometimes I do a little hot sauce swirl for myself—living dangerously!

Notes (AKA What I Learned the Hard Way)

If you rinse your rice, the texture is better (not essential though—I forget half the time and nobody’s noticed except maybe my very particular aunt).
If you use brown rice, it totally works, but up the cook time to about 22 minutes; just don’t use canned beans then, they’ll get mushy—use soaked dry beans instead, or you’ll wind up with bean soup.
Sometimes the bottom burns a bit if you don’t stir before starting. That burnt part? Actually kind of tasty, but I wouldn’t serve it at a dinner party.

Things I’ve Swapped or Forgotten (And What Actually Worked)

I once tossed in a scoop of salsa instead of the tomatoes—tasted great but was a tad too salty for me.
Kidney beans swap in fine; chickpeas I tried once, but honestly, not my favorite.
If you want extra body, toss in a handful of diced bell pepper. Or try diced zucchini—though last time it kind of disappeared into mush. Oops.

Let’s Talk Equipment (And a Sneaky Substitute)

Obviously, you need an Instant Pot or any programmable electric pressure cooker. But, actually, I once made a stovetop version in a heavy pot—just keep the heat low, cover, and check around the 20 minute mark. No need for a fancy gadget, promise (though clean up is a little more epic on the stove, not gonna lie).

Keeping Leftovers (If You Have Any)

In my house, honestly it rarely makes it past day one, but if you do have leftovers, they keep nicely in the fridge about 4 days in a covered container. Freezes well, too—pop it in a bag and just thaw overnight. Though on second thought, I usually just eat it straight cold standing in front of the fridge when nobody’s around.

How We Love to Serve This (With a Few Family Quirks)

I love this stuffed into warm tortillas with avocado and salsa. My nephew insists on shredded lettuce and a shameless scoop of vegan sour cream. Sometimes I serve it on its own, with crunchy chips. Or I layer it into burrito bowls with all the toppings—never, ever skimp on lime wedges in my book.

The ‘Oops, Don’t Do What I Did’ Section

I once tried to rush the pressure release; let’s just say my kitchen smelled like Bay Area taqueria for a week. Let it natural release for 10 minutes, you’ll thank me.
If you’re tempted to skip the sauté of onion and garlic—don’t. It does add a “whoa, you cooked?” flavor, but skipping isn’t tragic if you like fast over fancy.

Real Questions Folks Have Tossed My Way

Can I use brown rice?: Yup, but up the cook time and swap in dried, soaked beans. Learned that one the saucy way…
Can I double this?: Sure thing! Just don’t fill your Instant Pot more than halfway since beans and rice like to expand (ask me about the time my valve nearly burst… or maybe don’t).
Does this work without tomatoes?: Basically, yeah. Sub in salsa or even a splash of passata. Maybe reduce the salt a little if your replacement is salty.
Is this spicy?: Not super spicy; just leave out the jalapeño or use less if you’re heat-shy. My brother adds chipotle powder, but he’s wild like that.

Oh, and if you wander into the pantry halfway through making this and get distracted by whatever podcast you’re listening to—I promise, the Instant Pot will bail you out every time.