Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice

Use your Instant Pot to make this easy and delicious Cilantro Lime Rice! 6 simple ingredients and a great side dish for taco night or any dinner! Stovetop instructions included too!

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This recipe was photographed and updated 7/2022. 

Today's recipe is the perfect side dish for any Mexican themed meal! This Cilantro Lime Rice is fresh, flavorful and so easy to make in your Instant Pot.

We most recently served it with grilled chicken street tacos, but also love the freshness of the rice with more heavy, comfort food meals like enchiladas.

It's so easy to make in your Instant Pot, but you can also make it on the stovetop as well.

This one is a favorite of everyone in the family and the leftovers are just as delicious. If you're celebrating Cinco de Mayo, this is a perfect side for that as well. It's easy enough to double or even triple the recipe to make for a crowd.

Keep scrolling for tips, additional rice side dish recipes and more! 

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What are the ingredients in this recipe?

• water
• sea salt
• long grain rice
• limes
• cilantro
• butter

Scroll down to the printable recipe card for measurements and instructions!

Recipe tips:

• Although the actual cooking time is 3 minutes, it will take 10 minutes to pressurize and another 10 minutes to naturally release, so I give it a total of 33 minutes for the entire cooking process.

• You can use long grain, extra long grain, or basmati rice for this recipe. These types of rice react better in the instant pot, which is why I suggest using them over others. Basmati is our personal favorite.

• You can add more cilantro, lime zest/juice, and salt depending on your preferences. Some like it stronger and some like it lighter. This recipe creates a nice in between level of flavor. 

• On days when I have extra time, I'll saute the rice in butter until browned before cooking it.

• If you want to use the stovetop to cook your rice, follow the instructions on the package using the water, salt and rice. Add the rest of the ingredients at the end before serving.

More rice side dish recipes you might like:

• Oven Baked Rice Pilaf
• Bell Pepper Rice
• Mushroom and Wild Rice Stuffing
• Baked Honey Feta Squash Brown Rice Salad
• Bacon Red Rice
• Cranberry Pecan Wild Rice

You can add or substitute with these ingredients:

• use chicken broth instead of water
• use oil instead of butter
• add 1-2 cloves minced garlic
• add black pepper or crushed red pepper
• add black beans

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Our favorite kitchen supplies used with this recipe:

• Instant Pot
• OXO Good Grips Etched Zester and Grater
• Electric Citrus Juicer
• Herb Scissors Set

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did!

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Yield 12 servings

Author Hot Eats and Cool Reads

Prep time

5 Min

Cook time

33 Min

Total time

38 Min

Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice

Ingredients

• 2 ½ Cups water
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 Cups long grain rice
• 3 limes
• ¼ cup cilantro, minced
• 4 tablespoons butter

Instructions

1. Combine your water, salt, and rice in your instant pot. Give a light stir and place the lid on top and seal.
2. Set your instant pot to manual/high pressure and set the timer for 13 minutes. It will take about 10 minutes for the pot to pressurize before the countdown on the 13 minutes begins.
3. While waiting for the rice to cook, zest one of your limes and juice the other two. You’ll want about 2 tablespoons of lime juice and 1 tablespoon of lime zest.
4. Once the 13 minutes is up and the instant pot beeps, let it naturally release for 10 minutes before doing a manual release.
5. Add in the remaining ingredients and gently mix until combined.

Notes

You can use 2 tablespoons of oil in place of the butter, if preferred. I like the added flavor of butter better than the oil.

Although the actual cooking time is 3 minutes, it will take 10 minutes to pressurize and another 10 minutes to naturally release, so I give it a total of 33 minutes for the entire cooking process.

You can use long grain, extra long grain, or basmati rice for this recipe. These types of rice react better in the instant pot, which is why I suggest using them over others. 

You can add more cilantro, lime zest/juice, and salt depending on your preferences. Some like it stronger and some like it lighter. This recipe creates a nice in between level of flavor. 

Nutrition Facts

Calories

151.11

Fat

4.02

Sat. Fat

2.46

Carbs

26.42

Fiber

0.88

Net carbs

25.54

Sugar

0.32

Protein

2.37

Sodium

228.28

Cholesterol

10.03

Hot Eats and Cool Reads is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe you try from this blog/website. You may not always have the same results due to variations in ingredients, humidity, altitude, cooking temperatures, typos, errors, omissions, or individual cooking abilities. 

You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful. I am not a certified nutritionist and make no claims to the contrary. Each individual's dietary needs and restrictions are unique to the individual.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

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