Why you will love this Cilantro Lime Rice Instant Pot recipe

Bland, unflavorful rice is such a bummer. Thankfully I fine-tuned this Cilantro Rice recipe for maximum flavor output. (Scroll down to see my secrets for making this rice extra flavorful! Hint: there’s butter involved.)

Plus, making it an Instant Pot saves you from having to babysit a pot on the stove. You’ll get perfectly seasoned, flavorful rice every single time.

Copycat Cafe Rio Rice Recipe

This rice is based on a recipe I got from a friend a long time ago when we lived in California (Hi Jessie!). It was a stovetop version, which, to me, was quite a bit fussier than using a rice cooker. I got spoiled — what can I say?

But the flavor of this rice is FANTASTIC. And it uses just a handful of simple ingredients. It reminds me of the rice you’d get at fresh mex places like Costa Vida or Cafe Rio.

(Side note: Can I just say how happy I am to live near a Cafe Rio again? It was a long 12 years without it.)

I took that stovetop recipe, doubled it, tweaked the measurements and adapted it to my Instant Pot. The fact that you can saute AND pressure cook in the same vessel is incredibly convenient. No dirtying extra pans, no babysitting stuff on the stove. It’s so great.

Cafe Rio Cilantro Lime Rice Ingredients

• Butter
• Long grain white rice
• Ground cumin
• Salt
• Limes
• Chicken stock or broth
• Cilantro

How to make Cilantro Lime Rice in Instant Pot

1. Switch your Instant Pot to “Saute” mode and place your butter into the insert pot.
2. Once the butter has melted, add the rice and saute 5 minutes until it gets toasty brown in spots. Shift occasionally so the rice doesn’t burn.
3. Add the cumin, salt, lime juice and the zest. Stir well, then add the chicken broth.
4. Hit the “Cancel” button on the Instant Pot, place the lid on tightly and move the steam valve to “Sealing”.
5. Push the “Rice” button and let it release steam naturally for 5-10 minutes before releasing the rest of the steam manually.
6. Remove the lid and use a fork to loosen the rice up a bit. Toss in the fresh cilantro and serve.

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Cilantro Rice Instant Pot Tips

• Getting some of this rice toasty brown adds a lot of flavor. Be careful, though, because once it starts to turn darker brown, you’re about a minute away from scorching. So, add the rest of the ingredients quickly and get the liquid in there.
• I think the juice and zest from 2 limes is enough to make the flavor shine, but if you want it to knock your socks off, add another lime.
• If you’ve ever made chicken broth from scratch, you know how great it is, but seriously — store-bought broth is just fine here. (It’s easy to use your Instant Pot to make chicken broth. I have a recipe for it in my Instant Pot cookbook, too.)

What to eat with Cafe Rio Rice

Stir some fresh cilantro into that rice and go nuts, guys.

This is the best rice for taco salads, rice bowls, and goes with so many drippy shredded meat.

We recently had it with my Shredded Green Chile Chicken, but it would be amazing with my Chipotle Shredded Beef, Instant Pot Shredded Chicken for Tacos, Green Chile Shredded Beef, and all of the tex-mex style shredded meat in my cookbooks.

If you’re not eating rice, I also made a Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice recipe for The Pioneer Woman: Food & Friends a while back (along with a couple other cauli rice variations!).

If you like this recipe, check out my other Instant Pot rice recipes!

Instant Pot Coconut Rice is super tasty with any kind of curry or island-inspired meal!

Instant Pot Lemon-Herb Rice is a classically flavored rice that would pair well with just about any kind of grilled or roasted meat. Or a big pile of roasted veg.

Cilantro Lime Rice Storage

You can store this rice in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container.

Freezing rice is a great way to meal prep! Once it’s cooled, pop it into a portion-sized, freezer-safe container.

To thaw your rice, simply take it out the freezer and let it defrost in the sealed container. You’ll want to keep that moisture in the rice!

The easiest way to reheat rice is to microwave it on high for about 2 minutes. It’s a best to cover your rice so it doesn’t dry out.

Disclosure: This post may contain Amazon affiliate links. Purchases made by using these links don’t cost you any extra and helps to keep my content free.

Cafe Rio Cilantro Lime Rice Instant Pot FAQs

What kind of rice is good for cilantro rice?

We always use jasmine or basmati rice because I’m totally in love with the fragrant rices. I read something about basmati being the best, nutritionally-speaking, but I have nothing to back that up with, so… we just eat it because it’s super tasty.

I’d recommend any long-grain white rice here. I made this a long time ago with brown rice, but the lime flavor didn’t shine as much. If you use brown rice, then bump up the pressurizing time to 20 minutes.

What is a substitute for cilantro in cilantro lime rice?

Parsley would be the closest substitute for cilantro.

What can I use if I don’t have cilantro?

Parsley, mint, and dill are all good substitutes if you are a fan of cilantro.

What is the ratio of water to rice in an instant pot?

A ratio of 1:1 is the general rule, but this recipe is perfect with 2 3/4 cups of rice and 1 quart chicken stock or broth

What if my instant pot doesn’t have a rice button?

If you don’t have a rice button than manually set for 12 minutes on Low pressure. Once cook time is done, release steam naturally for 5-10 minutes before releasing the rest of the steam manually. Serve and enjoy.

How long should you cook rice in an instant pot?

Cooking time depends on the type of rice you are using. 12 Minutes should be good for long grain white rice.

Should the vent be open when cooking rice in instant pot?