You’ll love this Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice recipe.
A wildly popular dish at Chipotle restaurants, this Instant Pot cilantro-lime rice is easy to make at home, and with an Instant Pot®, it’s as quick as it is tasty.
My family thinks this easy recipe is an Instant Pot Chipotle’s Cilantro Lime Rice copycat recipe.
If you don’t have fresh cilantro, look for cilantro paste in your supermarket’s produce or frozen section.
It’s the foundation for other great Instant Pot Recipes like burrito bowls or the perfect side dish.
It’s a bowl of flavorful rice perfect to pair with Mexican food or Mexican recipes like an enchilada, tacos, fajitas, etc.
You can opt to use jasmine rice, white basmati rice, or brown rice (adjust time here).
The fresh flavor and easy recipe make this one of my favorite ways to make fluffy white rice.
It utilizes the Instant Pot as a rice cooker.
We love this cilantro lime rice in Chipolte-inspired burrito bowls.
There are no burrito bowl recipes needed because it’s a meal where anything goes!
Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice Burrito Bowl
Below is some inspiration for what to put in your homemade burrito bowl and the cilantro lime rice.
- Meat
- Beans
- Vegetables
- Salsa
- Guacamole
- Shredded cheese
- Sour cream
You may also want to check out my Pinterest Instant Pot board for more great recipes like this EASY Pressure Cooker Cilantro Lime Rice!
You may also enjoy this recipe using long-grain white https://carolinarice.com/products/white-rice/.
Way To Use Cilantro Lime Rice
- Burrito bowl (see above)
- Enchiladas
- Quesadillas
- Chicken dishes for Mexican-Inspired flare
- Taco Night
- Pork Loin side
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Modern
Difficulty: Easy
Duration: 15-30 min
Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
Cooking Technique: Pressure Cook, Sauté
Main Ingredient: Cilantro, Lime, Rice
Servings: 4
Prep Time: 14 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Ingredients Checklist:
1 cup long-grain rice
1 garlic clove, minced
1 ¼ cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth, chicken stock, or water
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt1/2 if using water instead of broth
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
½ teaspoon grated lime zest, optional
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice
Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Directions
SAUTÉ THE RICE.
Cooking rice in the Instant Pot requires less water and cooks in less time.
Wash the long-grain rice.
This step is not necessary; however, if you opt to, here’s how: I do this by placing rice in a fine-mesh sieve, and running underwater runs clear.
Select the Sauté setting and adjust to heat to Medium.
Add the oil to the bottom of the pot.
When it shimmers and flows easily, add the rice and garlic and stir to coat the rice with the oil, cooking for about 1 minute or until the garlic is fragrant (learn more on Reddit).
Add the broth and salt.
PRESSURE COOK.
Lock the lid into place and turn the valve to “sealing.” Select Pressure Cook or Manual and adjust the pressure to High Pressure.
Set the timer for 7 minutes.
When cooking ends, carefully turn the valve to “venting” to quickly release the remaining pressure (This is known as QR or Quick Release).
FINISH THE CILANTRO LIME RICE.
Unlock and remove the lid.
Add the cilantro, lime zest (if used), and lime juice.
Stir very gently to combine.
Put the lid back on the pot but do not lock it into place.
Let the cooked rice sit for 3 to 4 minutes.
Fluff with a fork.
Serving suggestion: Try this cilantro lime rice paired with black beans.
Tips:
You can make a double batch using the same ratio of rice and water.
Try substituting stock or broth for water.
The cooking time remains the same.
Fresh limes are best for the incredible lime flavor.
Long grain rice works best.
The best substitute for long-grain rice is Jasmine Rice.
If you want a more bold cilantro flavor, use a mixture of cilantro leaves and stems.
If you prefer a more subtle cilantro flavor, use only the leaves.
How Long Will Cilantro Lime Rice Store In Fridge
Store any leftover delicious rice in an airtight container, or cover it tightly with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Can You Freeze Cilantro Lime Rice
You can also freeze any extra rice in individual servings in freezer bags–perfect for meal prep.
How To Reheat Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice
Reheat in the microwave by placing rice in a microwave-safe bowl, add a little broth or water, cover and then heat in 60-second increments until heated through, stirring after each session.
If you are freezing Cilantro Lime rice, remove the bag from the freezer and let it rest to room temperature, or run warm water over the freezer bag to loosen the frozen rice. Follow the microwave instructions above.
You might also like our other Instant Pot Rice recipes.
We hope you think this is the best cilantro lime rice recipe and that it becomes your best rice recipe.
When you’re finished, why not give your Instant Pot a deep clean with this guide.

Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe
A wildly popular dish at Chipotle restaurants, cilantro-lime rice is easy to make at home, and with an Instant Pot®, it’s as quick as it is tasty. If you don’t have fresh cilantro, look for cilantro paste in the produce or frozen section of your supermarket.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup long grain white rice
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth or water
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt 1/2 if using water instead of broth
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/2 teaspoon grated lime zest optional
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice
Instructions
- SAUTÉ THE RICE.Select Sauté and adjust to heat to Medium. Add the oil to the inner cooking pot. When it shimmers and flows easily, add the rice and garlic and stir to coat the rice with the oil, cooking for about 1 minute, or until the garlic is fragrant. Add the broth and salt.
- PRESSURE COOK.Lock the lid into place and turn the valveto “sealing.” Select Pressure Cook or Manual and adjust the pressure to High. Set the time for 7 minutes. When cooking ends, carefully turn the valve to “venting” to quick release the pressure.
- FINISH THE RICE.Unlock and remove the lid. Add the cilantro, lime zest (if using), and lime juice. Stir very gently to combine. Put the lid back on the pot but do not lock it into place. Let the rice sit for 3 to 4 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 166Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 585mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 0gSugar: 2gProtein: 8g
Nutritional Information may not be accurate
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About Julee:
Julee Morrison is a blogger, mother of six who lives in the foothills of Virginia with their two dogs.
Her first book The Instant Pot® College Cookbook: 75 Quick and Easy Meals that Taste Like Home celebrates her family recipes and making quick meals everyone will love.
Her writing has appeared on The Huffington Post, Scary Mommy, Pop Sugar, SheKnows, Yahoo Shine, Love What Matters, Ellen Nation, and her recipes have been featured on Bon Appetite, SparkPeople, and The Huffington Post.