How to make Instant Pot Mexican and black bean rice

Rice and beans is a popular Mexican meal that is tasty and easy to make. If you’re using dried beans, you need to plan ahead by soaking the beans overnight and then likely cooking the beans and rice separately. However, the Instant Pot makes this an easy meal to make any day of the week, with no advance planning.

To make this recipe as simple as possible, we’ve used brown rice instead of white so that the beans and rice can be cooked together. If you prefer to use long-grain white rice, leave the rice out for the first 25 minutes of cooking. Release the pressure, add the rice and then continue to cook on high pressure for another 10 minutes.

This dish gets tons of flavor from salsa, chili powder, cumin, bay leaf and vegetable broth. You can substitute chicken broth or water if you don’t have vegetable broth on hand. Serve it topped with grated cheese for a satisfying vegetarian meal, or serve it as a hearty side with grilled meats or fish.