Mexican Rice and Beans
- 1.5 cups brown jasmine rice (or basmati) - see note below
- 2.25 cups water
- 2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 1.5 tsp ground cumin
- 1.5 tsp garlic powder
- 1 can diced tomatoes and green chile, drained
- 2 cups frozen bell peppers
Rinse the rice well.
Add rice, water, rinsed and drained black beans, chili powder, salt, ground cumin and garlic powder to instant pot. Stir well.
Drain the liquid from the canned tomatoes, add them on top of the rice and beans, do not stir.
Put lid on and cook high pressure 7 minutes. After the instant pot is done, allow the pressure to release naturally at least 10 minutes.
Once all the pressure is released, add the frozen bell peppers and stir well. Let sit 4-5 minutes.
Note: If you have white jasmine or white basmati rice, you will want to change the recipe slightly, as you will need less water and cook the rice for less time. This recipe calls for 1.5 cups of rice, which will need 2 cups of water for white jasmine rice or white basmati rice. You will only have to cook this for 3 minutes on high pressure (natural release at least 10 minutes).
Tips:
• Be sure to rinse your rice before adding it to the instant pot. This helps to remove the excess starch, making the rice fluffier.
• Use jasmine rice or basmati rice (white or brown are both great) to ensure that the leftovers don’t get hard and crunchy. One reason I love making large batches of jasmine or basmati rice is that they are meal prep friendly and you can even eat them cold right out of the fridge.
• Be sure to add the diced tomatoes or salsa last and don’t stir them in once added. When using the instant pot, tomatoes on the bottom of the insert can create a burn notice if you stir them in, which is why it’s best to add them last and only put them on top.
• Depending on the size of your instant pot you should be able to easily double this recipe. You can serve the leftovers in many different ways or freeze them in individual servings making lunches or dinners later in the month even easier.