• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Quick Start Guide
  • All Recipes
    • Slow Cooker
    • Entrees
    • Snacks
    • Appetizers
    • Sides
    • Desserts
    • Breakfast
    • Drinks
  • Shop
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
Dizzy Busy and Hungry!
menu icon
go to homepage
  • RECIPES
  • SHOP
  • QUICK START
  • ABOUT
  • SUBSCRIBE
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • RECIPES
    • SHOP
    • QUICK START
    • ABOUT
    • SUBSCRIBE
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Side Dishes

    Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice

    Published: Feb 23, 2022 Modified: Feb 23, 2022 by Carmy / This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe | Pin Recipe
    Cilantro lime rice being scooped out of an instant pot.
    Scooping cilantro lime rice with a spoon.
    Cilantro lime rice in a bowl.

    Fluffy and flavorful, this Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice is the perfect side dish for any meal! All you need are five ingredients and you'll have this dish ready in no time. Fresh and zesty, everyone will be reaching for more.

    A large platter of cilantro lime rice.
    Grab yourself a plate of this instant pot cilantro lime rice!
    Jump to:
    • 👩🏻‍🍳 Why You'll Love This Recipe
    • 🥘 Ingredients Needed
    • 🔪 Instructions
    • 👪 FAQs
    • 💭 Other Helpful Tips
    • 📖 Variations
    • 🥗 Suggested Main Dishes
    • 🍞 Related Recipes
    • Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice
    • 📋 Recipe Card
    • 💬 Reviews and Comments

    👩🏻‍🍳 Why You'll Love This Recipe

    When making dinner, rice can be seen as an afterthought. You rinse some rice and toss it into a pot or a rice cooker and call it a day. Why fix what's not broken, right?

    However, with this easy Instant Pot cilantro lime rice, you'll have everyone reaching for seconds and giving you compliments on how tasty it is!

    The best part is that it's not that much more work than making traditional rice, you just have to remember to pick up some cilantro and a few limes and you're good to go.

    Trust me, you'll have the make this fresh instead of using cilantro lime rice box mix from the store.

    I make this rice at least a few times a month. It goes really well with a variety of dishes such as my easy steak bowls and air fryer fish tacos. I highly recommend you give this a try as it's an easy way to add more flavor to your meals. The fresh cilantro and lime flavors are like a party in your mouth!

    🥘 Ingredients Needed

    Ingredients needed to make cilantro lime rice.
    With just a few ingredients, you will have this delicious cilantro lime rice ready in no time!
    • vegetable stock - for maximum flavor, I use vegetable stock. You can also use water but it won't be as flavorful. Chicken stock is great as well if you do not need this to be vegetarian friendly.
    • lime - you'll need lime juice and lime zest to flavor the rice.
    • salt - same as above.
    • rice - I use long grain basmati rice to make my cilantro lime rice. It's light, tender, and fluffy!
    • cilantro - the more the merrier! Feel free to add extra cilantro to this rice. Of course, make sure you're using fresh cilantro. If they're yellowing or wilty, skip them and grab a different bunch at the store.

    🔪 Instructions

    Set of four photos showing how to make cilantro lime rice.
    In only a few simple steps, you will love making this delicious cilantro lime rice!
    1. Inside of an Instant Pot liner, combine the vegetable broth, lime zest, and salt.
    2. Rinse the rice and then add it to the pressure cooker. Do not stir. Simply try to add it as evenly as possible and give it a gentle pat if all the rice is not submerged.
    3. Pressure cook on high pressure for 3 minutes. NPR before opening the lid. Add the cilantro and lime juice.
    4. Stir to combine and add more salt/lime juice if desired.

    👪 FAQs

    What is NPR?

    NPR stands for Natural Pressure Release. All it means is you just wait for the metal pin in your lid to drop instead of doing a quick release to get all the steam out of your Instant Pot. The steam inside of the pot continues to cook the rice while the pressure is slowly coming down.

    Can I make this ahead of time?

    You sure can! Simply keep the cooked rice in the fridge in an airtight container until ready to enjoy. Reheat in the microwave. You can even hold off on adding the cilantro and lime juice until ready to eat.

    Can I use a different rice?

    This recipe was tested specifically for basmati rice. Brown rice takes a lot longer to cook so I recommend sticking with white basmati rice.

    A spoonful of cilantro lime rice lifting from a plate.
    You'll be reaching for seconds of this cilantro lime rice after your first spoonful.

    💭 Other Helpful Tips

    • It's much easier to zest a lime before juicing so be sure to do that first.
    • If you keep your limes in the fridge, bring them to room temperature to make them easier to juice.
    • Roll the lime on the counter to loosen the juices so you get more juice out of one lime.
    • Always wash the cilantro before using to make sure any dirt or debris from the fresh herb.
    • Always rinse the rice. This helps remove extra starch (as well as any dust) so the rice won't stick together as they cook. This ensures light and fluffy rice!
    • Fresh lime juice leads to much tastier rice than bottled lime juice.

    📖 Variations

    • Want more flavor? Add a pinch of garlic powder or freshly minced garlic to the pressure cooker before cooking the rice.
    • Chicken broth is a great alternative to vegetable broth.

    🥗 Suggested Main Dishes

    Some great recipes to serve with this tasty cilantro lime rice is this Slow Cooker Veggie Fajitas, Chipotle Shrimp and Asparagus Soft Tacos, Shrimp in Butter Lime Sauce, and Fajita Bowls! Serve it as a side dish to any Tex-Mex recipes!

    🍞 Related Recipes

    • Lemon Dill Rice - Another fresh and zesty rice, this lemon dill rice is a great side dish for any meal.
    • Cilantro Lime Asparagus and Rice - If you have extra cilantro and lime, then make this cilantro lime asparagus and rice! It's tasty, flavorful, and hearty.
    • Zucchini Walnut Fried Rice - Healthier than traditional fried rice, this zucchini walnut fried rice is hearty, filling, and nourishing!
    A scoop of cilantro lime rice in front of a pot of rice.
    This flavorful cilantro lime rice is quickly made with an instant pot.

    If you love the cilantro lime flavor combo, you need to try this Cilantro Lime Chicken Marinade, a quick and easy recipe that will make your chicken tender and so delicious, no matter how you cook it!

    Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice

    📋 Recipe Card

    A large plate of cilantro lime rice.

    Instant Pot Cilantro Rice

    Recipe Author: Carmy
    Fluffy and flavorful, this Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice is the perfect side dish for any meal! All you need are five ingredients and you'll have this dish ready in no time. Fresh and zesty, everyone will be reaching for more.
    5 from 55 votes
    Print Recipe Share by Email Bookmark Saved!
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 3 minutes mins
    Natural Pressure Release 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 23 minutes mins
    Course Side Dish
    Cuisine American
    Servings 6 servings
    Calories 233 kcal

    Equipment

    • Instant Pot

    Ingredients
     

    • 2 cups vegetable broth
    • 1 lime zest and juice
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 2 cups basmati rice
    • 1 bunch cilantro roughly chopped
    US Customary - Metric
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Inside of an Instant Pot liner, combine the vegetable broth, lime zest, and salt.
      2 cups vegetable broth, 1 lime, 1 teaspoon salt
    • Rinse the rice and then add it to the pressure cooker. Do not stir. Simply try to add it as evenly as possible and give it a gentle pat if all the rice is not submerged.
      2 cups basmati rice
    • Pressure cook on high pressure for 3 minutes. NPR before opening the lid. Add the cilantro and lime juice.
      1 bunch cilantro, 1 lime
    • Stir to combine and add more salt/lime juice if desired.

    Notes

    • Use freshly squeezed lime juice for the best results.
    • Zest the lime before juicing.
    • Roll room temperature lime on the counter to loosen the juices so you get more juice out of one lime.
    • Always wash the cilantro before using it.
    • Rinsing rice before using helps remove extra starch (as well as any dust) so the rice won't stick together as they cook.

    Video

    Nutrition

    Calories: 233kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 705mg | Potassium: 89mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 262IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1mg

    Nutritional information is an estimate. The nutritional values for your final dish may vary based on measuring differences and products used.

    Want to make cooking even easier?Sign up here to receive FREE DBH exclusive content, including my favorite kitchen shortcuts and hacks, and unlock access to the DBH resource library with many other free downloads!

    Carmy is the blogger behind Carmyy.com and Onepotonly.com where she shares simple delicious recipes that are family friendly and easy to make! You can find her on Instagram and TikTok when she's not on her blog!

    More Side Dish Recipes

    • Overhead shot of a small clear bowl with cornbread mix and a spoon on a marble surface and a cornbread mix box in the background.
      Copycat Jiffy Cornbread Mix
    • Side shot of pasta salad garnished with basil in a large clear bowl on a marble table.
      Chickpea Pasta Salad
    • Close up side shot of mango avocado salad in a white bowl with a gold spoon on a white plate.
      Avocado Mango Salad
    • Close up shot of a chip being dipped into cilantro lime dip with sliced limes and cilantro in the background.
      Cilantro Lime Dip
    28 shares
    • Share
    • Tweet
    • Flipboard
    • Email

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Thanks for stopping by! Share a tip or comment... Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Tavo

      February 23, 2022 at 5:26 pm

      5 stars
      Loved how easy to make this lime rice was! It paired fantastically with my Thai Green Curry. Thank u!

      Reply
    2. Sara

      February 23, 2022 at 5:18 pm

      5 stars
      Great, simple side dish that the whole family loved.

      Reply
    3. Emily

      February 23, 2022 at 3:04 pm

      We love cilantro lime rice in our house! Thank you for sharing a recipe that uses simple ingredients we have on hand and is prepared quickly!

      Reply
    4. Andrea

      February 23, 2022 at 2:54 pm

      5 stars
      I'm always looking for flavorful easy to make side dishes. Will be making this fantastic rice ASAP!

      Reply
    5. MJ

      February 23, 2022 at 2:23 pm

      5 stars
      This is such an easy and flavorful rice. We love this - it goes well as a side for so many different dishes!

      Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    A close up of a woman

    👋 Hey there, I'm Kristin! As a full-time working wife and mom, my life is such a whirlwind, it makes me dizzy sometimes! So I have been working to develop quick, easy, family-friendly recipes for 20+ years, and this site is where I share them with you! Happy cooking!

    Trending Recipes

    • Side view of chicken potato bake in baking pan on a wooden table with white plates and a spoon in the background.
      Chicken Potato Bake
    • Pan fried banana snacks piled on a white square dish and placed on yellow and green napkins.
      Pan Fried Cinnamon Bananas
    • Side view of stew in brown pot on a brown placemat.
      Brazilian Fish Stew
    • Side view of chicken pot pie in a white bowl with a fork and a green background.
      Easy Chicken Pot Pie
    • Overhead view of ground turkey pasta broccoli dinner on a white dish
      Easy Ground Turkey Pasta Broccoli Dinner
    • Overhead shot of baked spinach mushroom quesadillas sliced into pieces on a white plate with herbs on the side.
      Baked Spinach Mushroom Quesadillas

    Fun Fall Recipes!

    • Side view of three cream cheese pumpkin rollups stacked on a blue plate on a wooden table.
      Cream Cheese Pumpkin Rollups
    • Round chocolate cookie topped with chocolate kiss pressed into orange frosting on a baking sheet.
      Witch Hat Cookies
    • Side close up shot two whoopie pies leaning on each other on a grey surface with sprinkles in front.
      Pumpkin Cheesecake Cake Mix Whoopie Pies
    • Close up shot of pumpkin cake pops on a black surface.
      Easy Pumpkin Cake Pops
    • Close up shot of monster mash in a black pan with mini marshmallows and halloween decorations in the background.
      Monster Mash
    • Pumpkin spice cakes with cream cheese frosting on a chopping board.
      Pumpkin Spice Cake
    See more Halloween →

    Footer

    as featured on


    About

    • Contributors
    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclosure Policy
    • Accessibility Policy

    Contact

    • Contact
    • FAQ
    • Subscribe

    Follow

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

    ↑ back to top

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2013-2022 Nesting Penguins LLC - All content including text and photos