This Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Brown Rice is made with heart healthy ingredients, but doesn’t skimp on flavor. This quick and easy side dish is versatile and delicious!

A bowl of cilantro lime brown rice on a wood table next to a wood spoon.

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Cilantro Lime Brown Rice in the Instant Pot

The Instant Pot is the way to go to quickly cook a batch of brown rice…something we eat quite a lot around here. I grew up on white rice and love it, but for everyday meals, I turn to heart-healthy brown rice.

I love its nutty quality and chewy bite, and the texture of brown basmati is perfect for turning into that crowd favorite cilantro lime rice. The result is a fluffy and flavorful side dish with an undercurrent of lime that lingers.

Closeup of a bowl of instant pot cilantro lime brown rice.

Ingredients for Cilantro Lime Brown Rice

Brown basmati rice — a long grain rice originally cultivated in India and Pakistan. It’s not sticky and holds its individual shape, so it retains lots of surface area (places for flavor to cling to!). It’s a great source of soluble fiber and rich in B vitamins (according to WebMD).
Lime — use both the zest and juice of the lime for that lingering lime flavor.
Cilantro — because you can’t have cilantro lime rice without it!
Avocado oil — a heart-healthy oil with a neutral flavor and high smoke point. I like it for this dish because it doesn’t compete with the other fresh flavors. It’s used here to lightly toast the rice kernels before cooking.
Broth — I use a combination of vegetable broth and water to cook the rice. The broth adds flavor, and the water limits the amount of salt.
Seasonings — fresh garlic, cumin, kosher salt and just a pinch of sugar work to enhance all of the fresh ingredients.

Raw ingredients for instant pot brown rice on a wooden table.

Easy Instant Pot Instructions

(No Instant Pot? No worries! Check the recipe card for stove top instructions.)

Use the ‘Saute’ function on the Instant Pot to toast the rice. Wait until the screen reads ‘hot’ then add two teaspoons of avocado oil and the rice. Stir it as it cooks to toast the kernels evenly — it takes only a minute or two. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute to release its fragrance.
Stir in the cooking liquids, cumin, salt and lime zest. Turn off the ‘Saute’ function and seal the pot with the lid. Make sure the valve is set to ‘Sealing’ and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. Allow the pressure to naturally release.
Combine the lime juice with a pinch of sugar and the remaining avocado oil.
Remove the Instant Pot lid and fluff the rice with a fork. Add the lime juice mixture and chopped cilantro and stir together.

Brown rice toasting in an Instant Pot. — step 1

Broth, lime zest and brown rice in the bowl of an Instant Pot. — step 1

Drizzling oil into a bowl of lime juice. — step 3

Cilantro being added to cooked brown rice. — step 3

Ways to Use Cilantro Lime Brown Rice

In addition to being a great side dish for proteins like Easy Weeknight Grilled Adobo Chicken Thighs or Oven Roasted Turkey + Chorizo Roulade, serve it with or in:

Burritos and tacos
Salads and bowls
Saucy curry dishes
Latin stews
Fajitas

Helpful Tips

Store leftovers in a tightly sealed container in your refrigerator for four days or your freezer for up to 6 months.
It’s typical to rinse rice before cooking to remove any debris and surface starch so you don’t end up with gummy rice. However, brown rice hasn’t been milled and doesn’t have as much surface starch. You can rinse your rice and still toast it even if there’s some residual water clinging to the kernels.

A bowl of cilantro lime brown rice with a wedge of lime.

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