Plain white rice is getting a veggie boost of nutrition and going green in this Instant Pot Green Veggie Rice! This is the perfect way to add veggies, color, and flavor to an otherwise boring side dish.

After testing this recipe on my loved ones, I received 3 variations of opinions:

Boo-YA! My rice is basically a salad! (Me)
Ummm… Why is there grass clippings in the rice (My hilarious husband)
Whyyyyyyyyyy do you allllllllllways have to ruin white rice! (Take a wild guess who said that)

So here is my response to each

Woohoo! Fist Bump!
Eye Roll
It's not spinach rice, it's Hulk rice and your muscles will be bigger than dad's if you eat it!

In the end, whether you fall into category 1, 2, or 3 you will eventually all agree that this Green Veggie Rice is the BOMB and you'll be throwing this green mix into your Mac and Cheese, Brown Rice, Polenta, and Mashed Potatoes.

WHY YOU WILL LOVE INSTANT POT GREEN RICE

FAST: White rice cooks up quick and the greens come together in less than 5 minutes.
VEGGIE BOOSTED CARBS: We love our carbs, right? So why not veggie boost them and feel good about eating a double serving!
GOOD FOR YOU: Generally speaking, if something is green, it's probably good for you, right? Note: This does not apply to the gas station candy aisle (lookin' at you kids).
FLAVOR-TOWN: Rice can be a tad boring. Not this one! A little spinach, cilantro, lime, jalapeno, onion action, and this rice becomes vibrant with flavor.

HOW TO TRANSFORM BORING WHITE RICE

For this green veggie rice, I add big handfuls of spinach and cilantro into a food processor. Then I add a jalapeño, some green onions, lime, and salt and pulse until it all comes together.

Then I fold the mixture into my Perfectly Cooked White Rice and VOILA! Flavorful, colorful, NOT BORING, white rice. Rice has never been so tasty.

TIPS FOR SUCCESS

USE FRESH INGREDIENTS: For the best flavor use fresh cilantro, lime juice, and spinach. Dried spices, bottled lime juice, and frozen spinach don't work well for this recipe.
FLUFF THEN STIR: When the rice is done, make sure to fluff the rice with a fork before stirring in the green mixture. Stirring it in before fluffing will mash the rice and make it hard to get the green mixture incorporated evenly.
ADD GREEN MIXTURE ASAP: The greens will mix in a lot easier right after you take the pressure cooker lid off of the cooked rice. Rice thickens a bit as it sits and that will make it harder to mix.
BLEND GREEN MIXTURE WELL: Blend the mixture well before stirring it into the rice. It doesn't need to be a smooth puree necessarily, but you want to make sure there aren't any large chunks.

HOW TO STORE, REHEAT, AND FREEZE

Store: Cool leftovers and store in a sealed container for up to 5 days in the refridgerator.
Reheat: Add a splash of water and gently reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Freeze: Scoop leftovers into a freezer-safe ziptop container and freeze flat (this will make it quicker to thaw). When ready to eat, place it in the fridge overnight or on the countertop for an hour, then reheat as directed above.

MAKE AHEAD TIPS

Greens can be pureed and stored in the fridge up to 2 days in advance.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH GREEN RICE

This rice can be served with any vegetable or protein, but my two favorite recipes to serve with green rice are:

VARIATIONS

Spicy Green Rice: Leave the seeds of the jalapeno in the mix for a spicy kick.
Swap the Greens: Don't like cilantro? Swap it for parsley or add extra spinach.
Green Brown Rice: This same green mixture stirs into brown rice as well (or really any grain like quinoa, farro, etc)

This rice has been on repeat in my home for years. It will add a splash of color, nutrition, and flavor to any meal. I hope you love it too!

Enjoy!

MORE INSTANT POT RICE RECIPES

Tools/Ingredients used to make Instant Pot Green Veggie Rice