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Instant Pot Burrito Bowl

This quick and cheesy Instant Pot burrito bowl recipe is light, fresh, and filled with Mexican-style flavor. It’s an easy meal that the whole family will love!

Overhead image of a burrito bowl in a dinner plate topped with chopped peppers and fresh cilantro.

This delicious, protein-packed Instant Pot Burrito Bowl is the best nutritious dinner or easy lunch on busy weekdays! All it takes is your Instant Pot and less than an hour to make this easy meal bowl bursting with Mexican flavors.

Why We Love This Instant Pot Burrito Bowl Recipe

  • Versatile. Burrito bowls are customizable and super quick to make in the Instant Pot.
  • Great for beginners. If you’re just starting to use an Instant Pot, this is the perfect recipe to get you going.
  • Lots of protein. After the success of my Instant Pot beef burritos, I was inspired to make a bowl version that was leaner with ground turkey and black beans.
  • Easy meal prep. This recipe makes a lot of food. It’s perfect for prepping weekly meals ahead. All leftovers can be refrigerated and kept for later times.
Close-up image of a burrito bowl garnished with fresh cilantro and chopped chiles.

Instant Pot Burrito Bowl Ingredients

  • Vegetable Oil: For sautéing. You can also use olive oil or avocado oil.
  • Onion and Garlic: Our must-have aromatics. I use yellow onion, but white onion is okay to use.
  • Fajita Seasoning: I use my favorite homemade fajita seasoning, but you can use your own blend or store-bought.
  • Chicken Broth
  • Ground Turkey: You can also make this recipe with ground chicken or beef.
  • Corn and Black Beans: If you’re using canned, make sure to drain and rinse beforehand.
  • Salsa: Use your preferred jarred salsa.
  • Rice: Jasmine rice or another long-grain rice works best for this Instant Pot recipe. Avoid minute rice.

How to Make an Instant Pot Burrito Bowl

You’re about to make the best burrito bowl straight from the Instant Pot! If you’re new to cooking with the Instant Pot, let’s walk through the steps:

  1. Sauté the onions and garlic. With the Instant Pot set to sauté, you’ll start by cooking the onions and garlic in a bit of oil. 
  2. Add the ingredients to the pot. Next, sprinkle in the fajita seasoning and pour in some of the chicken broth. Add your ground turkey and break it up a bit using a wooden spoon. Then you’ll stir in your corn, beans, and salsa. Finally, top everything with rice and the remaining chicken broth.
  3. Cook. Pressure cook on High for 8 minutes, then naturally release the pressure for 12 minutes. Lift the lid and give everything a stir, then let the contents rest for a few minutes more before serving.
  4. Serve! Scoop out the burrito mixture into bowls and pile on your toppings. We love ours with avocado, veggies, cheese, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. See below for more ideas.
Instant Pot burrito bowl served in a dark bowl.

Recipe Tips and Variations

  • Budget enough time. While the cooking time is 8 minutes, the Instant Pot will need an additional 10 minutes to come to pressure and another 12 minutes to naturally release the pressure.
  • Layer the ingredients. Properly layering the burrito ingredients in the pot, as per the recipe instructions, is the key to this recipe’s success.
  • Different protein. In place of ground turkey, try ground chicken, ground beef, or pork. I also love adding shredded salsa verde chicken to a burrito bowl, or this Instant Pot chicken mole is another easy Instant Pot recipe that you can try.
  • Make it vegetarian. To make a vegetarian burrito bowl, skip the ground meat or substitute it with lentils or plant-based mince.
  • Make a breakfast burrito bowl. Follow this recipe as directed and borrow the toppings from my breakfast burrito recipe

Burrito Bowl Toppings

  • Toppings: sliced or diced avocado, shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, chopped chile, diced onions, shredded cheese, salsa, avocado tomatillo salsa, mango guacamole, fresh cilantro, and/or a squeeze of lime juice.
Instant pot burrito bowl served in a bowl and topped with diced onions and fresh cilantro.

What to Serve With Burrito Bowls

For an easy meatless side, try this copycat recipe for Chipotle’s spicy sofritas. We love this spicy homemade enchilada sauce, chimichurri sauce, or good old honey mustard on top. To really round out a dinner, serve these baked tacos or mahi mahi fish tacos.

Storing Leftovers

  • Store the burrito mixture separately from the toppings in airtight containers and refrigerate it for up to 1 week or freeze it for 2 to 3 months. Thaw before reheating.
  • Reheat the mixture in the microwave or in a skillet on the stovetop until it’s hot throughout.

More One Bowl Recipes

Overhead image of a burrito bowl in a dinner plate topped with chopped peppers and fresh cilantro.

Instant Pot Burrito Bowls

Katerina | Diethood
Quick, cheesy, and delicious burrito bowls made in the Instant Pot! Prepare for a fantastic, lightened-up meal that the whole family will love.
4.58 from 19 votes
Servings : 8 Servings
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon Homemade Fajitas Seasoning
  • cups chicken broth, divided
  • 1 pound lean ground turkey
  • salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 can (15-ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can (15-ounces) corn, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup salsa
  • 1 cup jasmine rice
Toppings
  • chopped chiles
  • cherry tomatoes
  • avocados, sliced or chopped
  • shredded cheddar cheese
  • lime, cut in wedges, for serving
  • finely chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Turn the Instant Pot on saute setting and add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add in the diced onions and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 20 seconds.
  • Season with Fajitas Seasoning Mix; add in 1/4 cup of the chicken broth, stir, and simmer for 1 minute.
  • Add in the ground turkey, break it up with a wooden spoon, and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the beans, corn, and salsa to combine.
  • Add the rice on top of the mixture, but don't stir. Add the remaining broth over the rice.
  • On manual setting, set the pressure on HIGH for 8 minutes. Close and lock the lid. Instant Pot will take about 10 minutes to preheat and then 10 minutes to cook.
  • When the cooking time is complete, do a natural pressure release for 12 minutes. 
  • Remove the lid and stir. Place the lid back on (powered off) and let stand for 5 minutes.
  • Remove the lid and transfer the burrito mixture to serving bowls.
  • Top with your favorite toppings like tomatoes, avocados, shredded cheese, etc.
  • Squeeze fresh lime juice over the food, garnish with chopped cilantro, and serve.

Notes

  • Cooking Time: The Instant Pot requires an extra 10 minutes to reach pressure and an additional 12 minutes for a natural pressure release, in addition to the 8-minute cook time.
  • Layer Ingredients Correctly: Ensuring the burrito ingredients are layered as instructed in the recipe is crucial for the best results.
  • Ground Turkey Swap: Instead of ground turkey, use ground chicken, beef, or pork.
  • Vegetarian Version: Turn this into a vegetarian burrito bowl by omitting the ground meat or swapping it with lentils or a plant-based meat alternative.

Nutrition

Calories: 345 kcal | Carbohydrates: 43 g | Protein: 21 g | Fat: 10 g | Saturated Fat: 4 g | Cholesterol: 44 mg | Sodium: 696 mg | Potassium: 610 mg | Fiber: 6 g | Sugar: 4 g | Vitamin A: 420 IU | Vitamin C: 13.1 mg | Calcium: 117 mg | Iron: 2.7 mg

Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.

Course: Lunch/Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican/Southwest
Keyword: instant pot burrito bowl
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34 comments on “Instant Pot Burrito Bowl”

  1. I’m not sure why some people are saying their rice didn’t cook. This was literally the first meal I have made with my instant pot and it was so easy and turned out perfectly.

  2. Avatar photo
    Christie Anderson

    Just to clarify: when you add the ground turkey in are you supposed to brown it or cook it? Or will it just cook when you turn the IP on?

    Also, the directions say 7 min but recipe says 8?

  3. So, I’m making this for the first time and have found some glaring inconsistencies. Your recipe info says 7 minutes cook time, but you’re directions say cook on high for 8 and it’ll take about 10 minutes to come to pressure and 10 minutes to cook… Soooo, which is it? 7,8 or 10?

    Also, some comments have stated they received burn messages after sauteeing. Your instructions never say to saute the turkey. I went with it cooking while under pressure and I hope that was the right choice.

  4. I bet it’s tasty if you can pull it off. I followed instructions as described except I have kasmati rice not jasmine. I got burn message first try so I had to mix in the rice to deglaze. I then entered into a losing battle with burning to the pot. Transitioned to stove pot but by that fine it was just a weird mush of questionably cooked turkey.

    I should know to never sauté with the IP before pressure cooking, that never works out for me.

  5. I’m wondering if the folks saying the rice isn’t cooked aren’t new with with using an IP. Normal white rice cook time is about 7 mins and NR for about 12 mins. Your rice does have to be covered in liquid. Once I poured the rice over and added the last of the broth, I just used a spoon to push the rice under the liquid. The rice needs to stay above the meat mixture, otherwise it will burn but still does need to be submerged in the liquid to cook. My rice was perfectly cooked – I didn’t bother opening the IP and stirring, I just let it sit for 15 mins before manually releasing the steam. Everything was cooked fine.

  6. I wondered why I had so much liquid left… and then while reading the other comments I realized why…. I cooked the rice before putting it in the IP.

    After reading the comments from those who had uncooked rice, perhaps it was a good thing. I think I’ll continue to cook the rice first (might use brown rice) and reduce the amount of chicken stock.

    I also accidentally bought ground chicken instead of turkey — it works 🙂

    We like a bit more “bite”, so maybe I’ll find a stronger salsa or make some homemade pico de gallo.

    All-in-all it was a good dinner. I also think it the mixture will be great as a filling for stuffed peppers.

    BTW, the recipe says to cook on manual for 8 minutes while the page itself says 7 minutes. I cooked for 8.

  7. Hi. I want to make this a bit more diabetic friendly by using brown rice. I would also want to use dry black beans I stead of canned to account for the added cooking time of the rice.
    Will all the other ingredients still be ok to cook for longer?
    Thx
    Kay

  8. I just made this for the 2nd time and it was so yummy both times. I only made 2 subs. I used basmati rice, only because it was the only rice i had the 1st time. Turned out tasting great and perfectly cooked! Also i used kale instead of regular lettuce. Adds a really nice crunch and doesn’t wilt. This is definitely going to be my go to meal! And its one of my husbands favorite!!

  9. Should have read the comments. Rice was nowhere near cooked. Trying to add time and hope for the best.

  10. I followed to recipe exactly and kept getting the burn notice… it looked like the spices burned on the bottom when the pressure was building. So twice I tried adding liquid and deglazing and trying again. Didn’t work, waste of a ton of ingredients.

  11. Avatar photo
    Kimberly Adams

    Hello Katerina! This is the 2nd dish I’ve made as I just got my instant pot. I really enjoyed it. I followed the recipe and my jasmine rice turned out perfect. Based on comments I did use 2 tablespoons of your homemade fajita seasoning. I used a more liquid based salsa I think as afterward when I looked back at the picture of yours in the pot, I think you used a more chunky salsa. Anyway, I loved it. Thanks for the recipe. So quick, easy and fast.

  12. Avatar photo
    Kelly Conrad

    This recipe was amazing! I made a couple changes, use a full container of salsa, used brown rice, added extra broth to try and cover the rice, and set the timer to 15 minutes. Like the other reviewers the rice wasn’t cooked even with the extra time. I gave it a stir and cooked it for another 5 minutes. I think part of the problem is not stirring the rice and not adding enough liquid to cover it. The guide says 20 to 22 minutes for brown rice. A couple other things, I used frozen Turkey and broke it up during the saute and added a big old jar of 505 green chili. Everyone loved the heck out of this. Thanks for posting it.

  13. I made this last night and it was incredibly delicious! I will definitely be making this recipe again. My husband and I even ate it for breakfast this morning. I made a couple of changes based on comments: I doubled the Fajita seasoning, and used a rice and ancient grains mix that I get at Costco instead of Jasmine rice. This was perfect as the rice/grain mix was fully cooked in the 7 minute time. The other thing I added as a topping along with the other suggested toppings was sour cream. The squeeze of lime really gave the dish a wonderful fresh flavor – but I love lime anyway. I love simple, easy, delicious IP recipes and this is one of them.

  14. The rice was not done at all. I’m going to add time on now, but my poor kids are starving. Such a bummer. I would not cook this again.

  15. Didn’t work out. Dish was bland and rice was still crunchy. In my experience, 7 minutes is nowhere near enough time for rice dishes. This dish is much better made in a skillet and adding precooked rice to the dish. It takes about the same amount of time too.

  16. I made this and while it tasted really good, it was kind of watery. Dumb question: was I supposed to use uncooked rice? What did I do wrong?

  17. What changes would I need to make on the IP if I leave out the ground turkey and only use veggie stock to make this vegetarian?

  18. Avatar photo
    Patricia @ Grab a Plate

    Your bowls are always amazing, and this is no different! Can’t wait to try it in my IP!

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