4-Ingredient Tomatillo Rice – Instant Pot Recipe

Name: 4-Ingredient Tomatillo Rice - Instant Pot Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 cup brown rice (rinsed); 1 cup tomatillos (*canned pureed); 1 cup chicken stock (low sodium - vegetable broth or water will work too); 2 tsp butter

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April 21, 2019 Updated: July 10, 2021 By Julie Menghini 42 Comments

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Tomatillo Rice is a 4-ingredient recipe that cooks up in a fast 15 minutes using the Instant Pot. It makes a great side dish and is delicious stuffed into your favorite burrito recipe

Top-down view of two white bowls of Tomatillo Rice garnished with fresh cilantro on a green napkin next to two forks.

Tomatillo Rice is so easy to make. It’s nice and fluffy and never sticky. It tastes great right next to your favorite Mexican recipe or makes a flavorful filling in burritos.

It’s been several years since we were first introduced to a green salsa made from tomatillos at a Mexican restaurant that we like. I was so smitten (yep I said smitten) that I asked the waitress for the recipe. She gave us her mother’s tomatillo recipe and we tried it shortly thereafter.

First of all, it was quite a bit of work. Secondly, it was so hot that I’ve just now recovered. It was a great start though.

We liked tomatillos so much that we actually planted a couple. Note to self one plant produces enough fruit for the whole neighborhood! For this recipe, I actually used canned tomatillos. Fresh definitely have their place but the canned tomatillos work perfectly in this recipe. They worked perfectly in my Poblano Pork Stew over Tomatillo Rice. That rice was made without an Instant Pot too.

I was really curious about what a tomatillo actually is. We grew up eating green tomatoes and these are kind of like them, right? It turns out, like tomatoes, it’s a member of the nightshade family but a totally different plant. Scientists have actually found tomatillo fossils dating back 52 million years in Argentina!

A green napkin topped with a white bowl piled high with tomatillo rice and sprinkled with fresh cilantro. A second bowl sits in the background.

Common questions about tomatillos:

Can tomatillos be eaten raw? Yes! Raw tomatillos are tart but can be chopped up into salads. Cooking or roasting tomatillos mellow out their flavor and are often made into sauces, added to salsas and dips.

How do you know when a tomatillo is ripe? Tomatillos are ripe when green and should be picked when their husk has burst. They can also be purple or yellow.

How do you prepare fresh tomatillos? Remove the husk which is like a thin paper. Rinse to remove the sticky residue I often use a citrus-based fruit and vegetable wash that works well to remove the sticky film.

Do tomatillos need to be peeled? Nope. They can be chopped raw or cooked or roasted without peeling.

Is Green Rice and Tomatillo Rice the same thing?

No. Mexican Green Rice is a Cilantro Rice Pilaf and traditionally has poblano chiles, onions, cilantro, parsley, carrots, and peas.

A few things you may need:

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6-Qt 9-in-1 Programmable Instant Pot – I really recommend this Instant Pot. It has been so easy getting to know. I have the 8-quart size but the 6-quart size would be adequate for most recipes.
Silicone Spatulas – This pretty set has a flat side and a curved side to take on your toughest job. I love that they are all one piece and can withstand 500°F! Throw out those old chipped ones and treat yourself!

Pin this delicious Tomatillo Rice recipe to your favorite Sides, Vegetarian, or Mexican food board

Two photo collage of two close ups of Tomatillo Rice at different angles in a white bowl garnished with fresh cilantro. The title banner \"Tomatillo Rice - Instant Pot Recipe runs through the center.

Do you have a favorite tomatillo recipe? I’d love to use this fruit a lot more and would love it if you’d share it with us by posting it in the comments below. Or, send me an email. I answer all of my own correspondence and never share or sell your contact information.

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5 from 15 votes