Cheesy Instant Pot Ground Turkey and Rice

Getting a complete, balanced dinner on the table during those crazy weeknight rushes can feel nearly impossible. Between work deadlines, after-school activities, and everything else life throws at you, the last thing you want is to spend an hour juggling multiple pots and pans while everyone asks when dinner will be ready.

That’s exactly why this Instant Pot ground turkey and rice has become my go-to solution. It’s a one-pot wonder that cooks everything together in about 30 minutes, packs in protein and veggies, and delivers those Tex-Mex flavors my family loves without any of the usual dinner-time stress.

What Kind of Ground Turkey Should I Use?

For this recipe, you’ll want to pick up ground turkey from your grocery store’s meat section, and the fat percentage matters more than you might think. I recommend using 93/7 or 85/15 ground turkey, which means it has a bit of fat in it to keep your dish moist and flavorful. If you go with 99% lean ground turkey, your meal might end up a little dry since there’s barely any fat to work with. You can also swap in ground chicken if that’s what you have on hand, as it works pretty much the same way in this recipe.

Options for Substitutions

This recipe is super forgiving and works well with different ingredients you might have on hand:

• Ground turkey: Ground chicken, ground beef, or even plant-based ground meat all work great here. If using beef, you might want to drain some fat after browning.
• Rice: White rice is what this recipe calls for, but you can use brown rice if you prefer – just add an extra ½ cup of broth and increase the cooking time by about 10 minutes. Don’t substitute with instant rice as it won’t hold up to pressure cooking.
• Salsa: Any salsa works – mild, medium, or hot depending on your preference. You can also use a can of diced tomatoes with some extra spices if that’s what you have.
• Black beans: Pinto beans or kidney beans make good swaps. Just drain and rinse them the same way you would black beans.
• Taco seasoning: If you’re out of taco seasoning, mix together 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon each of cumin and paprika, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, and a pinch of cayenne.
• Chicken broth: Vegetable broth or even water with an extra pinch of salt will do the job just fine.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake people make with Instant Pot rice dishes is not ensuring the rice is fully submerged under liquid before sealing the lid, which leads to unevenly cooked or crunchy rice – take a moment to press the rice down gently with a spoon so everything is covered by the broth and salsa mixture.

Another common error is skipping the sauté step for the rice, but that one minute of toasting the grains in oil actually helps them hold their shape and prevents them from turning mushy during pressure cooking.

When doing the quick release, stand back and use a wooden spoon to carefully turn the valve since the steam will be hot and forceful – and if you notice liquid sputtering out, switch to a natural release for 5 minutes instead.

For the best texture, let the rice sit for a few minutes after stirring before adding the cheese, which gives any remaining moisture time to absorb and prevents your dish from being watery.

What to Serve With Ground Turkey and Rice?

This ground turkey and rice is pretty much a complete meal on its own, but I love serving it with warm flour tortillas on the side so everyone can make their own wraps or burritos. A simple side of chips and guacamole is always a crowd-pleaser, or you could whip up a quick Mexican street corn salad with lime and cotija cheese. If you want to keep things light, a crisp romaine salad with a zesty lime dressing pairs really well with all those bold flavors. Sometimes I’ll even serve it alongside some refried beans or Mexican rice if I’m feeding a bigger crowd.

Storage Instructions

Store: This turkey and rice dish is a meal prep dream! Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. I like to keep the toppings separate so everything stays fresh and crispy. The rice mixture actually tastes even better the next day once all the flavors have had time to hang out together.

Freeze: You can freeze the turkey and rice mixture (without the toppings) in portion-sized containers for up to 3 months. Just make sure it’s completely cooled before freezing. This is great for those nights when you need dinner in a hurry but don’t want to order takeout.

Reheat: Warm it up in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through, or heat it on the stovetop over medium heat with a splash of chicken broth to keep it from drying out. Add your fresh toppings like lettuce, tomatoes, and sour cream right before serving so they stay nice and crisp.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 3300-3600
• Protein: 120-140 g
• Fat: 110-130 g
• Carbohydrates: 420-460 g

Ingredients

For the main dish:

• 3.5 tbsp olive oil (I prefer Bertolli Extra Light for its high smoke point)
• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 onion (finely diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 2 cups rice
• 16 oz salsa (I use Pace Picante for consistent heat levels)
• 15 oz corn
• 4 oz green chilies
• 15 oz black beans
• 1.5 oz taco seasoning
• 2.25 cups chicken broth (I always use Swanson for the best savory base)
• 1 cup Mexican cheese
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin

For the toppings:

• lettuce (shredded into thin 1/8-inch strips)
• tomatoes
• sour cream
• avocado (diced into 1/2-inch cubes)
• cilantro
• shredded cheese
• tortilla strips (optional, adds a nice crunch)

Step 1: Prep Mise en Place and Brown the Turkey

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 onion, finely diced

Dice the onion into 1/4-inch pieces and set aside.

Heat the Instant Pot on sauté mode and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

Once shimmering, add the ground turkey and cook for 3-4 minutes, breaking it apart with a spoon as it cooks.

Add the diced onion and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes until the turkey is no longer pink and the onion begins to soften.

This browning step builds flavor through the Maillard reaction, which is crucial for the final dish’s depth.

Step 2: Toast the Rice and Layer in Aromatics

• 1.5 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cups rice

Add the remaining 1.5 tablespoons of olive oil to the cooked turkey and onion mixture.

Pour in the 2 cups of rice and stir constantly for about 1 minute, allowing the rice to toast lightly.

This toasting step is key—it creates a subtle nutty flavor and helps the rice grains stay separate during pressure cooking rather than turning mushy.

The oil coating also prevents the rice from sticking.

Step 3: Build the One-Pot Base with Beans, Vegetables, and Seasonings

• 16 oz salsa
• 15 oz corn
• 4 oz green chilies
• 15 oz black beans
• 1.5 oz taco seasoning
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 2.25 cups chicken broth

Add the salsa, corn, green chilies, black beans, and taco seasoning to the toasted rice and turkey mixture.

Stir everything together for about 30 seconds to distribute the seasonings evenly and combine the flavors.

Pour in the chicken broth and stir gently, making sure the rice is fully submerged in the liquid.

I like to use a 1:1 liquid-to-rice ratio for the Instant Pot, so check that the liquid just covers the rice with about 1/4 inch above it.

Step 4: Pressure Cook Until Rice is Tender

Close the Instant Pot lid and turn the valve to sealing position.

Set the pot to high pressure for 8 minutes.

The rice will cook perfectly under pressure at this time, allowing the grains to absorb all the flavorful broth and seasonings while staying intact.

Once the timer beeps, perform a quick pressure release by carefully turning the valve to venting position.

Step 5: Finish with Melted Cheese and Final Fluffing

• 1 cup Mexican cheese

Carefully open the lid and give the rice mixture a gentle stir with a fork to fluff it and separate any clumped grains.

Sprinkle the 1 cup of Mexican cheese over the entire surface and cover the pot (with the lid off or a kitchen towel) for 1-2 minutes to allow the cheese to melt into the rice.

The residual heat will melt it perfectly without any additional cooking.

Step 6: Plate and Garnish with Fresh Toppings

• lettuce, shredded
• tomatoes
• sour cream
• avocado, diced
• cilantro
• shredded cheese
• tortilla strips

Transfer the cheesy turkey and rice to serving bowls.

Arrange the fresh toppings around or on top of each bowl: shredded lettuce (cut into thin 1/8-inch strips), diced tomatoes, dollops of sour cream, diced avocado (cut into 1/2-inch cubes), fresh cilantro, and additional shredded cheese if desired.

For added texture and color, I like to top with crispy tortilla strips.

Let guests customize their bowls to their preference.

Cheesy Instant Pot Ground Turkey and Rice

Delicious Cheesy Instant Pot Ground Turkey and Rice recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 27 minutes mins

Servings 6 servings

Calories 3450 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the main dish::

• 3.5 tbsp olive oil (I prefer Bertolli Extra Light for its high smoke point)
• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 onion (finely diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 2 cups rice
• 16 oz salsa (I use Pace Picante for consistent heat levels)
• 15 oz corn
• 4 oz green chilies
• 15 oz black beans
• 1.5 oz taco seasoning
• 2.25 cups chicken broth (I always use Swanson for the best savory base)
• 1 cup Mexican cheese
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin

For the toppings::

• lettuce (shredded into thin 1/8-inch strips)
• tomatoes
• sour cream
• avocado (diced into 1/2-inch cubes)
• cilantro
• shredded cheese
• tortilla strips (optional, adds a nice crunch)

Instructions

 

• Dice the onion into 1/4-inch pieces and set aside. Heat the Instant Pot on sauté mode and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Once shimmering, add the ground turkey and cook for 3-4 minutes, breaking it apart with a spoon as it cooks. Add the diced onion and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes until the turkey is no longer pink and the onion begins to soften. This browning step builds flavor through the Maillard reaction, which is crucial for the final dish's depth.
• Add the remaining 1.5 tablespoons of olive oil to the cooked turkey and onion mixture. Pour in the 2 cups of rice and stir constantly for about 1 minute, allowing the rice to toast lightly. This toasting step is key—it creates a subtle nutty flavor and helps the rice grains stay separate during pressure cooking rather than turning mushy. The oil coating also prevents the rice from sticking.
• Add the salsa, corn, green chilies, black beans, and taco seasoning to the toasted rice and turkey mixture. Stir everything together for about 30 seconds to distribute the seasonings evenly and combine the flavors. Pour in the chicken broth and stir gently, making sure the rice is fully submerged in the liquid. I like to use a 1:1 liquid-to-rice ratio for the Instant Pot, so check that the liquid just covers the rice with about 1/4 inch above it.
• Close the Instant Pot lid and turn the valve to sealing position. Set the pot to high pressure for 8 minutes. The rice will cook perfectly under pressure at this time, allowing the grains to absorb all the flavorful broth and seasonings while staying intact. Once the timer beeps, perform a quick pressure release by carefully turning the valve to venting position.
• Carefully open the lid and give the rice mixture a gentle stir with a fork to fluff it and separate any clumped grains. Sprinkle the 1 cup of Mexican cheese over the entire surface and cover the pot (with the lid off or a kitchen towel) for 1-2 minutes to allow the cheese to melt into the rice. The residual heat will melt it perfectly without any additional cooking.
• Transfer the cheesy turkey and rice to serving bowls. Arrange the fresh toppings around or on top of each bowl: shredded lettuce (cut into thin 1/8-inch strips), diced tomatoes, dollops of sour cream, diced avocado (cut into 1/2-inch cubes), fresh cilantro, and additional shredded cheese if desired. For added texture and color, I like to top with crispy tortilla strips. Let guests customize their bowls to their preference.