Mexican rice cooks with tomato puree, chicken stock, jalapeños, and garlic for a highly concentrated and flavorful side dish.
We serve ours with carnitas, carne asada, and ground beef tacos.
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE
- Tomatoes: I puree the tomatoes beforehand making it easier for them to cook down; you can also use diced tomatoes and saute them for longer.
- Onion: Red onion nicely flavors the rice.
- Better than Bouillon: Better Than Bouillon and water act in place of stock for this recipe. It’s flavorful, easy, and something I always keep in my pantry. You can swap for two cups of chicken or vegetable broth if you prefer.
- Cumin: Add warmth to the rice with ground cumin.
- White Rice: This recipe calls for long-grain white rice, our family’s preferred choice. You can substitute for brown rice, but you will need to increase the cooking time if you choose to do so. Either way, don’t forget to toast your rice; this step helps the rice maintain its texture during the cooking process.
- Jalapeños: We use jalapeños, but if you want flavor and a bit more spice, use serrano peppers instead.
- Garlic: I suggest using four cloves, but don’t let my recipe tell you how much garlic to use- go for it.
- Garnish: Finish the rice with chopped cilantro and lime juice.
HOW TO MAKE MEXICAN RICE
BLEND -Add the tomatoes and onion to a blender or food processor, and blend until smooth.
COMBINE AND BOIL – Pour the mixture into a saucepan. Stir in the water, Better Than Bouillon, salt, and cumin. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
TOAST – While the tomato mixture is cooking, warm oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the rice and toast until the rice becomes golden, about 5 minutes.
ADD – Add jalapeños and garlic to the rice and cook until they soften for about 2 minutes.
COVER AND COOK – Pour the boiling tomato mixture over the rice and stir to combine. Reduce the heat, cover, and cook until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender for about 10-15 minutes.
STEAM – Remove the rice from heat and fluff it with a fork. Cover with the lid and set it aside to steam for 5 minutes before serving.
SERVE – Add cilantro and lime juice and fluff again. Garnish with lime wedges, and enjoy!
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WHAT TO DO WITH THE LEFTOVERS
- FRIDGE – Store the leftovers in an air-tight container; it will keep for 3-5 days.
- FREEZE – Allow the dish to cool completely, then add it to a freezer-safe bag or container. It will freeze for up to 6 months. When you’re ready to eat it, defrost it in the fridge.
- REHEAT – To serve, warm it in the microwave or on the stove-top, and enjoy!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. Add the tomatoes and diced onion to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.
2. Pour the mixture into a saucepan. Stir in the water, Better Than Bouillon, salt, and cumin, and bring to a boil over medium heat.
3. While the tomato mixture is coming to a boil, warm oil in an Instant Pot on saute mode until shimmering. Add the rice and toast until the rice becomes golden, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the jalapeños and garlic and cook until they soften for about 2 minutes.
5. Pour the boiling tomato mixture over the rice and stir to combine.
6. Secure the lid and set it to manual low pressure for 4-6 minutes.
7. Fluff the rice with a fork and cover with the lid, do not seal it. Allow the rice to steam for 5 minutes before serving.
8. To serve, add the cilantro and lime juice and fluff again. Garnish with lime wedges and enjoy.
Use Vegetable Better than Bouillon to make our Mexican rice recipe vegetarian and vegan-friendly.
Absolutely! However, add an extra 1/2 cup of water and increase the cooking time by about 10-20 minutes.
YOU SHOULD ALSO TRY:
Mexican Rice
Equipment
- Food Processor or Blender
Ingredients
- 3 Roma tomatoes, quartered
- ½ red onion, coarsely chopped
- 2 cups water
- 2 teaspoons Chicken Better than Bouillon
- 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon cumin, ground
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 2 cups white rice
- 1 jalapeño, stems and seeds removed, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- ⅓ cup cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 lime, juiced, plus wedges to garnish
Instructions
- Add the tomatoes and onion to a blender or food processor, and blend until smooth.
- Pour the mixture into a saucepan. Stir in the water, Better Than Bouillon, salt, and cumin. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
- While the tomato mixture is cooking, warm oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add the rice and toast until the rice becomes golden, about 5 minutes.
- Add jalapeños and garlic to the rice and cook until they soften for about 2 minutes.
- Pour the boiling tomato mixture over the rice and stir to combine. Reduce the heat, cover, and cook until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender for about 10-15 minutes.
- Remove the rice from heat and fluff it with a fork. Cover with the lid and set it aside to steam for 5 minutes before serving.
- To serve, add cilantro and lime juice and fluff again. Garnish with lime wedges, and enjoy!
Notes
- Nutrition Disclosure: The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.
- Web Story: Check out our web story for Mexican rice!