Mexican rice cooks with tomato puree, chicken stock, jalapeños, and garlic for a highly concentrated and flavorful side dish; it’s the perfect addition to carnitas and ground beef tacos.
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!
Nutrition
Check out our web story for Mexican rice!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE
- Tomatoes: I puree the tomatoes beforehand making it easier for them to cook down. You can use diced tomatoes if you prefer.
- Onion: I use red onion in this recipe.
- 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.
- Cumin: Cumin adds warmth and flavor to the rice.
- Oil: Toast the rice in avocado oil.
- 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.
- Cilantro: Cilantro serves as a garnish.
- Lime: The lime juice is a nice pop of acid to finish the side dish.
HOW TO MAKE MEXICAN RICE
STEP 1
Add the tomatoes and onion to a blender or food processor, and blend until smooth.
STEP 2
Pour the mixture into a saucepan. Stir in the water, Better Than Bouillon, salt, and cumin. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
STEP 3
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.
STEP 4
Add jalapeños and garlic to the rice and cook until they soften for about 2 minutes.
STEP 5
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.
STEP 6
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.
STEP 8
To serve, add cilantro and lime juice and fluff again. Garnish with lime wedges, and enjoy!
Did you enjoy our recipe for Mexican rice?
Try one of these favorites from the Jamil Ghar!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I make easy Mexican rice in the Instant Pot?
- Add the tomatoes and diced onion to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.
- Pour the mixture into a saucepan. Stir in the water, Better Than Bouillon, salt, and cumin, and bring to a boil over medium heat.
- 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.
- Add the jalapeños and garlic and cook until they soften for about 2 minutes.
- Pour the boiling tomato mixture over the rice and stir to combine.
- Secure the lid and set it to manual low pressure for 4-6 minutes.
- 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.
- To serve, add the cilantro and lime juice and fluff again. Garnish with lime wedges and enjoy.
Is this recipe vegetarian? Is it vegan?
Use Vegetable Better than Bouillon to make our Mexican rice recipe vegetarian and vegan friendly.
Can I make this recipe with brown rice?
Absolutely! However, add an extra 1/2 cup of water and increase the cooking time by about 10-20 minutes.
Can I freeze Mexican rice?
You sure can. First, allow the dish to cool completely, then add it to a freezer-safe bag or container. Mexican rice will freeze for up to 6 months. When you’re ready to eat it, defrost it in the fridge. To serve, warm it in the microwave or on the stove-top, and enjoy!