Mexican Rice
What better side dish for all your favorite Mexican meals than Mexican rice? This recipe is easy to make, flavorful, and fluffy, and it will rival any Mexican restaurant‘s rice!
I think Mexican Rice and Refried Beans are staples for Taco Tuesday, lol! They are both easy to prepare and round out any Mexican meal.
Serve this rice with any of my Mexican meals, but 2 of our favorites are Homemade Ground Beef Taco Meat and Slow Cooker Carnitas.
Pro Tips For The Best Mexican Rice
- To enhance flavor and prevent clumping, toast the rice. It requires extra work, but the benefits make it worthwhile. You can skip this step, but it’s well worth the extra time.
- I am not calling this an authentic recipe, but it’s what my family likes. Most recipes use tomato bouillon, and I never have that on hand, so I adapted it to what I do have.
- I have not tested this recipe using brown rice. I recommend using a long-grain white rice such as Jasmine, Basmati, or regular long-grain white rice.
How To Make Mexican Rice
Since this recipe has so few ingredients, I want to emphasize the importance of toasting the rice. Taking the time to toast it adds an extra layer of flavor that makes the dish delicious.
Additionally, toasting helps ensure that the individual grains of rice remain separate in the final product instead of clumping together.
I add the onion while toasting the rice to help start softening. After the rice starts to turn golden, add the tomato paste. Adding the tomato paste first before the broth makes it easier to combine. Add in the remaining ingredients and cover. Let it simmer until all the liquid is absorbed.
Leave the lid on for 10 minutes. The trapped steam will finish cooking the rice and ensure the rice is nice and fluffy!
How Much Rice Per Person?
I usually plan on 1/2 cup of cooked rice per person. This recipe makes roughly 5 1/2 cups of cooked rice, so about 11 servings.
Can I Make This Mexican Rice With Tomato Sauce Instead?
Yes! Pour 1/3 cup of tomato sauce into a liquid measuring cup, then fill the rest of the way with chicken broth to 3 cups.
DID YOU KNOW….
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Mexican Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1½ cups (320g) long grain white rice
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 3 cups (710ml) chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add the rice and onion and cook, stirring frequently until the rice starts to turn slightly golden.1 tablespoon oil, 1½ cups (320g) long grain white rice, 1 small onion, diced
- Stir in the tomato paste until combined. Stir in the chicken broth, garlic powder, and salt. Cover and simmer until all the liquid is absorbed, about 10-15 minutes.1 tablespoon tomato paste, 3 cups (710ml) chicken broth, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- Remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork.
Notes
- STORAGE: Store cooled rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- FREEZER-FRIENDLY: Freeze completely cooled rice in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months.
- NUTRITION: Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the information shown is just an estimate. This website is not intended as nutritional advice, or a diet or health plan. Readers of this website are ultimately responsible for all decisions pertaining to their health.
Nutrition
