Mexican Rice Recipe

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This wonderfully simple Mexican rice recipe is the perfect side dish for Taco Tuesdays!

I have a serious love affair with Mexican food. It might even border on obsession; I’m not sure. But I will say this: We have some sort of Mexican-style dish for dinner around here at least once or twice a week, and I would cook that way far more often if I thought I could get away with it.

An overhead view of a spoon lifting some Mexican rice out of a white bowl.

Typically, I make this dish with brown rice for the purpose of healthier eating. But occasionally, I’ll make it with white rice, too. There is actually a bit of debate over which one is healthier. So I’ll give you both versions and let you decide which one to make. You’ll find the white rice version in the recipe card, and the brown rice version listed below under “Brown Rice Version”.

FAQ’s

Can I Use Brown Rice Instead Of White Rice For Mexican Rice?

Yes, you can use brown rice, but note that brown rice requires a longer cooking time and more liquid. Adjust the cooking time and liquid amount accordingly.

Can I Use Chicken Broth Instead Of Vegetable Broth?

Absolutely, you can use chicken broth if you prefer. It will add a different flavor profile to the rice.

Can I Make This Recipe Spicy?

Certainly, you can increase the amount of black pepper or add red pepper flakes to add heat. Adding minced jalapeños or other hot peppers is another option.

Can I Use Frozen Vegetables Instead Of Fresh?

Yes, frozen vegetables are a convenient option. Just be sure to adjust the cooking time accordingly, especially if using frozen peas. And if you use a mixture of peas and carrots, do not cook them ahead of time.

Can I Make Mexican Rice In A Rice Cooker?

Yes, you can adapt the recipe for a rice cooker. Sauté the aromatics separately, then transfer everything to the rice cooker and cook according to the rice cooker’s instructions.

Can I Customize This Recipe With Other Ingredients?

Absolutely, Mexican rice is versatile. You can add ingredients like corn, diced bell peppers, or even cooked chorizo to enhance flavors.

Is Mexican Rice Healthy?

Yes, Mexican rice is healthy. But as with most recipes, it all depends on what you put in it. If you cook with clean and healthy ingredients, there’s no reason you can’t enjoy Mexican rice as part of a healthy diet.

A side view of two white bowls filled with Mexican rice.

Restaurant-Style Mexican Rice

We all have that Mexican rice dish with love to order at our favorite Mexican restaurant. So before you even ask, yes. This easy Mexican rice recipe is very similar to that. Isn’t that awesome?

Recipe Tips

  • Rinse the Rice: Always rinse the rice under cold water until it runs clear to remove excess starch and prevent stickiness.
  • Toasting Rice: Briefly toasting the rice in oil before adding liquid can help enhance its nutty flavor.
  • Adjust Seasoning: Taste and adjust the seasoning as you cook. Remember, it’s easier to add more seasoning gradually than to fix an overly salty or spicy dish.
  • Sauce Consistency: If the sauce seems too thick, you can adjust the consistency by adding a bit more vegetable broth.
  • Fluff the Rice: After cooking, let the rice sit covered off the heat for a few minutes before fluffing it with a fork. This helps separate the grains.
  • Garnish Creatively: Consider garnishing with chopped cilantro, lime wedges, or even a sprinkle of grated cheese for extra flavor and visual appeal.
A small, dark red casserole dish is filled with Clean Eating Spanish Rice which is shown up close.
Brown Rice Version

Mexican Brown Rice

Makes 8 servings.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups short-grain brown rice (uncooked)
  • 2½ cups chicken broth (low sodium and no added sugar if purchased)
  • 15 oz. canned tomato sauce (no sugar added)
  • 1 tbsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp. onion powder
  • Veggies are optional

Instructions

  • In a medium pot, bring the chicken broth to a boil.
  • Stir in tomato sauce and bring to a boil once more.
  • Stir in rice, reduce heat, and simmer until liquid has been soaked up. (About 40-50 minutes)
A closeup overhead view of a white bowl filled with Mexican rice.

Recipe Variations

If you want to make life easy, instead of messing with blending and straining veggies, you can use salsa instead. 

What To Serve With This Mexican Rice

This will pair well with almost any Mexican dish.

  • Chicken, pork or beef enchiladas
  • Burrito bowl
  • Beef, pork, or chicken tacos. Even vegan tacos will work.
  • Refried beans
  • Burritos

Mexican Rice Garnishes

  • Fresh lime juice
  • Fresh cilantro

About The Ingredients

Rice – Any short grain rice, white or brown will work here, though you may need to add a little extra broth for brown rice towards the end of cooking. You can also use long-grain rice or basmati rice if you prefer that. Even jasmine rice will work here.

Tomatoes – Just standard Roma tomatoes will work best here.

Garlic – If you like stronger garlic, you can use large cloves or add in extra cloves of garlic. The choice is yours.

Onion – Yellow onion will work best here, but you can use any color onion you have on hand.

Peas – These can be fresh or frozen.

Carrots – If you don’t want to bother with chopping carrots, you can use a frozen “peas and carrots” blend.

Black Pepper

Salt – I used pink Himalayan salt, but you can use whatever salt you normally cook with.

Oil – Any light-flavored oil will do.

Vegetable Broth – Look for no sugar added and for low sodium.

How To Make Mexican Rice

Mexican rice ingredients on a white surface in individual bowls.

Gather, measure, and prep all your ingredients as indicated.

Rice soaking in some water in a glass bowl.

Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear. This helps remove excess starch from the rice and prevents it from becoming too sticky.

Chopped carrots on a cutting board.
Carrots cooking in a pot.

Peel and finely dice the carrots. In a pot over medium-high heat, add the diced carrots. Cook for about 15 minutes or until they become tender, stirring occasionally.

Roma tomatoes, and onion and a garlic clove sitting in a blender cup.
Adding salt to vegetables in a blender cup.
Adding broth to vegetables in a blender cup.

While the carrots cook, in a blender, combine the diced tomatoes, garlic, onion, a dash of salt just for flavor, and vegetable broth. Blend until smooth.

Blended veggies in a blender cup.
Blended veggies being strained through a strainer.

Strain the blended mixture through a fine mesh strainer to separate the liquid from any solids. This will give you a clear liquid.

Soaked rice in a skillet.

In a pot, add a little bit of oil and the rinsed rice. Sauté the rice for a minute or two.

Veggie broth added to soaked rice in a skillet.

Then, pour the filtered and clear sauce over the rice. Cover the pot and let the rice cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes, allowing it to absorb the flavors from the sauce.

Peas and carrots added to rice and broth in a skillet.

After 15 minutes, add the peas and carrots to the rice. Stir to combine. Keep the pot covered and let the rice and peas cook for an additional 5-10 minutes, allowing the peas to cook and the flavors to meld.

Just cooked Mexican rice in a skillet.

Season the rice with black pepper and salt according to your taste preferences. Remember, you can always adjust the seasoning as needed.

An overhead view of two white bowls filled with Mexican rice.

Your Mexican rice is now ready to be served as a delicious side dish or as part of a main meal.

Storing Mexican Rice

Allow the rice to cool slightly before storing. Place it in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

Freezing Mexican Rice

Portion rice into freezer-safe containers or into a freezer bag. Label and freeze for up to 2-3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.

Reheating Mexican Rice

Microwave: Reheat in 1-minute intervals, stirring in between, until heated through (165°F/74°C).

Stovetop: Heat in a non-stick pan with a bit of oil or water, stirring until hot.

More Mexican Recipes

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Copyright Information For The Gracious Pantry
An overhead view of a spoon lifting some Mexican rice out of a white bowl.

Mexican Rice

Delicious rice, made from scratch.
3.75 from 12 votes
Print Pin Rate Add to Collection
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 238kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Large Skillet or pot
  • 1 Wooden Spoon or spatula for stirring
  • 1 Knife for chopping vegetables
  • 1 Cutting board for chopping vegetables

Ingredients

  • 1 cup short-grain rice (dry)
  • 2 medium Roma tomatoes (diced)
  • ½ cup frozen peas (or fresh)
  • 2 medium garlic cloves (peeled)
  • 1 medium carrot (peeled and diced small)
  • ½ tsp. ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp. salt (adjust to taste)
  • 2 tbsp. oil
  • 2 cups vegetable broth (no sugar added, low sodium is best)
  • 1 medium onion (finely chopped)

Instructions

  • Gather, measure, and prep all your ingredients as indicated.
    Mexican rice ingredients on a white surface in individual bowls.
  • Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear. This helps remove excess starch from the rice and prevents it from becoming too sticky.
    Rice soaking in some water in a glass bowl.
  • Peel and finely dice the carrots. In a pot over medium-high heat, add the diced carrots. Cook for about 15 minutes or until they become tender, stirring occasionally.
    Chopped carrots on a cutting board.
  • In a blender, combine the diced tomatoes, garlic, onion, and vegetable broth. Blend until smooth.
    Adding broth to vegetables in a blender cup.
  • Strain the blended mixture through a fine mesh strainer to separate the liquid from any solids. This will give you a clear liquid.
    Blended veggies being strained through a strainer.
  • In a pot, add a little bit of oil and the rinsed rice. Sauté the rice for a minute or two.
    Soaked rice in a skillet.
  • Then, pour the filtered and clear sauce over the rice. Cover the pot and let the rice cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes, allowing it to absorb the flavors from the sauce.
    Veggie broth added to soaked rice in a skillet.
  • After 15 minutes, add the peas and carrots to the rice. Stir to combine. Keep the pot covered and let the rice and peas cook for an additional 5-10 minutes, allowing the peas to cook and the flavors to meld.
    Peas and carrots added to rice and broth in a skillet.
  • Season the rice with black pepper and salt according to your taste preferences. Remember, you can always adjust the seasoning as needed.
    Just cooked Mexican rice in a skillet.
  • Your Mexican rice is now ready to be served as a delicious side dish or as part of a main meal.
    An overhead view of two white bowls filled with Mexican rice.

Notes

Please note that the nutrition data is a ballpark figure. Exact data is not possible.

Nutrition

Calories: 238kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 1g | Sodium: 551mg | Potassium: 420mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 230IU | Vitamin C: 9.2mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 1.9mg

Recipe from the Gracious Pantry® archives, originally posted on 9/12/11.

Author: Tiffany McCauley

Title: Food and Travel Journalist

Expertise: Food, cooking, travel

Bio:

Tiffany McCauley is a nationally syndicated journalist and an award-winning cookbook author and food blogger. She has been featured on MSN, Huffington Post, Country Living Magazine, HealthLine, Redbook, and many more. Her food specialty is healthy comfort food recipes.

3.75 from 12 votes (10 ratings without comment)

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24 Comments

  1. Jenni Smith says:

    That looks nice. I have made a Mexican Millet recipe before, but millet is not rice. I want to try this one. I also would cook Mexican food about 5 times a week if I could. White Bean Chicken Chili from the Eat Clean Cookbook is on deck for tomorrow!

    1. The Gracious Pantry says:

      Jenni – Yup! Mexican food is a staple. Hope you enjoy the rice!

  2. connielowe1 says:

    Oh my. Cannot wait to try this!

    1. The Gracious Pantry says:

      Connie – Fabulous! Please let me know how you like it!

  3. barklesswagmore says:

    I make a similar version of this myself but add in garlic and herbs and a can of rinsed beans near the end for a little protein boost. I usually serve it with some slow cooked chicken and the pickier ones never even notice the rice is brown instead of that useless white stuff 🙂

    1. The Gracious Pantry says:

      Barkless – Yum. I’ll be over the next time you cook, K?

  4. Trudefaith says:

    5 stars
    I love this recipe of yours Tiffany- you can do so much with it.

    1. The Gracious Pantry says:

      Trude – Yes! It’s very versatile. Glad you enjoyed it!

  5. Hi Tiffany – could you tell me the difference between white rice and brown rice. I guess I always thought both were in their natural state (white and brown rice are grown just as, for example, there are green and purple grapes). Why is white rice not “clean”? I started eating clean 9 months ago and have lost 40 pounds. I don’t eat white rice but don’t know why I shouldn’t. Love your website!

    1. The Gracious Pantry says:

      Susie – Brown rice is the whole grain, unprocessed. White rice is processed and has the nutritious parts removed to make it light and fluffy. Rice does not grow in a “white variety”. It is processed into that state. But as you can see here, you can use either, and there is even some evidence to suggest that white rice may be better for us. Maybe some day somebody will figure it out definitively…

  6. Mix in some cumin, chili powder, and garlic! Or use clean salsa instead of just tomato sauce.

    1. The Gracious Pantry says:

      Aunna – For sure!

  7. Goreti Tada says:

    I have a question, are you suppose to cover the rice while it cooks until the liquid is absorb?

    1. The Gracious Pantry says:

      Yes, you can cover it. Basically follow the package directions just without different liquids.

  8. 5 stars
    This rice was really good! I added onion, garlic & chili powders & cumin and it tasted great. The only problem I had was with the rice staying slightly under cooked even after I cooked it way past the recommended time AND added more water to it while it was cooking. I’m guessing it was because I took the lid off too soon. Next time I’ll keep it on until the rice tests done! We added this to clean burritos and my two (adult) kids and I loved it!

    1. The Gracious Pantry says:

      Tracey – So glad you enjoyed it! Ya, I think the lid would make a difference here. Let me know how it goes next time.

  9. Susan Serrano says:

    Tiffany – I wanted to let you know that I am “cleaning” my mother-in-law’s recipe for rice tonight. She is 100% Mexican. It was her mother’s recipe and her mother’s before her…you get the gist. It is one of the most requested things from her recipes. By the way the list is very long. I am beginning the work of cleaning all of her recipes (including tortillas – I have mastered that one). I don’t mind sharing if you are interested. I am going to try to do tamales at some point; that will be with her help. You can message me if you are interested in any of the recipes I work on; I will never do a cookbook myself unless it is just for my daughters, nieces, etc. That is way too much of a project. You are very brave. Looking forward to your freezer meal book.

    1. The Gracious Pantry says:

      Susan – Thank you! I would love that!

  10. Susan Serrano says:

    Hi Tiffany,
    Ok I think I perfected it. When you try it let me know. 1 small white onion, 3 cloves garlic (I used 4 lg cloves, because the hubs loves garlic. ) sauté in a tbsp of olive oil or avacado oil until translucent, put in 1 cup brown rice ( I used long grain.), sauté with the onion & garlic, until it’s slightly brown, add 2 tbsp of tomato paste, (btw I used whole foods brand of canned goods for this recipe), I warm it through stirring, the add can of fire roasted tomatoes and diced green chilies. Then I add 2 c of your chicken stock recipe. Bring to a boil. Stir once. Cover simmer about 20 minutes. I never lift the lid or stir. My mother in law’s rule and her mother’s, and her mother’s before her etc. You get the idea. then fluff after 20 minutes. And it’s ready to serve.

    1. The Gracious Pantry says:

      Susan – Sounds wonderful! 🙂

  11. Susan Serrano says:

    Tiffany,
    Hi sorry I was out of town and hadn’t really checked responses. No they were not they were Muir Glen organic; I thought they were Whole Foods, but I double checked and much to my chagrin…well, ugh. Which I don’t believe are clean. I think I might just use the the 365 brand of regular diced. I’m not sure I will accept suggestions. I want to make sure that I don’t use unnecessary chemicals in my food and since this is a bit new. I don’t think it will hurt the taste in the slightest if I use just regular diced. Especially since that is what I used before. But, mostly you get the gist of the recipe. It ended up tasting just like it does when I made it and my mother in law makes it.

    1. The Gracious Pantry says:

      Susan – Fantastic!! It sounds wonderful!

  12. Hello,
    Can this recipe be prepared in a rice cooker?