This great Mexican rice is the right side dish you need to complete your Mexican dinner. Just follow these easy step by step photo instructions.
Editor's Note: Originally Published August 10, 2014. Updated to expanded discussion and options with refreshed photos.
Mexican rice is also known as Spanish rice, red rice, or Arroz Rojo. But Mexican rice to me.
Restaurant quality Mexican rice needs three things. Texture meaning not sticky. I want each grain of rice to stand by itself. Tenderness is soft but not mushy. And last is taste; it needs a great taste. Many restaurant versions lack in at least one of these areas — many in 2 or even all three.
My Rating
A 4 because it is a side dish, but a 5 otherwise. Both of us had two servings.
Pro Tips: Recipe Notes for Easy Mexican Rice
The Rice
I suggest traditional white long grain rice. You may use different rice if you wish, but it may affect total cooking time.
Rinsing the rice is suggest by many. I don' t find it does much, but they fill it prevents some sticking. But the browning does that well without rinsing in my rice. If unsure, rinse.
When browning the rice, get it to a nice color. This will add a lot of extra toasted taste.
The Seasoning
I used salsa for most of the spicing but added more garlic and cumin. I wanted lots of taste and the salsa provided that easily. You can adjust the heat of the dish by your choice of salsa.
If you want a little less tomato taste, decrease the salsa to ½ cup and increase the chicken broth to 1 ½ cup.
Additions
You can add a diced small carrot or ⅓ cup of peas (fresh or frozen) if you want.
If you want a hotter taste, add a chopped jalapeno with the garlic.
Other Recipes You May Enjoy
Long grain rice preferred. Some people like to rinse the rice.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick pan over medium heat until hot. Add 1 cup long-grain rice.
Add ½ teaspoon ground cumin and salt. Toast until nicely brown about 8-9 minutes. The last-minute of toasting, add 1-2 cloves crushed garlic.
Add 1 cup of your favorite salsa and 1 cup chicken broth. You may add optional jalapeno, peas, or carrots at this point. Bring to a boil then decrease to low heat and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes until tender.
Remove from heat and stir. Cover and let rest until serving.
Do you want more recipes from 101 Cooking for Two? Sign up for the newsletter and get all posts delivered straight to your inbox!
Easy Mexican Rice
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 cup long grain rice - rinse optional
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1-2 cloves garlic - crushed
- 1 cup salsa
- 1 cup chicken broth
Optional ingredients - add with broth
- 1 jalapeno - diced
- ⅓ cup peas - frozen or fresh
- 1 carrot - small, diced
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons of in a large nonstick pan over medium heat until hot. Rinse rice if you want.
- Add 1 cup long grain rice. Add ½ teaspoon ground cumin and salt. Toast until nicely brown about 8-9 minutes. The last minute of toasting, add 1-2 cloves crushed garlic.
- Add 1 cup of your favorite salsa and 1 cup chicken broth. Add optional jalapeno, carrot, or peas if you want. Bring to a boil then decrease to low heat and cover.
- Simmer for 20 minutes until tender. Remove from heat and stir. Cover and let rest until served.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- You can use different rice and adjust the cooking time.
- Rinsing the rice is felt by some to prevent sticking by some people. To me, the browning takes care of that.
- Add the optional jalapeno, peas, and carrot if you want.
- Good refrigerated for 3-4 days, but I do not like to freeze rice.
- I set serving size to ½ cup.
- An easy recipe to increase in size.
Nutrition
Originally Published August 10, 2014.
Lilly 7 ½ months
Molly 7 ½ months
Lauren
I enjoyed this recipe a lot. Was impressed by the amount of flavor using only a few ingredients. Only change was I had to add 1/2 cup more liquid at the end (water). Otherwise prepared as written.
Gamefacelouie
Excellent straight forward recipe, made as per instructions with carrots, peas, jalapenos and added lime juice and chili powder. I'm getting rid of my other Mexican rice recipes. Next time I'll sub with black beans and corn instead of peas and carrots.
FVQOH
Great recipe, very easy to make. Made this because the kiddo wanted Mexican Rice. It was a hit and she wanted more, so this is a keeper in this house. Misread the recipe and accidentally used 1 tsp of cumin instead of 1/2 tsp; it turned out fine. Also used more cloves of garlic because we love garlic. Left out the jalapeño since it is too spicy for the kiddo. Made this in a stainless steel pan, and roasted the rice with coconut oil because it prevents that sticky film that covers and gets stuck on the pan whenever I cook with olive oil on high heat.
DrDan
Welcome to the blog.
Thanks for the comment and how it worked for you.
Dan
Robert Hudson
turned out awful
Correen
Love this recipe, it's on speed-dial. 😊 Made again last night with addition of black beans & sweet corn. Thank you!
DrDan
Hi Correen,
I have done it with the beans and corn and it is great. I thought nobody saw this recipe.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Bonnie Tyler
The taste of this dish was wonderful, but it needed an increase of liquid in order to cook the rice all the way through. So next time I will use a cup and a quarter of liquid. This is a keeper. Thanks.
DrDan
I kept it a little dry to prevent sticking but a little more liquid wouldn't hurt.
Thanks for the comment and rating
Dan
Chris
Similar to what I do, except I used Pace Picante sauce and no cumin. Great minds think alike! (I've never posted mine, now I don't have to, ha ha).
DrDan
Come on Chris, post it. I see all your sides and things you do, I want to copy everything
Dan
Note to readers: Check out Chris's blog Nibble Me This