This easy Mexican rice recipe is SO simple you'll want to make it every Taco Tuesday, or as a side dish for all your Mexican meals!
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Taco night at home is a frequent occurrence and so Mexican rice is a side dish we often have. Back in the day I used to buy the microwavable Spanish rice packets for convenience -- and because I didn't have a good homemade recipe yet. Now I make this perfect fluffy rice all of the time. My easy Mexican rice recipe doesn't include any extra fillings, so your picky kids will also love it!
Mexican food is Ben's favorite. Of course, I love it, too, but Ben could eat tacos and rice every day without getting sick of it. Most date nights I have to challenge him to go somewhere besides a Mexican restaurant because we already dine at our favorite one as a family almost weekly. It's nice to change it up when we don't have the kids!
He also loves when we make Mexican cuisine at home. This Mexican rice recipe is always a part of the line up!
Ingredients
I'm glad to have this recipe for our Tex-Mex meals at home. It's super simple and results in a nice fluffy Mexican rice.
- Long-grain white rice: Jasmine rice serves up a nice fluffy texture, but regular long grain is great, too.
- Chicken broth or stock: You could use water in a pinch, but the broth adds so much more flavor.
- Tomato sauce: An 8 oz. can makes this super easy.
- Chili powder: Don't leave this out. The rice isn't spicy, no worries! This makes the rice it's beautiful orange color.
- Ground cumin: Cumin is the difference between Mexican rice and Spanish rice.
- Garlic salt: Again, don't leave this out. It's all about the flavor.
- Vegetable or canola oil: For toasting the dry rice at the beginning. An easy, but necessary step.
You may choose to stir in some peas, diced tomatoes, green chiles, etc. No problem! Others have had great results with stirring in salsa instead of the tomato sauce if you'd like to try that!
To kick it up a flair, you can also splash in a little lime juice. I don't do this but only because I always serve lime slices with our Mexican dishes, so if someone wants to squeeze in a little lime into their food they can control it!
How to Make Mexican Rice
The basic recipe includes no extra ingredients stirred in so that even your pickiest eaters can enjoy it. Follow these directions and helpful images for how to make Mexican rice from scratch.
- In a large pot, cook the rice in oil for 3 to 4 minutes, until translucent.
- Stir in the rest of the ingredients.
- Bring mixture to a boil.
- Cover and simmer for 25 minutes.
How SIMPLE is that!?? You can definitely make this. I'm all about easy and simple these days, while keeping it healthy and homemade. Click here for full recipe ingredients and instructions.
Tips for Best Results
Follow these tips for the best fluffy rice:
- Use a better brand of long-grain rice. Not the most expensive brand, but definitely not the cheapest. I found best results with a middle brand.
- If your rice turns out crunchy, cook it longer next time. 25 minutes is my sweet spot and should work for you, too.
- Cook the rice in the oil until it is translucent (kind of clear), which is typically about 3-4 minutes.
- Do not remove the lid. Keep the lid on for the entire 25 minutes. If you peek, you will need to add more time.
- When the rice is done simmering, remove the lid and let the cooked rice set for 2-3 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
Recipes to Serve With Mexican Rice
- Fresh Salsa Pizza
- Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos
- Beef Barbacoa
- Ground Beef Wet Burritos
- Beef Tacos
- Grilled Chicken Tacos
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This recipe originally published April 15, 2019 and updated with new recipe tips on August 11, 2020.
Recipe Card
Easy Mexican Rice
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
- 1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
- 1 ½ cups chicken stock or broth
- 8 oz. can tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
Instructions
- Rinse the rice in a mesh strainer until water draining is clear. (This is optional, but it helps remove the starch and keep the cooked rice from being mushy.)
- Heat the oil in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the rice and cook until translucent (somewhat clear) about 3-4 minutes; stirring frequently.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a rapid boil over high heat.
- Stir once and cover. Turn the heat down to a low simmer (a little less than medium low) and cook for 20 minutes. Remove cover and let stand 2-3 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
Video
Notes
Recipe Tips
- Rinse the dry rice in a mesh strainer until the water is clear to remove the starch.
- This recipe is easiest when you measure all ingredients first before starting. Once you start, the process goes very quickly and you'll won't want to take the time to measure the broth and open the can of tomato sauce, so have it ready!
- Use a better brand of long-grain rice. Not the most expensive brand, but definitely not the cheapest. I found best results with a middle brand.
- Cook the rice before adding liquid until it is translucent (kind of clear), which is typically about 3-4 minutes.
- When the rice is done cooking, remove the lid and let it set for 2-3 minutes before fluffy with a fork.
- To stretch the serving amount, you can increase to 1 ½ cups rice with 2 ½ cups chicken broth. Do not change amount of tomato sauce or other ingredients. Do not change cooking time.
