Mexican rice is the anchor of many excellent Mexican spreads, and having recently posted our recipe for Chiles Rellenos, I’m back with the perfect Mexican rice to go alongside.
I’m a big believer in the accoutrements that come with food—the sides, the sauces, the extras, the add-ons, the toppings—the trappings that make the dish a MEAL.
I recently was out with friends at a Mexican restaurant, and when we realized that the tacos were NOT served with rice and beans, we very nearly walked out. Save yourself this terrible existential struggle by learning how to make Mexican rice at home!
A Recipe Straight from a Mexican Grandma
My college roommate is half Mexican and half German, and when her German mom joined the family, her dad’s mom immediately went about teaching her the key recipes to keep her son fed and happy. This easy Mexican Rice recipe is one of them.
It’s all about toasting the rice to be as golden brown as you can stand to wait for in oil—the toastier the better—and then loading it up with tomato sauce and spices.
I’ve made this recipe so many times I’ve memorized it, and the cooking times are spot on. I’ve never made a bad pan of it (i.e., no burning rice!).
My family loves it and it has really been a game changer for our Chiles Rellenos and carnitas spreads!
Mexican Rice Recipe Instructions
First, heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a deep skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the rice and stir constantly until the rice begins to turn golden brown. The toastier your rice, the tastier it will be (information gleaned from my friend, via her grandma of course).
Next, add the chicken stock.
The mixture will bubble up, and should be followed immediately by the tomato paste or tomato sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, black pepper, and salt.
Bring to a boil, stirring the tomato paste to dissolve it if using, and cover with a tight-fitting lid.
Immediately turn the heat down to low and set a timer for 20 minutes.
During or when the rice is done cooking, you may want to check moisture levels. If you smell a hint of a burnt scent, your heat is too high! In this scenario, if the rice is cooked, remove from the heat. If it’s not cooked, lower the heat, and add water ½ cup at a time to continue the cooking process. If it’s too wet, leave the lid slightly ajar or off the pan entirely.
When the rice is done, fluff it with a fork and serve alongside our chiles rellenos, carnitas, or any other Mexican spread!
Mexican Rice
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons oil
- 2½ cups uncooked long grain white rice (450g)
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock, or water + 1 bouillon cube (710 ml)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste or 1 cup plain tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- First, heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a deep skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the rice and stir constantly until the rice begins to turn golden brown. The toastier your rice, the tastier it will be (information gleaned from my friend, via her grandma of course).
- Next, add the chicken stock. The mixture will bubble up, and should be followed immediately by the tomato paste or tomato sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, black pepper, and salt.
- Bring to a boil, stirring the tomato paste to dissolve it if using, and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Immediately turn the heat down to low and set a timer for 20 minutes.
- During or when the rice is done cooking, you may want to check moisture levels. If you smell a hint of a burnt scent, your heat is too high! In this scenario, if the rice is cooked, remove from the heat. If it’s not cooked, lower the heat, and add water ½ cup at a time to continue the cooking process. If it’s too wet, leave the lid slightly ajar or off the pan entirely.
- When the rice is done, fluff it with a fork and serve!
Nutrition
Cyndi says
I’m a fifth generation Mexican American. Your recipe for Mexican rice is spot on except for one thing. The tomato sauce is stirred into the pan fried rice PRIOR to adding your seasonings and broth. After frying the long grain white rice to golden brown, quickly add the tomato sauce and stir thoroughly. Then proceed with the recipe. Big difference. Do not overstir after adding broth and avoid lifting the lid too often. This should prevent “mushiness”. 😉
cecilia says
hello! this recipe looks really tasty! Can you post a recipe for that black bean-ish sauce that is serving along with the rice? It looks really interesting and i know mexican bean dish is delish! :P Thanks! Love from Hong Kong xoxo
Kaitlin says
Hi Cecilia, the recipe for the black beans is super simple. Just sauce 1 diced onion, a few cloves of garlic with oil, then add the beans, and some spices–I usually use onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, maybe some chili powder, and salt. Let the beans cook for about 20 minutes, and if you want them starchier and thicker consistency you can mash them with a potato masher!
H Wu says
Do you use asian Jasmine rice to make this?
Kaitlin says
Hi there, good question — yes, we did!
Emma says
This looks so good 😊 yummmm
Kaitlin says
:D
Fran says
Could we modify for instapot without burning it?
Kaitlin says
Hi Fran, Yes! I would go by your standard Instant Pot approach to cooking rice, but start by putting it on sauce to brown the rice as described in the recipe. Good luck!
Cheryl says
Looks yummy, and I will try it soon…do you think I could pull this off with brown rice by adjusting the cooking times and liquid quantities appropriately? I’m not supposed to eat white rice for medical reasons.
And now, how about the beans?
Marcy says
Looks yummy and very similar to mine. As a thought, I can never get my rice to that exact “single grain” consistency on the stovetop. I bring mine to a boil, pop on the lid and slide it into a 400° oven for 20 minutes. Take it out and let it sit 5 minutes then fluff it up with a fork. It’s perfect every time!
Bryn says
Do I need to add extra liquid if using the tomato paste?
Lori Luo says
Potentially silly question, but the rice needs to be washed first right?
Kaitlin says
Hey Lori, not a silly question, but you don’t need to wash it first I’ve found! Washing rice helps eliminate the starch, but I found that with the standard Jasmine long-grain we use, there’s no need for the washing step. Cheers!
Tim says
I’d rather use a rice cooker though.
Kaitlin says
We haven’t tried this out with a rice cooker, but definitely can see how that would work well too. Seems like you’d just need to be sure to use tomato sauce, instead of paste.