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This restaurant style Mexican rice is so delicious and so easy to make at home you may never need to visit your favorite Mexican food restaurant again.
Restaurant Style Mexican Rice
I love the red rice you get in most Mexican restaurants. The only problem is I hadn’t been able to duplicate the flavor at home. I usually ended up going to our local neighborhood restaurant and getting some to go!
Fortunately for all of us my friend Sherra shared this easy Mexican rice recipe with me, it is just like the rice from my favorite restaurant and it has become my go to recipe.
I commented at the dinner table that I thought it taste just as good as the rice we get from our favorite Mexican restaurant and one of the kids said “It’s better!!”
Ingredients Needed
- Olive oil or vegetable oil
- Long grain white rice. Such as jasmine rice or basmati rice.
- Chicken broth or chicken bouillon
- Tomato juice
- Salt and pepper
- Cilantro. As garnish
How to Make Mexican Rice
- Brown rice in oil before adding liquid. Cook over medium heat stirring consistently until the rice turns a nice tan color.
- Add in the chicken stock, tomato juice, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat, add a tight lid, and let it simmer until all of the liquid is absorbed.
- Turn off the heat and let the rice sit with the lid on for about 10 minutes.
- Fluff rice with a fork. And just like that you will have fluffy and delicious rice that is just as good, if not better, than your favorite restaurant!
- Garnish with cilantro if desired.
Rice Add Ins
- Peas. Add thawed peas in at the end.
- Carrots. Cut into small pieces and add in with chicken broth.
- Corn. Drain if using canned corn and add in with chicken broth.
- Diced Green Chilies or Jalapenos. Add in with chicken broth.
Mexican Rice Tips
- Brown the rice in oil first. This helps the rice absorb flavor and makes it the right consistency, not sticky and clumpy.
- Make it on the stovetop. It works much better on the stove top than in a rice cooker and you get a better texture.
- Long grain rice. I always use long grain rice such as jasmine or basmati.
Frequently Asked Questions
Basically it is the same thing. Most Spanish rice and Mexican rice recipes have the same ingredients which includes rice, a tomato based sauce, and chicken broth. The seasonings can vary. Some recipes may contain onions and peppers.
The easiest way is in the microwave. If you don’t have a microwave place it in a sauce pan along with a little bit of water and reheat on the stove top.
Place the cooled rice in an airtight container or a zippered freezer bag, remove as much air as possible. You can freeze it for up to 3 months
What to Serve with Mexican Rice
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Mexican Rice
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp Olive oil or vegetable oil
- 1 cup long grain white rice
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 5.5 oz. tomato juice
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Heat oil in a skillet
- Add the rice
- Stir frequently and slightly brown the rice (more like, make it tan) over a medium high heat
- Add the chicken broth, tomato juice, and some salt and pepper.
- Stir thoroughly
- Reduce heat to simmer and cover tightly with a lid
- (I ‘stir’ the mixture several times while it’s cooking by just shaking/moving the skillet back and forth so that I don’t take the lid off.)
- Simmer/cook for about 20 minutes, until the liquid has been absorbed
- Once the liquid has been absorbed, turn off the heat and leave mixture alone with the lid on it for another 10-15 minutes or so
Tips & Notes:
- Brown the rice in oil first. This helps the rice absorb flavor and makes it the right consistency, not sticky and clumpy.
- Make it on the stovetop. It works much better on the stove top than in a rice cooker and you get a better texture.
- Long grain rice. I always use long grain rice such as jasmine or basmati.
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Nutrition Facts:
Carla says
So easy, So good
Tisha says
Hi Leigh Anne! All of your recipes are so good! Would there be a way to make this rice recipe in the Instant Pot? I was just curious to see if you or someone else had tried it. Thank you!