A staple in Mexican homes and restaurants both, Mexican rice is a versatile side dish, or as part of a meal stuffed into a burrito, or with a few additions it can be a meal all its own. Easy to make, this flavorful rice dish comes together quickly and is super popular for a reason.

This is a recipe I was taught while living in Chicago and I worked with a lot of Mexican cooks. While I call it an authentic recipe, always keep in mind that most cultural dishes can vary from region to region and family to family within their country.

What is Mexican Rice?

Also called arroz Mexicano, or arroz rojo (red rice), Mexican rice is a simple but flavorful side dish most popular in central and Northern Mexico and in Tex-Mex cuisine, but also enjoyed everywhere. It is sometimes referred to as Spanish rice as well, most likely getting the name because Spanish is the national language of Mexico, as the dish is not part of Spanish cuisine at all. Some recipes will differentiate Mexican and Spanish rice in that Spanish rice has more of a yellow hue from turmeric and saffron, but that style of rice is typically only used in Spanish paella.

overhead view of Mexican rice in a red and white bowl

At its core, Mexican rice is washed and toasted, then combined with onion, garlic, and tomato before being cooked. The tomato is what gives the rice its signature color and distinct flavor. From that simple base, many variations exist with varying levels of seasoning and spiciness. Even the cooking liquid can vary from chicken stock to water with chicken or tomato bouillon, with fresh tomatoes or tomato sauce.

Ingredients for Mexican Rice

Rice – A long or medium grain white rice is most typical and the easiest to use.

Oil – Any cooking fat will work (not butter though), from lard to olive oil to vegetable, peanut, canola, avocado oil etc. You’ll need a few tablespoons to toast the rice in after its washed and drained.

Onion – Any onion you keep on hand will probably work fine, but white or yellow onion is the most commonly used type for this dish.

Garlic – I always prefer fresh cloves, but garlic powder can be substituted in a pinch also.

Tomato – For this recipe I use a mix of fresh Roma tomatoes and tomato paste. Optionally you can also use tomato sauce, caldo de tomate (a tomato and chicken bouillon), or even a homemade or store-bought red salsa.

Seasonings – I kept things simple this time with a pinch of cumin, but you could also add things like Mexican oregano or chili powder. Also add salt to taste. The amount will depend on what sort of stock or bouillon you go with.

Chicken Stock – Whether homemade or store-bought, this will be your cooking liquid for the rice. I usually choose a no salt added or low sodium chicken broth, but you can also go with just water and either a chicken or tomato bouillon instead.

Serrano – Optional, and you can use a jalapeno instead as well. I simple cut it in half lengthwise and add it to the rice right before I place the lid on for it to steam. Adds a mild flavor and heat. For more spice, you can also dice it up and toss the whole thing in to cook with the rice.

How to Make Mexican Rice

While there’s a number of steps involved, the process itself is easy and once you make it a few times, you can probably knock this rice out in about 30mins or so, and it’s mostly hands off.

Start by washing your rice. This will remove the excess starch coating the rice grains and keep them from clumping together when it cooks. Pour the rice into a large bowl and fill with water about an inch or so above the rice and agitate with your hand. The water should be very cloudy, which is the starch you’re trying to remove.

Strain the rice from the water with a fine mesh strainer, return to the bowl, and add more water. Repeat this process a few times until the water is mostly clear. Set the rice aside to dry some.

Remove the skin from the onion and cut into quarters. Remove the root end from one of the quarters and reserve the rest of the onion for another use. Cut the small stem part off the tomatoes and leave whole or simply cut in half and remove the skin from the garlic cloves. Toss everything into a blender along with the cumin, salt, and chicken stock and blend well. You’ll add this mixture to the rice after it’s been toasted.

Place a medium or large sauce pot over medium heat, then add 3-4 tablespoons of oil and heat it up. You can drop a small pinch of rice grains into the pot and if they sizzle, the oil is ready. Add all the rice into the pot and stir until all the grains are well coated with oil. Continue toasting and stirring the rice until the color starts to change to a yellow hue, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently as the color changes. Add the tomato paste and stir to combine well.

Once the tomato paste is incorporated and cooked for a minute or so, add the blended mixture to the rice. Stir so that the rice is fully mixed with everything and turn up the heat until the liquid begins to boil. Slice the serrano in half lengthwise, if using, and place on top of the rice. Cover the pot with a lid and turn the heat down to its lowest setting.

Cook, covered, for 15-20 minutes, until almost no liquid remains. Remove from the heat, remove the serrano, fold the rice into itself, then return the lid and let it sit off the heat for about 10 minutes.

Now you can remove the lid, fluff up the rice, and serve. Garnish with fresh cilantro and a lime wedge.

Common Variations in Mexican Rice

As mentioned in the ingredients list above, there’s several variations commonly seen in making Mexican rice. A lot of the differences will depend on family traditions and how they grew up making their version of this dish.

Tomatoes – Some people prefer the taste of fresh tomato in their rice, while others will use tomato sauce. A very common substitution is to use caldo de tomate, which is a popular tomato and chicken bouillon you can find either where other bouillon is sold or check in the Hispanic section of your grocery store.

Chicken Stock – The other major variation is in the liquid you choose to cook your rice in. While you could just use water, store-bought or homemade chicken stock adds a lot of flavor in my opinion. You could also choose to use water and add chicken or tomato bouillon, or even a mix. For a vegetarian/vegan option, you could also use vegetable stock instead.

Add-Ins – I keep things simple here with the only additional seasoning being salt and cumin. Feel free to add in things like chili powder for more color and a slight kick, or things like oregano or achiote. You could also dice a jalapeno or serrano for more spice.

Caldo de Tomate – I’d like to mention two things about this product specifically. While it is a tomato-based bouillon, it does contain chicken as well, so if you’re looking for a vegetarian option, you’ll have to skip this one. Also, almost all the brands sold in stores contain msg, so if you’re sensitive to that, keep it in mind.

close up of Mexican rice in red and white bowl

What Goes with Mexican Rice

Two of the most popular side dishes in Mexican cuisine are Mexican rice and refried beans, and these two sides go hand in hand with many entrees.

Serve stuffed inside a burrito, or as a topping for fajitas.

Goes well with enchiladas, tacos, huevos rancheros, carne asada, etc.

You can also add shredded chicken or other proteins and turn the side dish into a main course.

How to Store & Reheat Mexican Rice

Allow the rice to cool to room temperature, and place in an airtight container for 4-5 days in the fridge. You can also keep the rice for up to 3 months in a freezer.

Reheat the rice from the fridge by adding a little water and heating in a microwave for about a minute. Remove, stir, and place back into the microwave in 20-30 second intervals, stirring between, until it reaches your desired heat level.