Mexican Rice Recipe – Mexican Special
Mexican Rice, also known as Arroz Rojo or Spanish Rice, is a zesty and flavorful vegan dish. This Mexican rice recipe features hearty long-grained rice, sautéed with tomatoes and lots of veggies and spices. It’s easy to make as a quick dinner or satisfying lunch with my step-by-step photos and simple instructions!
- Prep Time5 min
- Cook Time20 min
- Total Time25 min
Mexican Rice Ingredients:
- 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
- 1 medium onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/3 cup neutral cooking oil, such as canola or safflower (or rendered lard)
- 2 cups long-grain white rice
- 1 to 2 medium jalapeño or serrano chile peppers, seeded and minced
- 4 to 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
- Juice of 2 medium limes, plus more wedges for serving
How To Make Mexican Rice
Place the tomatoes and their juices and onion in a blender or food processor and purée until smooth. Transfer 2 cups of the tomato mixture to a medium saucepan. (Reserve any excess tomato mixture for another use, such as Tomato Sauce.) Stir in the chicken broth, salt, and cumin and bring to a boil over medium heat. Meanwhile, toast the rice.
Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add the rice and sauté, stirring frequently, until lightly toasted and golden, about 5 minutes. Add the jalapeños and cook until softened, about 2 minutes, lowering the heat as needed. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.
Pour the boiling tomato mixture over the rice and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and gently fluff the rice with the fork. Cover again and set aside to steam for 10 minutes. Add the cilantro and lime juice and fluff again to combine. Taste and season with more salt as needed. Serve with lime wedges.
Recipe Notes:
Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
