Description
Unlock the secret to restaurant-worthy Mexican Rice at home, fluffy and flavorful, never sticky, for a perfect side dish every time! Whip up this family-friendly or crowd-pleasing Mexican Rice recipe that delivers consistent flavor and perfect texture, even with brown rice!
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 medium vine-ripened tomatoes or 4 Roma tomatoes cored and quartered
- 1 onion peeled and quartered
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 2 cups long-grain or basmati white rice
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 to 2 jalapeno peppers ,stemmed, seeded, and minced (optional)
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (see notes)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup fresh cilantro or parsley minced
- Lime or lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- For even cooking, preheat your oven to 350°F and adjust an oven rack to the middle position.
- In a food processor or blender, puree the tomatoes and onions until smooth, then measure out 2 cups of the puree, discarding any excess.
- Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or 3-quart saucepan until shimmering (see notes), then add the rice and sauté, stirring frequently, until light golden in color, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Add garlic and jalapeños (if using), and stir until fragrant, about 15 seconds; then stir in the tomato mixture, broth, tomato paste, and 1 ½ tsp. salt, and bring to a boil.
- Cover and bake for about 30 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed.
- Fluff the rice with a fork, then fold in cilantro or parsley, season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve with lime or lemon wedges.
Notes
- While long-grain white rice is traditional, I’ve also tested this recipe successfully with basmati rice.
- For a vegetarian option, simply substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth.
- If toasting the rice in a 3-quart saucepan, transfer it to a larger (at least 4-quart) oven-proof baking dish for baking.
- For the rice cooker method, follow the recipe through Step 4, then transfer the boiling rice mixture to a non-stick sprayed rice cooker, close the lid, and cook according to manufacturer instructions. Mine takes 33 minutes on the “White Rice” setting.
- To scale this recipe for 25 adults, triple all ingredients, use an 8-quart stock pot, and bake for an additional 10 minutes (40 minutes total).
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8 servings
- Calories: 282 kcal
Keywords: rice, tomatoes