A big batch of Mexican Rice flavored with onion, garlic, and spices is the perfect side for tacos, fajitas, or enchiladas. Making your own Mexican Rice is far healthier , albeit a little more work, than making a packaged rice. But a homemade Mexican Rice won’t have any preservatives and you can keep the sodium level down. Totally worth the few extra minutes of prep time required.
This recipe makes a big batch. Mexican Rice, contrary to plain rice, actually reheats pretty well. Either make this when you have company over or plan to work it into two meals.
You start by sauteing onion and garlic in some vegetable oil. Next you add the rice and toast it until it turns golden brown. This gives a wonderful nutty flavor to the rice. Chicken broth and tomato sauce are the liquids the rice cooks in. Peas, carrots, and some cumin and chili powder finish off the rice.
Mexican Rice is an economical and delicious way to round out any type of Mexican or Southwestern meal. It goes great with BBQ Pork and Mango Quesadillas, Grilled Skirt Steak Fajitas, and Chipotle Maple BBQ Brisket Tacos with Sweet Potato Salsa, and smotherd burritos
For even more Mexican-style Recipes follow my Cinco de Mayo Pinterest Board.
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Mexican Rice
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 medium yellow onion,, diced
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic,, about 6 cloves
- 4 cups long grain rice
- 3 medium carrots,, diced
- 1 (14-ounce) can plain tomato sauce
- 7 cups chicken stock
- 2 cups frozen peas
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ancho chili powder
- cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Saute onion and garlic for 2 minutes.
- Add rice and cook, stirring frequently, until light brown, about 5 minutes.
- Add carrots, tomato sauce, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, decrease heat to medium-low and add peas, salt, pepper, cumin, and chili powder
- Cover and cook until liquid is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Remove rice from heat and let sit 10 minutes. Fluff and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Mexican Rice Goes Great With These Recipes
Mexican Chicken Cornbread Casserole
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I made this last night. It was very good. Thanks for the recipe.
This sounds so good. looks delcious, thanks for posting. Simon
Hi, I cannot wait to make this recipe. As a full-time working wife, it’s sometimes hard to come home and make an elaborate meal. My thanks and raves to your wonderful recipes in this episode!
Mmm, this looks so good! My husband recently requested that I make “dirty rice” but I think he’d love this instead 🙂
I’ve been meaning to make dirty rice for the longest time!
I’ve never had any luck making rice like this but you make it look so easy! I’ll definitely have to try your recipe…it looks delicious! 🙂
Sorry to be really annoying and post three comments on one recipe, but I have to let you know how delicious this recipe is! I halved the recipe (of course, hehe!), and used brown rice. I toasted the brown rice for 10 minutes, and then cooked on low for 45 minutes. Perfection!
So glad you liked it! I’m going to have to try it with brown rice now 🙂
Love this mexican rice, it looks amazing Christin and so much better than anything from a package! We make enchiladas and quesadillas weekly and this would go perfectly with them – thanks for an awesome recipe 🙂
Thank you Kelly 🙂
Looks delicious, is that a dark beer I see! Yum! 🙂 All we need now is the skirt steak cooked medium rare and a few soft shell with pico de gaya and limes! 🙂 maybe a few chips too!
Michael 🙂
http://michaelswoodcraft.wordpress.com/2014/02/12/new-cutting-and-serving-boards/
We eat soooo many mexican-type main dishes at our house but I actually don’t think I’ve ever made mexican rice to go with any of them. This looks delicious!
This definitely looks much better than anything you can buy in a package! Oh wow, it sounds so so tasty! Thanks for sharing such awesome recipe 🙂