Easy Red Rice
Rice is one of the most popular side dishes in the Mexican Cuisine, either it be red, white, green or black (with beans). Consequently, mastering the art of cooking rice is one of those “rites of passage” for any Mexican girl looking to get ready for marriage. Or, at least, that’s how it used to be.
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Nowadays, everyone has busy lives and need everything done quick and easy. This is reflected in the prevalence of Facebook recipe videos in fast-forward mode. There is not much time for cooking anymore… 
That is why I’m sharing this recipe for red rice, which combines traditional techniques with the store-bought conveniences that people enjoy now, both in Mexico and around the world. I’m talking about Knorr Chicken-Tomato bouillon, which I use with surprisingly good results. I hope that you like it, and make sure to also try the Guacamole recipe from Knorr, which renders a creamy guacamole. I don’t know why I didn’t think of adding mayonnaise before, rice and the guacamole make a great pair. 
Easy Red Rice Recipe
DIRECTIONS:
- Place rice in a colander and rinse until the water comes out clear. If you don’t rinse it, the rice grains will stick together. Once rinsed, place in a bowl and cover with water. Let it rest for 15 minutes. After this time, drain excess water from rice. This step will render fluffy rice. (Please check the ingredients list below)
- Now, in a nonstick frying pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add the drained rice and fry, stirring from time to time. Besides adding extra flavor, frying the rice also help the grains from sticking together. This step will take about 7 minutes. The rice will get a very light golden color.
- While the rice is frying, dissolve the 2 Knorr Chicken tomato bouillon, garlic, and onion powder in 2 cups of hot water, to form a uniform mix.
- Add the above water mixture to the rice, and stir. Add in one Serrano pepper or a piece of the green pepper, if using. Turn the heat up to high for about one minute or until the rice water starts boiling. Then, reduce heat to low.
- Place the lid or cover with aluminum foil, and cook for about 15 minutes. Do not stir the rice while it’s cooking during this step. In case, and just in case, your rice looks dry after 10 minutes, add 2 tablespoons of hot water around the edges of the frying pan. Once cooked, remove from heat and let it rest another 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
- 1 cup of white rice
- 1- tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 cups of hot water
- 2 Knorr Chicken tomato bouillon cubes or 2 Tablespoons of the granular version.
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 Serrano pepper or 1/3 of a green bell pepper
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Place rice in a colander and rinse until the water comes out clear. If you don’t rinse it, the rice grains will stick together. Once rinsed, place in a bowl and cover with water. Let it rest for 15 minutes. After this time, drain excess water from rice. This step will render fluffy rice.
-
Now, in a nonstick frying pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add the drained rice and fry, stirring from time to time. Besides adding extra flavor, frying the rice also help the grains from sticking together. This step will take about 7 minutes. The rice will get a very light golden color.
-
While the rice is frying, dissolve the 2 Knorr Chicken tomato bouillon, garlic, and onion powder in 2 cups of hot water, to form a uniform mix.
-
Add the above water mixture to the rice, and stir. Add in one Serrano pepper or a piece of the green pepper, if using. Turn the heat up to high for about one minute or until the rice water starts boiling. Then, reduce heat to low.
-
Place the lid or cover with aluminum foil, and cook for about 15 minutes. Do not stir the rice while it’s cooking during this step. In case, and just in case, your rice looks dry after 10 minutes, add 2 tablespoons of hot water around the edges of the frying pan. Once cooked, remove from heat and let it rest another 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
- Serve rice with a side of the Knorr Guacamole, check the recipe on the picture. You will like it, really creamy, thanks to the addition of Hellmann’s Mayonaise. Remember that you can find these products at your local Walmart store.
- For the more traditional way to cook Mexican rice, check the recipe section.
- Almost always, I use a clay pot to cook my rice, but not everyone has one in their kitchen. The next best thing (and better for novices) is a nonstick frying pan.
Easy Red Rice Recipe
Provecho!
Mely Martínez,
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Leave a comment and share your experience with the recipe.
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More recipes:
Basic Tomato Sauce for Stew, Soups, Rice, and many other Mexican Dishes
How to Make Mexican Style Rice / Cómo Hacer Arroz a la Mexicana
Mely,
I have been using mayo in my avocado for years. First learned to eat avocado in S. Fla,years ago by cutting in half and remove the seed and then fill the holes with mayo and/or pepper and salt and eat with spoon……….mack
This is how I was first taught to make rice with the addition of a bit of tomato sauce before I starting making mine 100% from scratch. It makes for fond memories. Sometimes you need that balance to still have a meal made at home. Now I want red rice… 🙂
Followed the directions exactly and it was perfect. I hardly ever buy tacos without getting a side of red rice. Now I can make it myself. Thank you for being so generous with all your recipes. They are shared online whenever there is a chance to.
yum.. thank you!
I want to know what kind/brand of rice you use. I like the jasmine rice. I also have doubts on what rice is legit.Have you seen that on the internet about fake rice what are your takes on that.
Hello Maria,
I regularly use long grain rice. I only use jasmine rice when making an Asian dish.
Where does the Red come from if there is No tomato sauce in it?
Hello Norma,
From the tomato-chicken boullion.