Mexican red rice recipe is prepared almost every day in some Mexican homes. When I was young, something that I would frequently hear from my mom and my aunts was that “I had to learn how to cook“. They would say, “Es bueno que aprendas a cocinar, para que si algún dia te quieres casar, al menos le puedas cocinar un buen arroz a tu marido”. (You better start learning how to cook if you ever want to get marry someday, so you can at least be able to cook a good rice for your husband). I still wonder if that happens to every woman, or it’s just something that runs in my family. Anyway, I did learn to cook rice, and also got married. My husband always gives me praises for my cooking, so I hope I had fulfilled my mother’s wishes!
Mexican Rice Recipe
This rice is such a favorite dish in my house that sometimes it is the main dish, accompanied with beans, avocado or topped with a fried egg as it is served in some restaurants in México.
Like in most recipes, there are several variations to this recipe. Some cooks will use lard or margarine instead of oil, others will add Chicken bullion dissolved in water as a substitute for both. This last ingredient is very common in Mexican kitchens where it is also used to enhance the flavor of other meals.
- Place the rice in a large heat-proof bowl and pour in hot water to cover.
- Transfer to a strainer over the sink, rinse under cold water, then drain again. Shake the strainer well to remove any excess water. Set aside to dry slightly. If using frozen peas, please defrost them ahead of time.
- Heat the oil in a large, heavy pan, add the rice. it should sizzle as it touches the oil. Cook over medium heat until it starts to become a delicate golden brown.
- Remove the excess oil using a spoon.
- Pour the tomatoes, garlic, and onion into a food processor, process until smooth.
- Add the tomato mixture to the rice and stir over medium-high heat.
- Keep cooking until all the liquid has been absorbed making sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
- Stir in the broth and optional vegetables and salt to taste. Cover the pan and cook over medium heat.
- Using a fork, carefully dig to the bottom of the rice to see if any moisture remains; If so, continue cooking over low heat for a few more minutes, still covered, until tender. Using a fork, lightly fluff up the rice and serve.
HOW TO MAKE MEXICAN STYLE RICE RECIPE
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups white rice medium size grain.
- 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil
- About 3-1/2 cups chicken broth
- 2 medium tomatoes about 1-1/2 cup chopped
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons white onion chopped
- 1 garlic clove chopped
- Salt to taste
- The following items are optional:
- 1 small carrot finely chopped
- 1 cup peas
- 1 spring of cilantro
- 2 serrano peppers
Instructions
- Place the rice in a large heat-proof bowl and pour in hot water to cover. Stir once, then let stand for 5 minutes.
- Transfer to a strainer over the sink, rinse under cold water, then drain again. Shake the strainer well to remove any excess water. Set aside to dry slightly. If using frozen peas, please defrost them ahead of time. For this rice, I used 1 cup of peas. This is a personal choice, you can also add carrots if you like.
- Heat the oil in a large, heavy pan, add the rice. it should sizzle as it touches the oil. Cook over medium heat until it starts to become a delicate golden brown. This step will take about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir occasionally to ensure that the rice does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
- Carefully tip the pan and remove the excess oil using a spoon.
- Meanwhile, pour the tomatoes, garlic, and onion into a food processor or blender, process until smooth.
- Add the tomato mixture to the rice and stir over medium-high heat.
- Keep cooking until all the liquid has been absorbed making sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. It takes about 5 minutes for this step.
- Stir in the broth and optional vegetables (carrots, peas, serrano and cilantro) and salt to taste. Cover the pan and cook over medium heat until all the liquid has been absorbed.
- Using a fork, carefully dig to the bottom of the rice to see if any moisture remains; If so, continue cooking over low heat for a few more minutes, still covered, until tender. Remove pan from heat, without uncovering it, and let it stand for 10-15 minutes, to give the rice a chance to continue steaming. Using a fork, lightly fluff up the rice and serve.
Notes
My son loves to eat his rice with a sliced banana and I like it with avocado.
Hello Brenda C.,
Excellent choice! Using calabacitas, sometimes I use them too with fresh corn. Thank you for taking the time to write.
Provecho!
Hi, can you tell me what the purpose is for frying the rice in oil? Thank you
Hi, can you tell me what the purpose is for frying the rice in oil? Thank you
Hello Angie,
Frying the rice creates a coating on the grains that keep them from sticking to each other. That's is also the reason of the rinsing the grain. Happy cooking!
I would like to suggest that your printer-friendly recipe be a condensed version of the recipe that does not include the step-by-step pictures. When I printed this recipe, it took nine pages!
Hello,
The print friendly option gives you the choice to delete the pictures, and even paragraphs, by only pointing the cursor to them.
Gracias por todas las recetas.
You are very welcome. Thank you for trying them and happy cooking!
Finally a recipe that uses actual tomatoes!! A while ago I was staying at a friend's house and her Mom was making dinner, I remember her frying the rice and using whole tomatoes, but most of the recipes I've come across call for a can of tomato paste, which is not what I was looking for.I remember I wanted to 'help' and was going to stir the rice, and well, I had never seen her move so fast! She told me I could never touch the rice while it was cooking or it wouldn't turn out right.
Hello,
Yes, we do not stir the rice in the final stage of cooking.
Happy cooking to you!
Delicious!
I tried to make this tonight and I double the recipe because I wanted to make a lot, and I think I used Too Deep of a pan. Because I was trying to be like you and not mix it and then the rice stuck to the bottom of the pan and it turned to mush any ideas? The flavor was really great though
Hello Ames,
Yes, it needs a wide pot, like a wide skillet to cook evenly. Thank you fro trying the recipe.
Very delicious and easy. It’s the real deal. Thank you!
Hello Mely! I made the rice which was delicious but not fluffy. I followed all the steps you indicated so I am not sure what I should do differently. Do you have any tips? Thank you
Hello Anne,
Since this is a quick version of the classic arroz con leche, the rice has a different texture. For fluffy rice, rinse and soak first.
This was my first time making this dish and YUM. I need someone from Mexico to adopt me! I am in Texas and can never get enough of this amazing cuisine…so happy to start learning from your blog and hopefully not need to go to restaurants to get such delicious Mexican food. Thanks so much for sharing!
Hello Amanda,
Thank you for trying the recipe. I hope you learn to cook many dishes and incorporate them in your daily cooking.
Really enjoyable! I’ll make it again for sure. I used long-grain rice because that was what I had at home, but while it wasn’t mushy, the grains did “bloom” slightly. Next time I make it I’ll get some medium grain rice. i live in Canada so finding U.S.-grown rice isn’t so easy. I was surprised to learn that so many states grow it. I’ll check around and see what’s available. This, along with Mely’s Mexican Black Beans recipe, was a really delicious meal. I added some chopped red and green peppers to the beans for even more flavour. 🙂
Helo Ann,
Thank you for trying the recipe. Glad to know that it came out good using long-grain.
Hi. Aloha from Oahu!
I will be making your Spanish rice recipe for tomorrow. Our office is celebrating Boss’s Day and our theme is Mexican
This will be my very first time making it. I will let you know how it went. Wish me luck.
Mahalo!
Lanie
Hello Lanie,
I hope you like our Mexican red rice.
Southern US cooks know to stir only with a fork. And only after bringing all ingredients to a boil. Just to settle things down and to level it. Never stir while steaming and fluff with a fork. I love your recipes.
Hello Susan.
Thank you for your kind comment. And for your great tip about not stirring the rice. That is a very important step while making rice.
Happy cooking!
Some Mexican cooks use tomato cubes. Do you ever do that?
Hello Gina, Y
You are right! Here is the link to the recipe in the blog. RED RICE
Hello Mrs Martinez. my name is Glen , my rice bag sayes 1 cup rice to 1 1/2cup water , so for 1/2 cup would i use 3/4 cup water ? or still use 3 1/2 cups water what is a good rice to use T U
Hello Glen,
I’m not sure what type of rice you are using, some types of rice absorb more liquids than others. You can follow the rice bag instructions and if you see that it is a little dry, just add more hot liquid.
Hello in Martinez Glenn again I went and bought the same kind of rice do you use and it says 1 cup to 2 and 1/2 cups of water so if I’m making a half a cup I guess I would use 1.25 ounces now would would 50% of that be broth and 50% tomato sauce or should I divide this a different way thank you
Hello Glen,
I’m not sure why it says that amount on the package. Please follow the recipe for Mexican Rice as indicate and let me know how it turns out.
Hello Miss Martinez happy Cinco de Mayo Day to you and your family I misread the bag instructions the Verde Valley rice that I now have says 1 cup rice 2 and 1/2 cups water so I use a half a cup of rice so I guess I would use 1 and 1/4 cups liquid so I use one cup liquid in 1/4 cup of tomato sauce and today I’m going to try Caldo de tomate thank you for putting your recipes out there I will be back for more recipes
Hello Glen,
Thank you for trying the recipes. Please let me know how your rice turns out.
This is by far my favorite recipe for rice. I almost had a heart attack when I lost the bookmark and almost didn’t find the page. Thank you for your delicious recipes!!!
Hello Veronica,
Thank you for coming back and check the recipe for Mexican Style Rice. I’m glad to know it has been working for you. Happy cooking!
Mely, I love this recipe! I started using an instantpot because it is less taxing on me to cook with. Do you have any suggestion on how to make this in the instantpot?
Hello Jaime,
I also started to play around with this recipe using the instant pot. I proceed to make it, as usual, frying the rice on the manual mode, them adding the tomato sauce and chicken broth, cook with the lid on for 5 minutes and then turn it off. I need to write down all my timing before I share it in the blog. Let me know how does it turn out.