Learn how to make a super basic yet classic dish: Authentic Mexican white rice! This recipe for Arroz Blanco (as we say in Spanish) is simple to make but packs a ton of flavor thanks to chopped onions and garlic. I'll even share my secret hack to get the perfect texture of Mexican white rice!
Growing up in Mexico, I remember my dad loved to have his Mexican white rice cooked in a special and specific way, which he used to call “Arroz a la Morisqueta” since that’s how they call it in the region alongside the Gulf of Mexico, where my hometown of Tampico is located.
Now that I spend a lot of time in the kitchen, I find myself always coming back to these memories and now I make my arroz blanco the same way!
I do want to say this is not to be confused with another dish that's also called "Morisqueta" on the west coast, particularly in the state of Michoacán. That other dish has rice and beans mixed with other spices, similar to the Cuban dish "Moros y Cristianos".
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Different Ways To Prepare Mexican White Rice
The preparation of this rice varies from region to region but the end result is the same. The way I cook my rice might not be the same as yours but it will still have those amazing flavors.
There are also little things you can switch out or add to rice while it's cooking to change up the flavors a little bit. You can try cooking the rice using lard instead of vegetable oil like they do in some areas of Tecamachalco, Puebla. Some people like to add a dab of butter or margarine to the top of the rice during the final cooking to the rice.
You can also chop the onion and garlic, then fry it with the rice instead of placing those two ingredients in the blender with water. When you fry the onion and garlic it gives the rice a differnt flavor.
This just brought back the memory of a farm wedding I attended in a small town in Puebla, where the mole poblano was served with a side of delicious white rice that was cooked in lard. Now, whenever I make mole poblano at home, I add a dab of lard to the vegetable oil that I use to fry the rice in.
It was delicious and I enjoyed it!
Frequently Asked Questions About Mexican Rice
Before I share my rice recipe, here are a few questions I've been asked about homemade Mexican white rice.
How can I change up this white rice recipe?
While this rice recipe gets a lot of its flavor from the onions and garlic, I sometimes like to add 1 or 2 sprigs of parsley or cilantro to really give the rice a pop of freshness from the herbs.
You can also cook the rice with some whole serrano peppers for a spicy flavor profile!
Can I add vegetables to this arroz blanco?
Yes, you can. This kind of rice is typically called Arroz primavera. It is essentially made up of white rice and a bag of fresh or frozen mixed veggies. That usually consists of:
- Carrots
- Peas
- and sometimes Corn & green beans.
Is Mexican rice the same as regular white rice?
I will start off by saying they are similar. However, the flavors are usually not the same. Mexican rice is much bolder in flavor thanks to the garlic, onions, and lime juice where regular white rice is usually just the rice, salt, and cooked in water.
Also, for this recipe, long-grain white rice is used to really get that fluffy rice texture that authentic Mexican white rice is known to have. Small grain rice tends to have more starch content and it will render mushy rice. Avoid using other rice with aromas like Bastami or jasmine rice.
Homemade Mexican White Rice Recipe
Here is a list of ingredients you will need to make this recipe...
- White Rice
- Cold water to soak the rice
- Hot water
- Garlic clove
- White onion
- Vegetable oil
- Salt
- Lime or lemon juice
Please note: For exact measurements of the ingredients listed above, scroll down to the recipe card located at the bottom of this post!
How To Make Mexican White Rice: Step By Step Tutorial
To make things easier for you, I am going to break down the directions to this recipe into sections.
Soak The Rice
- Place the rice in a bowl with the warm water and set it aside for about 15 minutes. This helps the rice get rid of any extra starchiness and helps the rice cook more evenly.
Blend Onion and Garlic Mixture
- Meanwhile, place the chopped onion, clove of garlic and ½ cup of cold water in a blender and process until you have a smooth mixture.
Drain Water From The Rice
- After 15 minutes have gone by, drain the water and rinse the rice with the help of a colander and cold water until the water is clear.
- Make sure to drain the rice well and shake any excess water because it has to be as dry as possible.
Fry The White Rice
- Add vegetable oil to a saucepan or cazuela and place over medium-high heat.
- Heat up the oil and then add the rice.
- Fry the rice, stirring constantly until it becomes transparent. This usually takes about 10 minutes.
- With the help of a spoon, drain any excess oil after this step.
- Add the onion and garlic mixture to the rice and stir it all together.
Tip: Be careful not to break the rice grains.
Add Any Additional Toppings (Optional)
- Add the hot water, parsley sprigs, and Serrano pepper (if using).
- Don't forget a few drops of lime juice!
Cook The Mexican White Rice
- When the water starts boiling, lower the heat to the lowest temperature.
- Season the rice with salt to your own tasting and cover the saucepan. Make sure to not remove the lid because that releases the steams that helps fluff and cook the rice.
- After 20 minutes, the water should be absorbed almost completely. The rice should look cooked and soft.
- Remove from the heat and let it stand for about 10 minutes.
- Discard the sprig of parsley and serve! The rice will keep cooking with its own heat.
What To Serve With Arroz Blanco Mexicano
The rice pairs terrifically with dishes like Mole Poblano, Asado de Puerco, Short Ribs in Green Sauce, and many other Mexican stews. It also makes a nice dinner topped with a fried egg and served with some fried plantains! Finally, garnish your white rice with a cilantro or parsley leaf.
More Authentic Mexican Recipes To Enjoy
If you enjoyed this recipe for Mexican white rice, take a look at some of these other authentic Mexican recipes:
- Arroz Con Pollo (Chicken With Rice)
- Black Beans And Rice (Moros Y Cristianos)
- Easy Red Rice Recipe
- Vegetable Beef And Rice Soup
- Mexican Rice Pudding (Arroz Con Leche)
I hope you make this recipe for arroz blanco mexicano! If this recipe was of any help to you, come back to let me know your experience. Please leave us a comment done below and tell us all about it!
¡Buen provecho!
Mely
📖 Recipe
Mexican White Rice
Ingredients
- 1 Cup of Rice
- ½ cup cold water
- 1 ½ cup hot water
- 1 small garlic clove
- 3 Tbs. white onion chopped
- 2 Tbs. Vegetable oil
- Salt to taste
- A few drops of lime or lemon juice
- Optional: 1 or 2 sprigs of parsley or cilantro 1 Serrano pepper
Instructions
- Place the rice in a bowl with warm water and set aside for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place the chopped onion, clove of garlic and ½ cup of cold water in a blender and process until you have a smooth mixture.
- After 15 minutes, drain the water and rinse the rice with the help of a colander and cold water until water is clear. Make sure to drain well and shake any excess water, it has to be as dry as possible.
- Add vegetable oil to a saucepan or Cazuela and place over a medium-high heat. Heat oil and add the rice. Fry the rice, stirring constantly until it becomes transparent, about 12 minutes. With the help of a spoon, drain any excess oil after this step.
- Add the Onion and garlic mixture to the rice and stir (be careful not to break the rice grains).
- Add the hot water, parsley sprigs, and Serrano pepper (if using) and a few drops of lime juice.
- When the water starts boiling, lower the heat to the lowest temperature, season with salt to your own taste and cover the saucepan. Do not remove the lid.
- After 20 minutes the water should be absorbed almost completely. The rice should look cooked and soft. Remove from heat and let stand for about 10 minutes. Discard the sprig of parsley and serve. Rice will keep cooking with its own heat.
Notes
- Be careful not to over brown rice while it is frying.
- You can also use Chicken broth instead of the water or chicken bouillon dissolved in water, but then your rice won’t have a white color.
- If the water evaporates before the rice is cooked, add more hot water over the rice. About ⅓ of a cup, making sure not to mix the rice again.
- Some cooks prefer to add the garlic and finely chopped onion while frying rice.
- The grains of rice should be cooked and fluffy when the rice is done.
Queen B
Hey there! I want to make this for dinner tonight to go with my Carne Adovada. I used my last lime for the pork. 😕 Is the lime necessary?
Thank you!
Alisha
Mely Martínez
Hello Queen,
No, you do not need the lime. It will still be great!
Queen B
Thank you so much for taking the time to reply! Have a wonderful day!
Alisha