Mexican Rice
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This Mexican rice recipe gets its savory tomato flavor from tomato paste and chicken broth, with garlic, spices, and a little jalapeño for heat.
If you’re a fan of homemade Mexican food, a good Mexican rice recipe is a must. Often called Spanish rice or arroz rojo, it’s made by simmering long-grain rice in a tomato-infused broth with onion, garlic, cumin, and chili powder, which gives it its characteristic reddish-orange color. My version may not be 100% traditional, but my kids swear it’s just as delicious as the rice from our favorite local Mexican spot. It’s my go-to side for dishes like beef enchiladas, chicken fajitas, and carne asada.
“Hubby said, ‘do not change a thing!’ So excited that this can be frozen and ready in an instant. Just perfect for Cinco de Mayo—or any day!”
What You’ll Need To Make Mexican Rice
- Onion, Jalapeño Pepper, and Garlic: These aromatics add depth and a touch of heat. For a milder rice, remove the seeds and ribs from the jalapeño; if you want more heat, save the seeds and add them in at the end to taste. Pro Tip: Wash your hands right after handling jalapeños—and avoid touching your eyes!
- Tomato Paste: Adds a concentrated tomato flavor and rich color, essential for that signature Mexican rice taste.
- Rice: White long grain rice is preferred because it cooks up fluffier and less sticky than shorter grains, ensuring each grain remains distinct and absorbs the flavorful broth without becoming mushy.
- Low-Sodium Chicken Broth: Used instead of water to cook the rice, it enriches the dish with more flavor.
- Chili Powder and Cumin: These spices are key for adding the warm, smoky notes characteristic of Mexican cuisine.
- Frozen Peas: Add a pop of sweetness and color.
- Cilantro: Brings freshness and a bright note to finish the dish. Feel free to leave it out if you’re not a fan.
- Fresh Lime Juice: A splash brightens up all the flavors.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
How To Make Mexican Rice
Cook the aromatics: Heat the olive oil in a large pot, then add the onion and jalapeño. Cook until softened. Be patient here and let the onions soften fully to bring out their sweetness.
Toast the rice: Add the rice, tomato paste, and garlic and cook, stirring often, until the rice is lightly toasted and well coated. This brings out the rice’s nutty flavor while deepening the flavor of the tomato paste.
Add the broth and seasonings: Stir in the chicken broth, salt, pepper, chili powder, and cumin, scraping up anything stuck to the bottom of the pot. Bring to a boil.
Cover and simmer: Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed. Keep the lid on while it cooks so the steam stays trapped in the pot. Stir in the peas, cilantro, and lime juice.
Fluff and serve: Fluff the rice gently with a fork, then let it sit briefly before serving. This gives the grains a chance to firm up and lose that wet, just-steamed texture. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then serve.
Video Tutorial
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Mexican Rice
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 large jalapeño pepper, stemmed, seeded, and minced
- 2 large cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1½ cups white long grain rice
- 3⅓ cups low-sodium chicken broth (see note)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ cup frozen peas, defrosted
- ¼ cup finely chopped cilantro
- 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice, from 1 lime
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions and jalapeño and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Turn the heat up to medium and add the tomato paste, garlic and rice; cook, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes.
- Add the chicken broth, salt, pepper, chili powder and cumin; turn the heat up and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot and simmer until all the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
- Add the peas, cilantro and lime juice and fluff the rice with a fork to mix. Let the rice sit for a few moments to "dry out" and lose that wet, just-steamed texture. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and lime if necessary.
Notes
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Write more, thats all I have to say. Literally, it seems as though you relied on the video
to ake your point. Yoou obviously know what youre talking about, why throw away your intelligence on just posting videos too your weblog when you could
be giving us somethkng informative to read?
This was a big hit last night! Perfect with a grilled steak and sauteed spinach! You are my “go to” gal when it comes to finding new recipes!
I made this tonight and it is a winner. Everyone loved it. No leftovers. I’ll make it again.
Very easy and tastes just like what you get in a Mexican restaurant. Really doesn’t have much heat with just the green parts of the jalapeno, so next time I will add some of the ribs and seeds. Otherwise perfect as is!
Made this with your chicken enchiladas for dinner last night and both were a hit. Best Mexican rice I’ve tried and so easy. Thank u!!
Made this the other night, it was delicious! It beats all other Mexican rice recipes I have tried. I have to say I love all your recipes, most of them are becoming staples in our house! Thank you for sharing.
Thank you, this recipe is all win. I used 2ish cups of basmati rice and the entire can of tomato paste (I have exceeded my life-time limit of sacrificial half-used tomato paste cans), eye-balled the chili powder and cumin def more than double and I scorched the bottom of the pot, but in this house, that charred bit is a bonus that the kids fight over, so all win. Next time I’m going to use two jalapenos, but that’s just our preference, otherwise, all win. Thanks for sharing your talent.
So glad you enjoyed, Marji. You’re right, this recipe can definitely handle two jalapeños. I considered it but decided to keep it mild for my kids. Also, you can avoid the half-used can of tomato paste dilemma by buying tomato paste in a tube.
https://www.thekitchn.com/the-best-way-to-store-leftover-tomato-paste-tips-from-the-kitchn-194724
Glad to have this recipe—I was looking for one like this last week. I try this one next time. Thanks.
I would like to see every recipe list the nutrition values.
Think we could make it with quinoa? One if my kids has a rice allergy, thanks.
Hi Lynn, Absolutely. You’ll just have to adjust the quantities a bit. For the broth, I typically use 1-2/3 cup liquid for every 1 cup quinoa; so, if my math is right, you’d need about 2-1/2 cups. I’d also reduce the tomato paste to 1 tablespoon, the salt to 3/4 teaspoon, and the chili powder and cumin to 1/4 teaspoon each. Please let me know how it comes out!