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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Awesome rice. Cooking it almost every other week.
Used this to go with a baked cod – replaced the jalapeno with green bell pepper so as not to overpower the fish. Result was everything I could hope for. So simple, and so good. These two recipes should not have worked together, but made an excellent combination. Once again, a preparation that makes magic from simple ingredients. Almost bored by my constant five star reviews – when I decide what I want to make for dinner, this is the first place I come to figure out how to prepare it.
Time and again, thank you Jenn. You make all of us look so talented.
😊
Craig, I totally agree with you! I want to pack up all my 50 years of cookbooks and throw them away. Every single recipe on Once Upon a Chef is more delicious and there should be a 6 star rating. Even my picky grandchildren and picky husband love everything I make from Jenn’s recipes. Thank you Jenn for making dinner fun and delicious. Oh yes, of course this recipe is absolutely delicious.
💕
This rice is wonderful! I doubled the recipe and took around 45 minutes to cook. This was a side dish for your Mexican Lasagna. I made both for a friend who is going through Chemo…organic fresh ingredients for health! I also used the other half of the rice and paired it with grilled old bay shrimp to feed my family. It is reminiscent of paella…so good! Thanks Jen! Your recipes are amazing!
Great recipe, thanks for sharing!
Can you freeze and then reheat? If so how would you reheat?
Sure, Lesley. I would place the frozen rice in a microwave-safe bowl and sprinkle it with a tablespoon or two of water. Cover the bowl, then microwave in 45-second bursts until warmed through. Hope that helps!
Made this to accompany the Peruvian chicken as recommended. Goes great with the chicken and it was very tasty.
Delicious and so easy to prepare!
Hi Jenn, I have two questions for you.
1. Can I use Basmati rice? Will it be still good for this recipe?
2. Can I use Veg broth instead of chicken broth.
Thanks!
Yes and yes! (Although use the amount of liquid called for on the basmati package.) 🙂
Thanks Jenn!
We enjoy this recipe. Have it as a side dish with our Mexican flair. Always comes out perfect.
This is begging to made in the Instant Pot. Has anyone tried it yet?
Hi Meg, I haven’t made this in an Instant Pot (I don’t have one), but hopefully some other readers can weigh in if they have.
I’ve made it a couple of times in the Instant Pot. The only adjustment I made was to reduce the broth to 2 cups. Do everything else the same as the original recipe, but saute in the IP, rather than on the stove. Cook on the “white rice” setting, and do a 10 minute natural pressure release. Then stir in the remaining ingredients per the original recipe. It worked great!