Mexican Rice
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Serving homemade Mexican for dinner and looking for a way to add some color to your plate? This Mexican rice is packed with flavor, easy to make, and the perfect complement for any Mexican dish.
If you’re a fan of homemade Mexican food, a good Mexican rice recipe is a must! Often referred to as Spanish rice or “arroz rojo,” this classic Mexican rice dish features long-grain rice simmered in a tomato-infused broth, seasoned with onions, garlic, cumin, and chili powder — lending it that iconic reddish-orange color. While my version might not be 100% traditional, my kids swear it’s just as delicious as the rice from our favorite local Mexican spot.
This Mexican rice is my go-to side for dishes like beef enchiladas, chicken enchiladas, beef tacos, 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
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Cook the aromatics. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-low heat, then add the minced jalapeño and onion. Cook until soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Cooking the aromatics first helps build a flavorful base—be patient here and let the onions soften fully to bring out their sweetness.
Step 2: Toast the rice and flavorings. Stir in the rice, tomato paste, and garlic, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often to toast the rice—it adds a deeper, nuttier flavor. In addition to deepening the flavor, the rice will get a light coating of the oil; this helps prevent clumping or gumminess in the cooked rice.
Step 3: Add the cooking liquid and seasoning. To the pan, add the salt, spices, and chicken broth.
Step 4: Cover and simmer. Cook for about 20 minutes, until the rice is tender. Avoid the temptation to lift the lid—trapped steam is essential for the rice to cook evenly. Stir in the peas, cilantro, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice for a pop of flavor and color.
Step 5: Fluff. When the ingredients are well-combined, fluff the rice with a fork. Fluffing keeps the grains separate and avoids mashing the rice. Serve the rice with lime wedges on the side and enjoy!
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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Super easy and delicious. Halved the recipe and was perfect for two. Served with Peruvian-Style Roasted Chicken recipe – I recommend! I used regular Jasmine rice, which is 1 part rice to 1.25 parts liquid. So basically, I used way less liquid.
Quick, easy, full of flavor and absolutely delicious! It quickly became my fave go to lunch dish, especially with paratha bread. Side note: the picture description above says “add the water and seasoning and bring to a boil” (not broth).
So glad you enjoyed it and thanks for pointing out that error (I just fixed it)! 🙂
This rice came out very sticky and when I looked at the ratio of rice-liquid with your basmati rice pilaf, there is almost one cup more liquid with the Mexican rice recipe (not including the tomato paste) compared to the basmati pilaf.
I have used converted rice for years but never with this rice-liquid ratio.
Is the Mexican rice supposed to be sticky like this.
Im going to make the Mexican rice with the basmati ratio and let you know how it comes out!
Be safe!
Could you tell me what brand of rice you usually use for this recipe. Can’t thank you enough for this site.
Hi Donna, I use Uncle Ben’s. Glad you like the site!
I made this rice many times, it became a staple in my house. Thank you Jen!
Would adjustments need to be made if using brown rice instead of white? If so, what? Thanks!!
Hi Susan, Yes you would definitely need to make adjustments to the amount of chicken broth and the cook time. I would follow the instructions on the package for liquid to rice ratio and cook time. Hope it turns out well!
This rice is so good that I often just eat it as a main dish instead of side. I just sprinkle a few pinches of shredded cheese on top and it can be delicious as a main course. I usually omit the peas at the end because I’m not a fan of them and I find it taste more authentic without. For years, I made a different spanish rice recipe to accompany my spanish dishes, but I’ve replaced it with this one instead because the taste is so much better. The blend of lime and cilantro in the dish is excellent!
Loved it! Easy to prepare and paired with the Chicken Enchiladas on your blog.
It was a hit, even with a couple picky eaters! I didn’t have peas but it was awesome without them! Thanks for the recipe.
Made this with Jen’s Stacked Beef Enchiladas and Cilantro Lime Sweet Corn recipes. This was perfect as is. I wouldn’t change a thing. Thanks!
Made this last night to take to a family taco dinner (along with your Chicken Quesadillas) and it was a big hit. Both dishes were prepared ahead of time, and reheated beautifully. One guest doesn’t care for the taste of peas, so I substituted a frozen Tex-Mex vegetable blend with corn, red & green bell peppers and onions. I also used a combination of cilantro and parsley instead of just cilantro, which can sometimes be overpowering. The flavor and texture of the dish was great, and the large jalapeno was just the right amount of heat. Will definitely make this one again!