Easy Restaurant-Style Mexican Rice
Make fluffy, flavorful Mexican Red Rice at home. This simple recipe delivers the bold, traditional taste you expect from your favorite Mexican restaurant, ready in under 30 minutes.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 25 min
- Total Time: 35 min
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
- 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup frozen peas and carrots mix (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the rice to the pan and toast, stirring constantly, for 5 to 7 minutes until the grains turn light golden brown. Watch carefully to prevent burning.
- Add the chopped onion and cook for 3 minutes until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
- Stir in the chicken broth, tomato sauce, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan tightly, and simmer for 15 minutes without lifting the lid.
- Remove the pan from the heat. If using, gently stir in the frozen peas and carrots mix. Keep the pan covered and let it stand off the heat for an additional 10 minutes to steam.
- Fluff the rice gently with a fork before serving.
Notes
- For a richer flavor, use tomato bouillon powder mixed into the broth instead of plain broth.
- To achieve restaurant-style fluffiness, do not stir the rice while it simmers or rests.
- This rice pairs well with tacos and burritos, making it a great alternative to relying on meal planning services for quick sides.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3/4 cup cooked
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 5
- Saturated Fat: 1
- Unsaturated Fat: 4
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 38
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 5
- Cholesterol: 0