Mexican Rice

6 Servings
45 min

The tasty and varied Mexican cuisine offers dishes that have become culinary traditions. Many of them have transcended the borders of that country and have been integrated into the gastronomic environment of other regions. However, those dishes have adapted to a certain extent to the new times and to the particularities of the new country.

There is one of these dishes that has always stood out over the years and has largely preserved its authenticity.

We are referring to Mexican rice, the essence of which has satisfied even the most demanding palates. Here we invite you to learn its particular way of preparation, as well as some tips about it and some nutrition information.

Authentic Mexican rice dish on a white plate with a fork on a brown table.

A word about nutrition

Mexican rice provide the body with essential nutrients like proteins, carbohydrates and vitamins A and C. Likewise a good wealth of minerals are obtained from this food, for instance:


  • Sodium
  • Potassium
  • Calcium
  • Iron
Skillet with onion, corn, green pepper, and tomato sauce.

How to make a genuine Mexican rice

This is an easy to prepare dish you can cook at home to please your family at your next gathering. It is appropriate as a side or main dish. Just try it and you won't regret it!


  1. To begin cooking it, heat 1 tablespoon of canola oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
  2. Next, add 1 small green bell pepper diced, 1 onion chopped, garlic cloves minced and 1 medium carrot grated.
  3. Sauté and stir until they get tender but not browned.
  4. Add 1 package of frozen sweet corn thawed.
  5. Then 1 cup of chicken broth and 1 cup of tomato sauce are added and bring to a boil.
  6. Stir in 1 ½ cups white the rice and cover.
  7. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes more.
  8. Remove from heat.
  9. Let rest for 5 minutes.
  10. Finally, add ¼ cup shredded Cheddar cheese and stir with a fork.
Skillet with ingredients for traditional Mexican rice cooking on a stove.

Cook's tips

Always, make sure all ingredients are ready before starting making the recipe. That is especially important when they are required to be stir-fried.

The authentic Mexican rice, often called Spanish rice depending on the region, requires fresh onions, garlic, tomato paste and spices sautéed with the rice and steamed with chicken broth until rich and moist. The perfect accompaniment to any Mexican dinner.

For this dish, long-grain white rice is the best choice as it guarantees the best results of loose and fluffy grains. In addition, instead of just water, chicken paste can be used for extra flavor.

A tip for better rice cooking is to rinse the rice to remove all the starch, which makes the rice lumpy and, as mentioned, we want it light and fluffy.

You can add spices for an exotic touch in this dish. Cumin is the most used along with kosher salt and black pepper. Some people use a tomato, but tomato paste is also appropriate.

You can add a half cup of sliced celery, if you like, but it's not a traditional ingredient, so the recipe we present today stays true to the original that has been made for years.

This Mexican rice is great as a topping, added to grilled chicken or beef for burritos, and sometimes can also be added to Mexican influenced soups.

Adding chopped cilantro and lemon wedges to squeeze just before serving makes a big difference and adds another layer of flavor.

Mexican rice close up with cheese sprinkled on top.

What to pair Mexican Rice with?

There are many main dishes that can be served with this recipe and many of them are Mexican.

For instance, to accompany your Mexican rice recipe, a good choice would be beef or chicken. Even salads are a proper side dish.

Among Mexican meals to serve with Mexican rice, you can choose:

Enchiladas: they're perfect because they complement without competing with rice flavor.

Burritos in their different versions, for example: wet burritos, California burritos, smothered chicken burritos, among others.

Tacos are the most popular Mexican food. Therefore, they can be a perfect accompaniment like ground beef tacos, easy shredded chicken tacos, among others.

Chicken fajitas combined with this rice make an easy and tasty weeknight meal.

Recipe details
  • 6  Servings
  • Prep time: 15 Minutes Cook time: 30 Minutes Total time: 45 min
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Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon of canola oil
  • 1 small green pepper
  • 1 onion
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 medium carrot
  • 1 can sweet corn
  • 1 cup vegetable or chicken broth
  • 1 cup tomato sauce
  • 1 ½ cups white rice
  • ¼ shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions

To begin cooking it, heat 1 tablespoon of canola oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
Next, add 1 small green bell pepper diced, 1 onion chopped, garlic cloves minced and 1 medium carrot grated.
Sauté and stir until they get tender but not browned.
Add 1 can of sweet corn, drained
Then 1 cup of chicken broth and 1 cup of tomato sauce are added and bring to a boil.
Stir in 1 ½ cups white the rice and cover.
Cook for 3 to 4 minutes more.
Remove from heat.
Let rest for 5 minutes.
Finally, add ¼ cup shredded Cheddar cheese and stir with a fork.
Adrienne Carrie Hubbard | Crafty Little Gnome
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