An authentic Mexican Rice recipe that is SO quick and easy to make. It serves as the perfect side dish to any Mexican recipe! Get ready for some YUM!
One thing that wasn’t usual for me growing up was having side dishes with dinner. My mom would always make the main course, but never with sides (she kept those gems hidden for the holidays). That was normal for me growing up – a big plate of lasagna and nothing else? Yup! So, once I got married and spent time living with my in-laws, I got to see that side dishes weren’t just a special occasion thing in their home… it was an every night, almost every meal thing.
While this was a fun and exciting new experience, I can’t lie, it totally made me feel intimidated as a new wife who took on the brunt of the cooking once we moved out. Not only did I have to make something hearty and delicious for the main course, but I also had to think about sides?! It fed into my overwhelmed feelings with cooking, which made cooking not fun for me for a very long time.
But after my years of moping around the kitchen, I quickly learned that side dishes are often super easy to make! And this authentic Mexican Rice recipe is no different. It takes about 30 minutes to make, and most of that time is letting the rice do it’s own thing – while you do all the other dinner stuff! Win-win!
Easy Pan-Made Mexican Rice
I’m not sure about you, but years ago I’d look at the end result of a dish and just assume it was something too difficult for me to make myself. I remember my husband’s Abue making Mexican Rice almost every day, and I’d hear my mother-in-law say how hard it was to make it. Fast forward a year and we were living on our own, it had been weeks without Abue’s Mexican Rice and I was craving it. I had seen her make it a thousand times, so I made it from scratch and from memory.
I was shocked how easy it was to make and it was almost impossible to mess up! Most people have rice cookers and there seems to be an intimidation with cooking rice in a pan, but I want to reassure you, it’s SO easy! Plus, cooking rice in a pan means you can rid your kitchen of another clunky and unnecessary appliance 😀
What To Eat Mexican Rice With
The beauty about Mexican Rice is it’s a great side for nearly any Mexican dish. Some of my family’s favorites are:
- Black or pinto refried beans – a must!
- Delicious Mexican tacos – find my recipe here!
- Red or green enchiladas
- A warm bowl of Chicken Tortilla Soup (recipe here) – we sometimes throw a bit of rice in the bowl!
What’d You Think Of This Mexican Rice Recipe?
Did this recipe make your stomach do a happy dance? If so, I’d so love to hear from you in the comments below. Your feedback helps me in so many ways, and it helps our growing food-loving community, too! Tell us what you paired your Mexican Rice with 🙂
Mexican Rice
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups white rice, (I use jasmine or basmati)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tsp garlic, minced
- 1/4 onion, medium, finely chopped
- 2 tomatoes, pureed (or 1/4c tomato sauce, OR 2tbsp tomato paste + 1/4c water mixed)
- 2 tsp tomato bouillon https://amzn.to/4bArfsH
- salt, to taste
- 1 carrot (optional) finely diced
- 1/2 cup peas (optional) (you can use frozen cut carrots and peas instead)
- 3 cups water
Instructions
- PREP: Over medium/high, heat oil in a large pan. Then add the dry rice and cook/toast for about 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until the rice is golden brown.1 1/2 cups white rice,, 1/4 cup olive oil
- COOK: Add tomatoes, garlic, and onion to the pan, stirring everything together. Add tomato bullion, salt, carrot, peas, and water, and bring the water to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low for 20 minutes, until the water has absorbed into the rice.1 tsp garlic,, 1/4 onion, medium,, 2 tomatoes,, 2 tsp tomato bouillon, salt,, 1 carrot (optional), 1/2 cup peas (optional), 3 cups water
- ENJOY: Remove from the heat, fluff rice with cooking utensil, and serve warm! 🙂