Learn how to make Authentic Mexican Rice! It’s a simple recipe, requires just a few ingredients and takes less than 30 minutes to make. Add it to your menu for Taco Tuesday or anytime Mexican food is on the menu.
This is the best Authentic Mexican Rice recipe that is so good and so easy, it is our go-so side dish for any Mexican dinner. We serve it alongside Refried Beans or Slow Cooker Mexican Beans and with our favorite meals, like Ground Beef Enchiladas, Chicken Tacos and Carne Asada.
The Best Easy Mexican Rice Recipe
By far, this is one of my favorite and most requested recipe to cook. We make it for any Mexican dish from taquitos, to tacos to burritos. It’s truly an authentic Mexican Rice recipe. You want to know why? Because it comes from an authentic Mexican kitchen that just so happens to belong to my cousin’s mother-in-law!
My cousin shared this recipe with me years ago and I’ve been making it almost weekly ever since. This authentic family recipe was passed down from her mother-in-law who had learned the recipe from her mother and grandmother. The ingredients are pretty simple – white rice, tomato sauce, garlic, chili powder and Caldo de Tomate.
What is the Difference Between Mexican Rice and Spanish Rice?
Some people call this Spanish Rice, but Mexican Rice and Spanish Rice are actually not the same thing. While they do use some of the same ingredients, Spanish Rice uses saffron threads and has more of a yellow color.
Whether you call it Mexican Rice or Spanish Rice, you’ll always call it delicious!
What Spices to Add to Rice
White rice on it’s own has a pretty neutral flavor, so adding spices is key to adding big flavor. Add garlic, tomato bouillon and chili powder for restaurant style Mexican rice, chicken broth onion and garlic for rice pilaf and saffron for Spanish Rice.
How to Make Mexican Rice
- The first step is to brown the rice by cooking it with some vegetable oil over a fairly high heat. When the rice starts to turn bright white and then golden, you’re ready for next step, which is basically just adding the rest of the ingredients – water, tomato sauce tomato bouillon, garlic and chili powder.
- Once it all comes to a boil, cover it up and turn down the heat. A clear lid is helpful here so you can see when the rice is done, but really 20 minutes is about all it takes. If after 20 minutes there’s still some liquid in the pan, just let it continue to cook until all of the water is absorbed and you can no longer see it bubbling to the top.
- Let it rest, covered, for several minutes, then fluff it up in the pan using a fork or wooden spoon, and you’re ready to serve. Sometimes I’ll add some frozen vegetables, like peas and carrots, or even chicken like in my One Pot Mexican Chicken & Rice.
Top Tips and Tricks
- Use a good quality nonstick saute pan for cooking your Mexican Rice. The rice never sticks, and it has higher sides so there’s no chance or and of the rice going overboard while stirring! Do not use stainless steel pans for cooking rice.
- Resist the urge to lift the lid! Rice needs steam to cook and as it steams, the grains absorb the liquid which makes them plump and fluffy. Lifting the lid releases essential steam that is necessary to cooking rice perfectly.
- About the tomato sauce – This recipe was recently updated to use a little less tomato sauce. The original calls for an 8 ounce can, but a lot of people commented that their Mexican Rice was a little too saucy. This can be a personal preference, and often depends on the cook, but you can use half of the can (4 ounces) and still have delicious, tomato-y restaurant style Mexican Rice. Freeze the remainder of the sauce for using the next time you make the rice.
- Can you freeze Mexican Rice? Absolutely! Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 5-6 days or the freezer for up to 6 months. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Your Questions Answered
- What can I use as a substitute for the Caldo de Tomate? I have been asked this many times so I thought it was important to address. Chicken bouillon would be a fine substitution, although it wouldn’t have the same tomato taste. You could also simply use chicken stock instead of water and leave the bouillon out completely. I definitely recommend caldo de tomate if you can easily get it because it will give the best, most authentic flavor to your restaurant style Mexican Rice recipe.
- My rice didn’t cook all the way through in the 20 minutes. What happened? Since each kitchen and stove is different, it’s hard to say what could have gone wrong. However, typically it’s just that the heat wasn’t high enough and the rice didn’t come to a full boil. Let it cook a little longer to absorb more of the liquid. Or, remove the lid, turn up the heat to medium and let any remaining liquid boil off. One of these solutions should work for most problems.
- Is this really authentic? Each kitchen, family, and family tradition is different. Just like in the US there are about 18 different types of barbecue sauce depending on what part of the country you live in, the same goes for Mexico and authentic Mexican Rice recipes. Just because it isn’t the same as what your family cooks, doesn’t make it wrong or bad. .
- What kind of rice is best for Mexican Rice? This recipe calls for long grain white rice, which is the best for an Authentic Mexican Rice recipe. However, I have used Jasmine Rice in its place and it comes out fine. Brown Rice can be used, but will require an additional 1/3 cup of water and about 10-20 minutes more cook time.
Recipes that use Mexican Rice
Even though it’s usually used as a side dish, Mexican Rice can be incorporated into lot of different main dishes.
More Mexican Recipes
Planning a fiesta of your own? Mexican food is what we live for around here and if you want some delicious authentic and Mexican recipes, you’ve got to try our Crock Pot Chicken Tacos, Crock Pot Carnitas, Baked Salsa Chicken and my famous homemade Guacamole! Or dip your chips in some sweet Mango Salsa. My husband swears by my Shrimp Ceviche and my kids rave about my Mexican Sopes. Don’t forget the Margaritas! Want Mexican food for breakfast? Try this amazing Chilaquiles recipe!
Authentic Mexican Rice
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Vegetable or Canola Oil
- 1 cup dry long-grain white rice
- 4 ounces canned tomato sauce or more if you like it more on the saucy side
- 2 cups warm water
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons Calde de Tomate tomato bouillon
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic about 2 cloves
Instructions
- Heat oil in a 5 quart saute pan over medium-high heat. Add rice. Cook rice, stirring constantly, for several minutes, until rice begins to turn a golden color.
- Reduce heat to low to avoid spattering. Gently pour in warm water, then tomato sauce and stir. Stir in chili powder, Calde de Tomate and minced garlic. Turn heat back up to medium-high, bring to a boil, then reduce to low and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until all water has been absorbed.
- Turn off heat, fluff rice then let sit, covered, for 5-10 minutes before serving.
This rice is perfect, recipe as written. I make rice almost weekly (I have a rice obsessed mexican husband and toddler). We love this recipe.
Love the feedback Misty! Thanks for stopping by.
I made thos with parboiled rice as that is all I had and it turned out perfect!
Going to try so since I’m using tomato sauce can I decrease the water so it won’t be so wet?
I recommend following the recipe as written. If you use 4 ounces of the tomato sauce, it will be perfect.
Can you use parboiled rice?
Not with this recipe, no.
Delicious! I used rinsed jasmine rice and 4oz of tomato sauce and it turned out perfect. Definitely my go to recipe for Mexican rice. Moist but not mushy and the flavor is great. Thanks for sharing!
You are so welcome Veronica! Awesome feedback, thanks for stopping by.
Delicious ! I used Basmati rice & substituted a table spoon of tomato paste instead of 4 oz of tomato sauce Which made the rice deep red & tomato flavor really ccome through nicely.
Nice! Thanks for stopping by A.Yang.
Do you rinse the rice first?
Nope! I have never rinsed my rice when making this recipe and it comes out great.
Love the Recipe. Just a friendly comment to let you know that rice does need to be rinsed. Rinse about three times is what I recommend. If you want rice water with the pulp then after the 2nd rinse keep the third as your water base. Have a Great day🍚
Hi Katherine, I have never, ever rinsed my rice for this recipe. Ever. And it comes out perfect every time – I have been making it at least twice a month for 20 years. As you can see from the 5 star reviews, I’m not alone. You are essentially frying it in the oil, so there is no need to rinse it won’t come out starchy at all.
Amazing recipe!!
I can’t wait to try this! When you list chili powder, are you referring to the American blend called chili powder with paprika, cumin, garlic, onion, cayenne, etc? Or are you referring to the spicy pure pulverized chili pepper powder?
Hi Sarah, the American version like this: https://amzn.to/397mOc8
Exactly the recipe I was looking for!! It was perfect! Our new family favorite, and how I’ll make our Spanish rice from now on, this rice is the bomb.com!! Thank you!
You are so welcome Ashley! Thanks for stopping by.
Kristin,
Thank you for the excellent recipe! My entire family loved this Mexican rice. Both of my daughter-in-laws are now using your recipe too. We all agree it is simple and tastes even better then the rice served at our favorite Mexican restaurants. It is also extremely versatile to tweak for other dishes. Love it!
You are so welcome Michelle! (Awesome feedback) Thanks for stopping by.
Have you ever tried putting black beans in with the rice? I’m curious if I can be a little lazy and save a few dishes, lol.
I haven’t, because we are purists with this recipe. Drain and rinse the beans, and add them to the rice with the liquid. I feel like the whole can would be too much for me, so I would probably just use 1 cup. Hope that helps!
So, do I prepare 1 cube of bullion, which makes 2 cups and then only use 2 teaspoons?
No, you just use the actual powder.
Do you cook the rice prior or just dry?
The rice is dry (uncooked).
Can I use Better than Bouillon (chicken) in place of the tomato bouillon? If so how many tsp’s? Thanks!
If I’m out of the bouillon I just omit it and use chicken broth in place of the water. You can use better than bouillon, too. For more tomato flavor, add a little bit of tomato paste.
I love this recipe! This is my go to for Mexican food night. Great Ingredient for tacos, burritos Ext… it really elevates your meal. I make mine with jasmine rice it’s provides a better consistency then the white rice in this recipe. I add frozen pea and carrots mix. Also, sometimes I’ll add smoked paprika and or chipotle powder, garlic powder, onion powder and extra chili powder. With the recipe (always doubled) I only add 8oz to any flavorful tomato sauce or salsa. And I always double the recipe.
Awesome feedback Danielle! Thank you so much for stopping by.
So I am American born, Mexican parents and heritage and for some reason I have always had trouble with rice (too much bite, too smooshy etc) so I have always had to use recipes and this is the first one rice one I have ever written a review for. I made it as I was also washing dishes, and had the toddler running around and distracting me and it still turned out yummy. I did use beef broth instead of water because I had extra in the fridge and I remember my family sometimes using broth. I doubled the recipe but left the chili powder at the original amount because of the little one (i have to slooowly get her to like spicy so pretty mild till she is older) Thank you so much for this recipe. I tasted it and immediately bookmarked the page.
You are so welcome Nance! (Awesome feedback!) Thanks for stopping by.
Has anyone tried to convert this to the instant pot yet?
Second making in 2 weeks.
It’s very good.
I used tomato bisque and added cilantro with a Chipotle Chile powder.
Thank you Laurette! Great feedback!
Omfg thank you for not having a million paragraphs before getting to the recipe. You’re a saint. Also turned out great!
You are so welcome Aliciana! Thanks for stopping by.
Very nice! The only thing missing for me is onion, cilantro and peas! Thanks.
We sometimes add peas and carrots, but my family really prefers it without. It’s good either way though!
I used chicken bouillon instead and added onions to the rice and sauteed together..Added chipotle flakes, tomato paste, paprika , and jalapeno, canned tomatoes, about 1 cup..Delish! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
You are so welcome Josephine! Thanks for the awesome feedback.