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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 Mexican Rice recipe that is so good and so easy, it is our go-to side dish for any Mexican dinner. We serve this rice dish alongside Refried Beans or Slow Cooker Mexican Beans, Mexican Black Beans and with our favorite meals, like Ground Beef Enchiladas, Chicken Tacos, Instant Pot Chicken Fajitas and Carne Asada.
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The Best Easy Mexican Rice Recipe
By far, this is one of my favorite and most requested recipes 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.
For me, this recipe is the closest to what you typically find in Mexican restaurants. While it might not feel “authentic” to some, it certainly is to us!
Ingredients
- Oil – I have used vegetable, canola, corn or olive oil. Other oils that you prefer can be used as long as they have a high smoke point.
- Long grain white rice – I have used Jasmine rice without issues, but don’t recommend a short grain because it can be too starchy. Brown rice works – see the FAQs section for tips.
- Tomato sauce – Depending on how saucy you like your rice, use anywhere from 4-8 ounces.
- Caldo de Tomate – This is a tomato bouillon that can be found in the Mexican aisle or with the dry soup mixes. If you can’t find it or don’t want to purchase it, you can omit or use chicken bouillon instead.
- Water – Substitute low-sodium chicken broth if you prefer, especially if you omit the caldo de tomate.
How to Make Mexican Rice
See recipe card below for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
Brown the Rice. The first step is to brown the rice by cooking it in a deep skillet or a large saucepan with some vegetable oil over a fairly high heat. When the rice starts to turn bright white and then golden, you’re ready for the 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 you can no longer see liquid 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 veggies, like peas and carrots, or even chicken, like in my One Pot Mexican Chicken & Rice. For a garnish, chop up some fresh cilantro or parsley and sprinkle it on top.
Frequently Asked Questions
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, Traditional 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!
White rice on its 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.
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.
Keep in mind that you may need to add salt if you skip the bouillon. I highly recommend just doing a taste test once the rice is fully cooked, and adding the salt then if needed.
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.
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.
This recipe calls for basic 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 great. Basmati rice is typically used in Indian dishes, but will also work well. Brown rice can be used, but will require an additional ⅓ cup of water and about 10-20 minutes more cook time.
Yes! You can definitely double the recipe. You want to make sure that your pot is plenty big – A 5-quart should be fine. Double the ingredients, prepared the same way, but do not double the time. Your rice should still be ready in about 20 minutes.
Storage
Can you freeze Mexican Rice? Absolutely! Store leftover cooked rice in an airtight container in the fridge for 5-6 days or the freezer for up to 6 months.
Refrigerating – Let the rice cool completely before storing. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Reheating – Thaw first, then Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop, adding a splash of water or chicken stock to rehydrate if needed.
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 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 this recipe.
- Vegetables – Feel free to add some cooked veggies, like peas and carrots, when you add the water. This is best with frozen vegetables rather than fresh, which will overcook and turn mushy.
- Add a chopped up Roma tomato before serving for more color and freshness.
- Serrano Peppers – Chopped serrano peppers can add some extra flavor without adding too much heat. Sprinkle on top just before covering the pan.
- Long-Grain Rice – You can use any long grain white rice. I have been using Jasmine rice for years and we actually prefer it to a regular white rice.
Recipes that use Mexican Rice
Even though it’s usually used as a side dish, Mexican Rice can be incorporated into a lot of different main dishes.
More Mexican Recipes
Planning a fiesta of your own? Mexican food is what we live for around here! If you want some delicious Mexican inspired 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.
Or if you’re wanting some other side dish options, we love Black Beans and Rice or Cilantro Lime Rice.
Want Mexican food for breakfast? Try this amazing Chilaquiles recipe! Just don’t forget the Margaritas!
Authentic Mexican Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Olive oil or vegetable oil
- 1 cup Long-grain white rice
- 4-8 ounces Canned tomato sauce Use at least 4 or up to 8 ounces of tomato sauce
- 2 cups Water
- 1 teaspoon Minced garlic about 2 cloves
- 2 teaspoons Caldo de Tomate tomato bouillon
- 1 teaspoon Chili powder
Instructions
- Heat oil in a 3-quart saute pan over medium heat. Add rice and stir to combine. Cook, stirring frequently, for 3-5 minutes, until rice begins to turn a golden color.
- Add chili powder, Caldo de Tomate (tomato boullion), and minced garlic. Stir to combine.
- Pour in water and tomato sauce and stir to combine.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to low and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until all water has been absorbed.
- Turn off the heat and let the rice rest, covered, for 5-10 minutes.
- Fluff rice with a fork and serve.
Notes
- About the Tomato Sauce – You can use 4 ounces (¼ cup) tomato sauce, or up to 8 ounce (½ cup) if you like it saucier. If you have leftover sauce, freeze for the next time.
- Rinsing the rice is not necessary, which is why it’s not included in the recipe. However, you are welcome to do so.
- Feel free to add cooked veggies like peas and carrots before covering and cooking the rice.
Made this rice and it turned out perfect! Everyone loved it. Thank you.
My rice scorched and came out sticky. I followed the recipe exactly? What should I do differently next time? I wonder if it has to do with our 100% humidity in south Texas today. Maybe I should reduce the liquid? Anyone have other ideas?
Humidity can play a part in that I’m sure. However it is most likely the heat. Are you using a gas or electric stove? Do you have one burner that gets hotter than another? (I do, so I can’t use that one for rice).
How many calories per serving do you think this is?
Would brown rice work ok?
Brown rice takes longer to cook than white rice. I suppose if you followed the cooking time for brown it could work, but I haven’t personally tried it.
This is great! This recipe is similar to what I do in my rice but I like to add some onions. Thank you for sharing!
What can i use as substitute for tomato Buillon since cant find one in my place?
You could use chicken bouillon, or just use chicken broth instead of water. It won’t have quite as strong of a tomato taste, and you may need to add a little salt (but check that at the end).
Knorr makes a great tomato chicken bullion.
Hi! Was wondering how many servings are in this recipe?
Depends on the size of the servings, but it should feed at least 6 people.
This recipe rocks!!! It was absolutely perfect! I made 5 times the amount ( we had a big group) and I was nervous about trying a new dish with such a crowd!!! The only thing I did differently was I put in only two cans of tomatoe sauce ( all I had)? It was delicious!!! The caldo tomato ingredient is fantastic—it has the salt the recipe needs… after I made it, I thought “ I forgot salt”! But the tomato bouillon saved me! Thank you for sharing this worry-proof recipe. One other thing…. because you sauté the rice first, it speeds up the cooking process… I let mine cook about 10 minutes, covered… then I turned off the heat. Before we got ready to eat, I brought it to a boil again (only for a few minutes) and it was done!!!! Definitely a 5 Star recipe!
Wow, this recipe was a huge hit! I tripled the recipe to go with our family Christmas meal for 15 of Mexican food. The rice was well seasoned, fluffy and looked just like that from a restaurant. I added sauteed onions and bell peppers. I impressed myself, since I never made it before. The family kept raving about it. I come from a highly critical family of good cooks so thanks to this recipe I won’t be teased for a cooking fail.
Can u use chicken broth instead of the water
Yes, you can.
What.do i use if i dont have garlic cloves
You could add some garlic powder in place of the cloves. About a teaspoon should be enough.
We are having Mexican food for our Christmas lunch this year and I am bringing rice. Do you think I could double this recipe and it would cook ok or should I make 2 separate batches? Thanks.
I find it difficult to make a double batch of this rice because of the cooking time. I would make two separate batches.
Trying this recipe for first time will let you know how it turns out.Taking it for a Mexican lunch side dish.
Excellent!! great taste, I’ll be making this a lot. Thank you
Thank you Adam!
Awesome and so easy! Thanks for sharing your family recipe, now I have a new family favorite at my house!!! ?
Thank you Nicole!
This looks amazing! If I want to add frozen veggies, what is the best place to add them? Toward the end of the rice cooking?
I would heat them separately then stir them in at the end. Or add them at the beginning, but not fully defrosted.
This the very same recipe friend of mine gave me. She is from Mexico. I love it and have shared with a few friends from Mexico and they all loved it
Thank you Idahogal! glad you and your friends loved it.
Hi there,
When you say a can of tomatoe sauce?
Do you mean like canned tomatoes?
So excited to try this!
No, it’s a can of tomato sauce. You can find it in the same aisle as the canned tomatoes, but it’s a smaller, 8-ounce can.
So yummy! Made last minute, substituted Rao’s Aarabiata tomato sauce to add a little spicy kick and used chicken buillion instead of tomato because it was what I had on hand. The side dish stood out as the best part of the meal!
What a great idea Kelsey! Thanks for sharing your experience!
After eating my Mexican mom’s rice since I was a child, I figured I’d try this out to see if I can find a different flavor because I like to try new things. My mom is an excellent cook and everything she makes is delicious. This rice is better than her rice. Don’t tell her I said that or I might get the chancla!!
No not the chancla!! LOL! Thanks for your review Rico, so glad you enjoyed it!