This is a vegan-friendly staple Mexican side dish that's fast, simple, and essential for anyone who loves Mexican food.
Equipment | Single Burner |
Difficulty | Easy |
It is easy to learn how to make Mexican Rice for Mexican food dinners.
As a native Texan it is such a comfort to have a reliable recipe to put alongside refried beans and all my favorite Mexican food ideas. Whether you're serving veggie fajitas, tortilla soup, or enchiladas, this Mexican rice recipe delivers the perfect side dish. You can even use the leftovers to make nacho bowls!
The trick is to use long-grain rice.
I got this recipe from my brother-in-law, who is a fantastic cook! Eating at their house is always a pleasure, especially on days when there are steaming-hot homemade tortillas! They really know their stuff when it comes to Mexican dishes.
Important note about this Mexican rice recipe:
Do not use basmati rice for this! I did one day out of desperation and it was definitely not right. Basmati has a very specific flavor that is not in line with Mexican food, so be sure that you only use a basic long grain rice. My husband tasted it and said "Why does this taste like Indian food?" Ha!
Substitutions:
Can I use some other kind of rice? If you must substitute the rice try to go for rice that is as plain as possible, such as medium grain rice. Avoid rice that has a strong specific flavor such as basmati or jasmine rice. Also avoid any specialty rice such as sushi rice.
Can I omit the salt? Sure! If you're watching your salt this is a good place to omit it, especially if you're serving the rice with a salty main dish.
Should I use salted or unsalted broth? This is entirely up to you. If you're watching your salt intake definitely use unsalted. If you're not watching your salt intake then it tastes better with salted broth.
Substitute for Mexican oregano: You can use regular oregano instead, but it tastes better and more authentic if you use Mexican oregano.
Money Saving Tips: |
It is cheaper if you make your own veggie broth using the veggie scraps from your kitchen. |
You can save money by buying the oregano and cumin from a Mexican grocery store or by buying the generic Mexican brands that are often available at regular grocery stores. |
Let's Begin:
Gather the ingredients. Mince the onion and garlic, and dice the tomatoes if using fresh or drain if using canned.
Heat 2 Tbs of oil in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Add the minced 1/2 onion.
Sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add the 1 cup of dry rice and toast with the onions, stirring frequently so it doesn't stick or burn.
Cook it until it is the color of sand, about 10 minutes.
Add the minced 3 cloves of garlic and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the 1/2 cup of diced tomatoes and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes.
Add the 1 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp Mexican oregano, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper and stir to combine it all together.
Add the 2 cups of vegetable broth and stir. Taste the broth and add more salt and pepper if desired. If you are adding a pepper you can cut a slit in it and drop it in the top. Raise the heat to bring the pot to a boil, then put the lid on and lower heat to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes.
Remove the pan from heat and fluff the rice with a fork before replacing the lid and allowing the rice to sit another 5 or 10 minutes.
Enjoy!
How can I serve this Mexican rice?
Obviously this is excellent as a side dish with refried beans with nearly any Mexican main course. Such as:
Enchiladas
Tamales
Chalupas
Quesadillas
Gorditas
Burritos
etc.
And sometimes I like to use it to fill my tacos or burritos, especially with vegan taco meat!
Storage.
This rice recipe will last in the fridge 4-5 days.
Can I freeze it? Yes! It will store nicely in the freezer for 1-2 months.
Reheating: Reheating rice can be a little difficult because it likes to dry out. My favorite method is to use the microwave, but to put a wet paper towel on top before starting it. The wet paper towel will re-steam the rice.
Comments