How to Make Mexican Rice Recipe for all your Tex-Mex meals! (2024)

FAQs

What kind of rice do Mexican restaurants use? ›

Any kind of long grain rice works well for making Mexican rice. You can use generic “long grain rice”, or basmati, or jasmine, anything like that.

One of the main differences between these two rice dishes is that Mexican rice is fluffier and tends not to stick together. Whilst Spanish Rice is known for that rich yellow color, Mexican Rice is best known for its reddish orange hue that it gets from being cooked with cumin.

Although Mexican Rice is very easy to make there are a few TIPS AND TRICKS to make the best Mexican rice: Rinse and drain rice thoroughly. This is crucial to remove the extra starch from the rice so it doesn't cook up sticky and mushy.

Top tips for the perfect fluffy (not sticky) rice:

Rinse your rice in cold water before cooking to remove some of the starch. Sauté the uncooked rice in a little olive oil to lightly toast before adding the liquid. Stir frequently to make sure the rice doesn't burn.

Mexican rice (sometimes referred to as Spanish rice or red rice in Tex–Mex cuisine), also known as arroz a la mexicana, arroz mexicano, sopa de arroz, or arroz rojo in Spanish, is a Mexican side dish made from white rice, tomato, garlic, onion, and perhaps other ingredients.

Whole: Just like all whole grains, rice naturally contains three edible components—the bran, germ, and endosperm (the inedible hull is removed). “Brown” rice is the typical whole grain rice, though this describes not a particular variety but the natural color of the grain.

Add lots of pepper. Stir in a couple of tablespoons minced fresh herbs, ideally warmed first in melted butter. Cook a couple of tablespoons minced garlic, leek, scallion, or shallot in olive oil or butter until just soft to add while fluffing. Add lemon juice to taste (great with butter and pepper).

Mexican Rice, or arroz rojo, is a staple in Mexican cuisine! It is a red rice that is cooked in chicken stock and tomato juice, which gives it that beautiful red color.

The big picture: Mexican rice is one of the healthier ways to eat rice. Cooking rice with vegetables and olive oil adds extra vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to your rice.

Hard or Chewy Rice

After cooking for the recommended period of time, if the rice is still hard or chewy, add a little bit of water to create more steam (for every cup of uncooked rice used, add about 2 tablespoons of water).

Why does my Mexican rice come out sticky? ›

Rice is sticky only if you did not wash the raw rice thoroughly. Atleast 3 times. Water should be CLEAR, no matter how much your mix it with the grains.

Frying the rice before hand makes the whole rice cooking process more forgiving. One can use more water and cook longer without turning the rice into a pasty mess. Also, the technique can assist in making rice more savory. For example sauteing onion or garlic in the oil before adding rice adds flavor.

Heat canola oil in a skillet over medium-high heat; season with onion powder and garlic powder. Stir in rice and cook until golden, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in water and tomato sauce; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until rice is tender, about 15 minutes.

You want the heat to be high enough so that steam is always being formed in the pot, but not so hot that the rice scorches on the bottom of the pot. When the boiling dies down a bit, cover the pot and set the timer to 20 minutes. Remove the lid of the pot, and your rice is done.

Long grain white rice is most common rice used in traditional American recipes, and it's also popular in Asian and Mexican cuisine.

However, in southern Mexico, ​plain white rice is more common. But since adding the broth, tomato, onion, and garlic is the Mexican way to add flavor to rice, calling the dish "Mexican rice" indicates rice that is made in the Mexican style.

What kind of rice is best for Mexican Rice? 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.

Rice – while it's optional, adding rice into your burrito can make it extra filling and provide a bit more texture. Use cooked white rice or swap for brown rice if you're looking for some more nutrients. Avocado – another optional ingredient, but one we love to include for a bit of extra flavour and taste.