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Learn how to make fluffy, authentic Mexican Rice (arroz rojo) better than the restaurants! This simple recipe only uses simple ingredients and an easy prep time. Serve it as a side dish for any of your favorite Tex Mex or Mexican meals!
Simple Ingredients Big Flavor
I originally published this recipe in 2014 and have since made several changes based on personal experience. Since I first posted this recipe my cooking style has changed, the ingredients I commonly stock in my pantry has changed, and the way I make my Mexican rice has changed.
I have swapped out the tomato bouillon originally used, and now use a combination of tomato paste and common spices. This gives us more control over the ingredients we’re using and the flavoring, while still giving us that perfectly fluffy and flavorful rice we love.
Why We Love This Updated Recipe
- Simple Ingredients– We know everything going into our food!
- No Blender– Still keeping things simple with prep!
- Restaurant Quality– we’re still delivering the quality you expect.
We love to serve this with our refried beans, charro beans, refried black beans, and our favorite Tex Mex meals like Texas Cheese Enchiladas, Crispy Ground Beef Tacos, Carne Asada, or grilled Mexican chicken.
Ingredients You Need
- Avocado Oil– A great neutral oil used to toast the rice that doesn’t give us an overpowering flavor.
- Long Grain White Rice- any kind of long grain white rice will work, standard American or Jasmine rice are popular options.
- Tomato Paste- this gives us a big burst of tomato flavor without giving us soggy rice from too much moisture.
- Onion Powder- I have found this to the most flavor forward spice used that provides that same flavoring we would get from using caldo de tomate.
- Garlic Powder & Oregano– additional seasoning and flavor for the rice. I like to rub the oregano between my fingers as I add it to break it apart and make it a bit smaller to combine into my rice.
- Chicken Broth/Stock:-as pictured I love using Kirkland’s Chicken Stock in my cooking, it’s what I commonly keep on hand in my pantry. I will often make rice with just this and salt and I find that this creates a lot more flavor than other chicken broths I have used. But you can use any broth that you have on hand.
- Salt– Balances out all the flavors and enhances them.
All about the Rice
Long grain white rice is best for making Mexican rice. Short grain rice tends to become clumpy while the long grain will cook up fluffy. Basmati, Jasmine, or standard American long grain white rice work well for this dish.
How to Make the Fluffiest Mexican Rice
Find the complete recipe card below with measurements and full instructions.
This recipe comes down to the method. Sometimes the simplest things can be the trickiest because it’s all in the method.
- Rinse your rice and then toast it in oil. I typically will use avocado oil which is neutral in flavor. Toast the rice until it gets a golden coloring coming through on most of the grains.
- Stir the tomato paste into rice until the rice is all evenly coated. Then add in the spices. Stir them around and let them bloom briefly in the heat before adding in the broth.
- Pour the broth into the skillet and stir this together. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then place the lid on the skillet and reduce the heat to low. Let the rice cook for 25 minutes undisturbed, keep the lid on.
- After the 25 minutes, remove the skillet from the heat and keep the lid on another 10 minutes before removing to fluff up the rice.
Additions
Some restaurants like to add vegetables such as diced up tomatoes or peas and carrots to their rice. You can absolutely add these in. Peas and carrots can be added in frozen and they will cook with the rice. Add the vegetables in with the broth and allow them to cook with the rice.
Storage Info
Store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. When you reheat it if the rice seems a little dry, add a small amount of butter and allow it to melt and stir through. This gives a little more moisture without making the rice soggy.
Rice can be frozen, allow it to cool to room temperature then store in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating to use for a meal.
Mexican Rice FAQs
Yes, this recipe can be made in larger amounts. It will change the cook time though. I have found I can make 3 cups of rice and cook it with the lid on for 30-35 minutes and have all the water cooked out.
Rinsing rice removes the surface starches. This helps the grains to not become sticky when they are cooked. My favorite method is to put the rice in a fine mesh strainer and place it under the water shuffling the rice around to ensure it’s fully rinsed. Once the water runs clear about 1 minute or so then I put the rice into my skillet with the oil to toast. Rinsing doesn’t affect the toasting of the rice. To be honest, I don’t always rinse my rice and I don’t notice a huge difference typically. Certain areas of the world may need to rinse rice to remove debris.
Yes, absolutely. If you are a fan of using the tomato bouillon then you can continue to do so. I think using chicken broth or stock with the tomato de caldo makes a really flavorful rice.
Brown rice requires more liquid and a longer cook time. Increase the liquid by 1/2 cup and increase the cook time to 45 minutes.
Uses for Mexican Rice
We have a lot of recipes on our site that feature rice as more than a side dish. Try our Wet Smothered Burritos, Grilled Cheese Burritos, Taco Bowls, Cantina Chicken Bowls, and Ground Beef Burrito Bowls.
More Tex Mex Side Dishes
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Mexican Rice
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 2 cups white long grain rice
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoons onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 4 cups chicken broth
Instructions
- Rinse the rice in a fine mesh sieve under cold water until the water runs clear.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium/high heat.
- Add the rice and stir to coat in the oil. Cook while stirring for about 7-10 minutes, the rice will turn very white as it cooks. Continue cooking until the rice starts to toast and turn slightly golden on the edges.
- Stir in the tomato paste and then add the seasonings, stir to combine.3 tablespoons tomato paste, 1½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoons onion powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- Pour in the broth or chicken stock and allow this to come to a simmer. Place the lid on and reduce the heat to low. Let the rice cook undisturbed for 25 minutes.
- After 25 minutes, remove the rice from the heat, BUT KEEP THE LID ON.
- Keep the lid on for 10 minutes after removing from the heat. After this time, you can lift the lid and fluff the rice using a fork. Serve and enjoy.
Notes
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Braising pan | Large Skillet | Measuring Spoons | Wooden Spoon
- Recipe Update in 2026: Updates have been made to this recipe. To make it the way it was originally written, use 1 tbsp of tomato de caldo in place of the tomato paste and seasonings.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I like the way you describe the recipe step by step.. I also brown my long grain rice..add garlic cumin pepper and salt tomato sauce onion bell pepper (i use the orange red and yellow and green then add Hot water Stir and cover and the magic will happen !! James we’re talking Tex-Mex rice !! ?️
If you substitute tomato paste for the tomato bouillon, how much tomato paste do you use?
I’m sorry I meant if you substitute tomato SAUCE for the bouillon, how much do you use?
How much tomato sauce do i use instead of tomato boulloin cubes?
I like to use the 8 ounce cans of tomato sauce, and add this to the water or broth that you’re using to make the rice. Tomato sauce counts towards the amount of liquid you’re adding to the rice. Keep it a 2:1 ratio, so 1 cup of rice would need 2 cups of water+tomato sauce.
Rice looks good, but authentic Mexican Rice would have Sazon Goya to give it a little spice and the red color of Mexican Rice.
Can this be made in advance and then reheated? Any tricks for reheating?
It can be reheated. But we typically will add a bit more liquid to it when reheating so it doesn’t dry out. A small amount of chicken stock works!
What kind of tomato sauce. ?Many kinds out there
Just regular canned tomato sauce. I typically buy Hunts.
I made it just as described. Great recipes and well written. Thanks
I’ve made this twice now and it is going to be my go to recipe for Mexican rice. It tastes just like mexican rice that I love from restaurants. I’m cooking up a big batch to make frozen burrito bowls. I didn’t have long grain white rice but I substituted Jasmine rice and it worked perfectly. Thanks for the wonderful recipe!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe Amanda! It’s the only way I make rice at home!
I think I may have done something wrong with this one? There was quite a bit of left over liquid after the rice had cooked. Is that potentially not from letting it cook long enough in the oil? Thank you for the recipe! It’s awesome!
Hi Megan! First I want to make sure you weren’t using an instant rice? You know the type you can stick in the microwave and cooks in about 1 minute? This rice needs to cook low and slow for quite a while. I can end up letting mine cook for close to an hour if I’m making a big batch. And I’ve made it without cooking in oil also, frying it up just helps with the texture, so it doesn’t get too sticky. So that wouldn’t affect how it soaks up the water. I would just advise to double check the kind of rice you are using. Then next time maybe start with a little less liquid. You can always add more as it cooks! I typically end up needing to add more stock or water to it as it cooks. Doesn’t affect it at all 🙂 I hope that helps!! Let me know if you need any further assistance! This is one of my favorite recipes and I make it all the time!! Each batch is always a little different in how it cooks up. Needing more or less water or taking longer or shorter time.
I was looking at her ingredients and rule of thumb is to double the liquid to the rice. For two cups of rice, there should have only been 4 cups of liquid.
I am always trying new rice recipes because rice is one of the few things my 2 year old will eat. He especially loves Mexican rice. Thanks!!!
This is really a great simple recipe to make too. Its easy and you can just leave it to simmer while you chase your 2 year old around too 🙂 Hope he enjoys it!
Recipe saved & looking forward to trying it! Have a terrific weekend ~MrsHuddle (Found via Freedom Fridays!)
Thanks so much!!! I hope you give it a try 🙂 hope you have a great weekend too! Thanks for stopping by