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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.
This is the best Mexican Rice that I have ever been able to make.
Thank You!
I’m so glad!! Thank you
Can you make this with cauliflower rice?
You can make Mexican Rice with cauliflower, I have a cilantro lime cauliflower rice recipe. But you can’t treat cauliflower the same as regular rice though. So the cooking and times would be completely different.
If I’m making 6 cups of rice and using 12 cups of water, how long do I let it simmer for it to cook correctly?
I’m wanting to make this for a party. Would multiplying by 3 make enough for that?
That would definitely make a large batch of rice. It depends on how many people will be eating. Just keep in mind that the cooking time of the rice will be different if you’re making more.
Great recipe! My rice always came out bad because I would add too much tomato. This recipe helped me make delicious, fluffy rice! Thank you so much
Yay!! So excited that you mastered a good Mexican rice!
Thank you so much. The best recipe I have found by far! My daughter said it’s better than our favorite Mexican restaurant. I did add two garlic cloves and 3/4 cup of frozen peas and carrots. This is fantastic.
I’ve tried several others and this one is without a doubt my favorite. The recipe is perfect the way it is and super easy.
I love this recipe. But I am now on a strict diet. I was wondering. Can I sub on some of it like the chicken broth and the white rice? Maybe use basmati. And use veggie bouillon instead of the chicken? Please thank you.
Hi Marsha! I’m so glad you love this recipe! You can sub out the rice. I have made this with brown rice, but I don’t believe I have used basmati. You will need to read the directions for the basmati to make sure you are using the correct amount of water for the amount of rice you are making. And cook times may vary. But switching a veggie bouillon for the chicken is an easy swap! Let me know how it goes.
Hi there, I’ve literally just made this Mexican rice dish. I tweeked it to suit my husband & myself’s taste & it’s THE BEST result I’ve had with long grain rice. I well definitely be making this again because it was just so easy to make. Once you’ve made the base of it, you can add whatever you want. At the end I added some Chorizo. I know it’s not Mexican, but it was in my fridge. I also added some herbs & spices.
I diced the onion and left it in the rice because I don’t have onion-picker-outers in my fam. Turned out good that way.
Also – by accident- I forgot I had halved the rice and water by the time I added the bouillon and I didn’t half those. Didn’t matter. Wasn’t too salty, was super super tasty. Everybody loved it. Thanks for a very simple, yet delectable, Mexican rice recipe.