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By: Leigh Anne Wilkes
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This restaurant style Mexican rice is so delicious and so easy to make at home you may never need to visit your favorite Mexican food restaurant again.
Restaurant Style Mexican Rice
I love the red rice you get in most Mexican restaurants. The only problem is I hadn’t been able to duplicate the flavor at home. I usually ended up going to our local neighborhood restaurant and getting some to go!
Fortunately for all of us my friend Sherra shared this easy Mexican rice recipe with me, it is just like the rice from my favorite restaurant and it has become my go to recipe.
I commented at the dinner table that I thought it taste just as good as the rice we get from our favorite Mexican restaurantand one of the kids said “It’s better!!”
Ingredients Needed
- Oil, olive oil or vegetable oil
- Long Grain Rice
- Chicken Broth
- Tomato Juice
- Salt and Pepper
- Cilantro, for garnish
How to Make Mexican Rice
- Brown rice in oil before adding liquid. Cook over medium heat stirring consistently until the rice turns a nice tan color.
- Add in the chicken stock, tomato juice, salt and pepper.Bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat, add a tight lid, and let it simmer until all of the liquid is absorbed.
- Turn off the heat and let the rice sit with the lid on for about 10 minutes.
- Fluff rice with a fork. And just like that you will have fluffy and delicious rice that is just as good, if not better, than your favorite restaurant!
- Garnish with cilantro if desired.
Tips
- Brown the rice in oil first. This helps the rice absorb flavor and makes it the right consistency, not sticky and clumpy.
- Make it on the stovetop. It works much better on the stove top than in a rice cooker and you get a better texture.
- Use long grain rice. I prefer jasmine or basmati.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Mexican rice and Spanish rice the same thing?
Basically it is the same thing. Most Spanish rice and Mexican rice recipes have the same ingredients which includes rice, a tomato based sauce, and chicken broth. The seasonings can vary. Some recipes may contain onions and peppers.
What is the best way to reheat Mexican rice?
The easiest way is in the microwave. If you don’t have a microwave place it in a sauce pan along with a little bit of water and reheat on the stove top.
Can I freeze leftover rice?
Place the cooled rice in an airtight container or a zippered freezer bag, remove as much air as possible. You can freeze it for up to 3 months
What to Serve with Mexican Rice
- Mexican Shredded Chicken {only five ingredients}
- Chicken Fajitas
- Costa Vida Chicken
- Chicken Enchiladas
- Instant Pot Mexican Chicken
- Steak Tacos
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4.71 from 34 votes
Mexican Rice Recipe
Recipe From: Leigh Anne Wilkes
This restaurant style Mexican rice is so delicious and so easy to make at home you may never need to visit your favorite Mexican food restaurant again.
serves: 6 servings
Prep:10 minutes minutes
Cook:20 minutes minutes
Total:30 minutes minutes
Rate Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp Olive oil or vegetable oil
- 1 cup long grain white rice
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 5.5 oz. tomato juice
- salt and pepper
Instructions
Heat oil in a skillet
Add the rice
Stir frequently and slightly brown the rice (more like, make it tan) over a medium high heat
Add the chicken broth, tomato juice, and some salt and pepper.
Stir thoroughly
Reduce heat to simmer and cover tightly with a lid
(I ‘stir’ the mixture several times while it’s cooking by just shaking/moving the skillet back and forth so that I don’t take the lid off.)
Simmer/cook for about 20 minutes, until the liquid has been absorbed
Once the liquid has been absorbed, turn off the heat and leave mixture alone with the lid on it for another 10-15 minutes or so
Tips & Notes:
- Brown the rice in oil first. This helps the rice absorb flavor and makes it the right consistency, not sticky and clumpy.
- Make it on the stovetop. It works much better on the stove top than in a rice cooker and you get a better texture.
- Long grain rice. I always use long grain rice such as jasmine or basmati.
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Nutrition Facts:
Calories: 157kcal (8%) Carbohydrates: 25g (8%) Protein: 3g (6%) Fat: 5g (8%) Saturated Fat: 4g (25%) Sodium: 288mg (13%) Potassium: 99mg (3%) Fiber: 1g (4%) Sugar: 1g (1%) Vitamin A: 2IU Vitamin C: 6mg (7%) Calcium: 13mg (1%) Iron: 1mg (6%)
* Disclaimer: All nutrition information are estimates only. Read full disclosure here.
Course:Side Dish
Cuisine:Mexican
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Teena says
Leigh Anne, have you ever made this in the slow cooker?
I love your recipe & have made it on the stove top.Reply
Brandi B says
I’ve made this so many times and it’s perfect! It really is just like restaurant Mexican rice and it’s not difficult. I now make this EVERY time I make a Mexican dish, thank you!
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Ed says
Is this 1 can of 5.5 oz tomato juice or 15.5 oz of tomato juice. Your instructions aren’t clear. It looks like 15 oz in the video, but I can’t really tell.
Reply
Leigh Anne Wilkes says
It is one 5.5 oz can
Reply
Carla says
So easy, So good
Reply
Tisha says
Hi Leigh Anne! All of your recipes are so good! Would there be a way to make this rice recipe in the Instant Pot? I was just curious to see if you or someone else had tried it. Thank you!
Reply
Leigh Anne Wilkes says
I haven’t tried it but it should work
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