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The BEST, truly authentic Mexican rice is so easy to make, and a necessary side dish for all of your favorite Mexican recipes.
Having learned how to make this Mexican rice from locals in Puebla, Mexico, I can promise this recipe is the real deal! Don't miss my other popular Mexican recipes including Carne Asada Tacos, Esquites, and Chiles Relleño.
We never enjoy “Taco Tuesdays” without a side of this easy Mexican Rice that I learned to make while living in Puebla, Mexico during a college internship.
I was there with my husband, and we taught workshops to locals in the area that were interested in starting a small business. We met many amazing people while living there, including a chef who attended one of our workshops. I asked him if he'd teach me the right way to make a few authentic dishes, and he invited is into his home for a day.
We cooked up a storm, and I took detailed notes as we cooked this rice together, along with mole poblano, red and green salsas, and pozole.
Ingredients Needed:
- Long Grain White Rice: Washing the rice is crucial to remove the outer starch, allowing the rice to cook fluffy. If you'd like to use Brown Rice, increase liquid by ½ cup and cook for 40 minutes, following the same resting instructions.
- Oil: Canola or vegetable oil, for toasting the rice.
- Onion: a small piece, finely chopped.
- Garlic: one or two small cloves, minced.
- Tomato Sauce: I used this because it's fast and easy, but for a more authentic version, add 1-2 fresh tomatoes to a blender with the onion and garlic, and blend before adding to the rice.
- Tomato Bouillon: granules or cubes, found in the Mexican aisle or online. This adds color and flavor to the rice. If you can't find it, substitute chicken Bouillon.
- Water: Or use chicken broth, if you omit the Tomato Bouillon.
- Salt.
- Peas and Carrots: optional.
- Serrano peppers: It's optional to add 1-2 on top of the rice while it cooks, to add extra flavor (it wont make the rice “spicy”.
How to make Mexican Rice:
1. Wash and Toast the rice: Add rice to a fine mesh strainer and rinse it until the water runs clear. Sauté the rice in hot oil in a saucepan until golden brown.
2. Add remaining ingredients: Add tomato sauce, garlic, and diced onion to the pan. Stir in tomato bullion, salt, carrots, peas, and water.
3. Simmer: Bring it to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
Pro Tips:
- Rinse the rice. Take an extra second to rinse your rice with water to remove the starch film on the surface that can cause the rice to clump together.
- Toast the rice. When you add the rice to the oil, toast it really well! This extra step takes a few minutes, but it adds really great flavor to the rice.
- The trick to get that great color and flavor: Tomato bullion cubes add great flavor, and they're what makes the rice turn that perfect orange color that you're looking for. It should be easy to find at your local grocery store. I buy mine at Walmart, in the Mexican food aisle. You could also buy them from Amazon. They look like this. If you can't find them, substitute chicken broth for the water in this recipe.
- Rest and Fluff. It's crucial to give the rice time to rest after cooking, before serving, and to only gently fluff it with a work (don't “stir” it). This will make the difference between wet, clumpy and mush rice, and fluffy rice.
- Instant Pot Mexican Rice: If you own an instant pot, I've adapted this recipe for Instant pot Mexican rice.
Serve Mexican Rice with:
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Authentic Mexican Rice
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups long grain white rice, *
- 1/4 cup oil, (vegetable or canola oil)
- 1 teaspoon garlic, , minced
- 1/4 medium onion, , finely diced
- 1/4 cup tomato sauce, , or 2 pureed tomatoes*
- 2 teaspoons tomato bouillon , granulated, or cubes*
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 carrot, , diced
- 1/2 cup peas, (frozen or fresh)
- 3 cups water
- 1-3 whole serrano peppers, , optional
Instructions
- Rinse the rice in a fine mesh strainer until the water runs clear. Set aside.
- In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add the oil. Once hot, add the rice and stir to combine. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the rice is lightly golden brown all over (about 10 minutes).
- Add tomato sauce, garlic, and diced onion to the pan. Stir. Add tomato bullion, salt, carrots, peas, and water (and serrano peppers, if using. They add a little flavor, but not spice.).
- Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to low and cook for about 20 minutes or until the water is completely absorbed. Remove from heat and allow to rest for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Have you tried this recipe?!
RATE and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience.
I originally shared this recipe September 2011. Last updated May 2021.
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Process photos by Nikole of The Travel Palate.
I just made this recipe and it is EXCELLENT! We are heading to a Taco Bar-themed party and I made this rice AND the Tres Leches dessert. I look forward to hearing everyone’s thoughts!
Best Mexican rice! Everyone loves this rice. My kids request it more than any other recipe. Make it. 😉
I just tried this today, and it is spot on identical to the rice I had a at a restaurant yesterday. I am so excited and will keep this recipe for sure.
I made this for my daughters work party! I never made Mexican Rice before but it was so delicious and very easy to make. Everyone loved it and I am new to the southwest US so I feel very proud that it was well received. I will keep this recipe forever.
Thank you
Ok, this the only Mexican rice I will ever make. Don’t even think about cooking it without the tomato or tomato/chicken bouillon. Love, love this recipe and I’ve made dozens of Mexican rice dishes before trying this. I did cut one Serrano in half lengthways and added it to pot. Yummmmm!
Agreed! This recipe is killer and I have tried many Mexican rice recipes over the years. It’s nice and flavorful without being “too much”. It tastes almost identical to several restaurants near me. I add just a little pinch of cumin to this recipe, but it’s absolute great on its own without it, too!
Made this tonight, 5 stars! I doubled the batch and it cooked perfectly. Next time I’m going to add a serano or jalapeno to it for a little kick, but otherwise it’s great. It tastes like restaurant-style rice and fluffed up perfectly.
I’ve been trying to replicate my step daughter’s rice for a few years. She’s even texted me step by step instructions but I never get it! THIS recipe I followed to a tee (except ewww peas, no thank you) and it was great! Perfect rice!
Normally I rinse my rice using a fine mesh wire strainer. It has a handle and a hook which I place over the sink and rinse the rice, then shake it and let drain more while I chop and stuff (5-10 minutes I’d guess). It will still have a bit of dampness but will not be WET.
Turned out great! Lots of flavor and fluffy.
I love this rice! The only thing I did differently is to use frozen fire roasted corn in place of the other vegetables. Absolutely my new favorite Mexican Rice recipe
Oh that does sound good!
She states to set aside while prepping the other ingredients. My rice dried while I prepped everything else and was almost completely dry when I added to the oil. You need to heat the oil first so the rice browns in the oil. The second time I made this, I rinsed the rice and let it dry for 30 minutes before I made the rice and it was completely dry. I had no issue with oil splatter whatsoever.
Why would you add waterlogged rice after rinsing it out to a HOT pan of oil? Greasefire???????? May want to specify put rinsed rice in with oil then bring to heat
The oil is used for toasting the dry rice before adding it to the water.
I made this recipe exactly (used 2 tomato bouillon squares) it’s so good. I found it to be a tad salty for me and a bit too heavy on the oily side. With that being said I’d likely omit the extra salt and use a bit less oil. Other than that 🫶🫶🫶
I really liked this recipe but I usually need to triple it for a crowd. Everything tracks except the 9 cups of water and 6 cubes of bouillon – way to mushy and salty.
I do 4 boullions and 6 cups of water – consistency is perfect.
I had oil spattering everywhere because the rice was still wet. Help please!
This rice is SOOO good. Get the brand of tomato bouillon she mentioned – I use the kind that comes in cubes. I also like to use GOYA brand canned tomato sauce – Spanish style. I freeze the leftover tomato sauce for future use. To make prep easier, I also use the frozen Dorot brand crushed garlic (I get mine at Trader Joe’s). 1 cube = 1 clove, but I double it to 2 cubes because I love garlic and always double the recommended amount in recipes. Also, get the serrano peppers, not another type. Luckily I live near a Mexican grocery store, so it’s easy for me to get these ingredients. I use two and slice down the middle for extra flavor. Love this recipe, thank you Lauren!!