My son, being the great cook he is, has always loved experimenting with Mexican dishes. One of his specialties? Carne asada paired with refried beans. While I love our favorite Mexican restaurant, I've got to admit, his homemade version is rivaling them. He gave me this fantastic Mexican rice recipe which has become the perfect side dish for our Taco Tuesday nights. Trust me, it’s better than what you'd get at most Mexican restaurants. Over the years, I might've added a twist or two, but there's one secret ingredient that remains unchanged in this easy Mexican rice recipe. That ingredient is one of just three ingredients in this great recipe, How to Make the Best Mexican Rice Restaurant Style. Butter and onion are optional ingredients.
FIRST, WHAT IS THE SECRET INGREDIENT?
I describe it as the secret ingredient. Most of the work of making Mexican rice is done for you. Let's break it down.
- The tomato in the bouillon eliminates the need for fresh tomatoes, canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, or tomato juice.
- The chicken flavor in the bouillon eliminates the need for chicken stock, chicken broth, or vegetable broth.
- The spice in the bouillon eliminates the need for garlic clove, garlic powder, minced garlic, chili powder, or cayenne pepper.
If you can't find Tomato Bouillon With Chicken Flavor at your local grocery store near the other bouillons, look for it in the Asian and Mexican food aisle. It is also available online.
Easiest recipe ever! Flavorful, perfect for what I was looking for. -Johanna
INGREDIENTS
For the full recipe with quantities, see the recipe card at the end of the post.
INGREDIENT NOTES
- Vegetable oil: or olive oil if you prefer.
- Tomato bouillon with Chicken Flavor: (see Secret Ingredient above)
- Rice: There are so many types of rice available. Choose what you like best. At the moment we are trying to avoid simple carbohydrates so we use brown rice in place of white rice. The biggest difference is the texture. Basmati or brown Jasmine rice gives us the best of both. I use ½ cup for two servings and 1 cup for four servings.
- Butter: optional, used to crisp the rice after cooking.
- White Onion: (optional) This one is totally a matter of personal preference. I love onion in everything except desserts, but some do not. If you decide to add it be sure to dice it fairly small. It just eats better with the rice this way.
EQUIPMENT
- Rice cooker / rice maker / rice steamer I like the large Aroma rice cooker and Zojirushi 3 cup rice cooker.
- Measuring cup
- Large skillet. for stovetop cooking.
- Small skillet for browning the rice
INSTRUCTIONS FOR STOVETOP
Heat a medium heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the vegetable oil.
When the oil is hot, add the uncooked rice.
Stir until the rice becomes lightly golden brown and fragrant.
Turn the heat down to low and add the tomato bouillon to the rice. Stir to mix well.
Add the hot water to the pot and stir well. The water should be over the top of the rice. If not, you might need a smaller saucepan with a lid.
Cover and cook over low heat until the water is all evaporated and the rice is cooked through. Cooking time is about 16-20 minutes.
Remove from the heat and let sit for 5-7 minutes uncovered. Fluff with a fork before serving. This rice is garnished with jalapeno peppers and Cotija cheese.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR RICE COOKER
- Measure the amount of rice needed for the number of servings you want.
- Add the oil to a small skillet over medium heat. Add the rice and cook until the rice is golden brown and fragrant. Add the tomato bouillon and stir until combined.
- Add the toasted rice to the rice cooker bowl followed by the water. If you are adding onions, do it now.
- Put the lid on the rice cooker bowl and push the lever to turn on the rice cooker.
- It will take about 15 minutes for four servings to cook in the rice cooker. Remove the rice bowl from the cooker and let it sit for 5 minutes before fluffing the rice with a fork.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR CRISPY RICE (optional step after making the rice)
For crispy rice, made famous by Bobby Flay, add a tablespoon of butter to a non-stick pan, and sauté the cooked rice until a crispy crust forms. Don't stir too much while getting it crispy.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS FOR MEXICAN BURRITO RICE
- It is a great side dish with any Tex-Mex entree.
- In addition to being a delicious side dish, it is perfect when stuffed into a burrito or atop a crunchy tostada.
- Serve as a standalone meal of beans and rice, this rice.
- Served leftover, for breakfast with a poached or fried egg on top.
- As a main dish, served the best way, all by itself with a dollop of sour cream and some salsa.
- I like my Mexican rice served with a generous squeeze of fresh lime juice, a dollop of sour cream or Mexican crema, and a little coarsely ground black pepper. Slices of avocado make a great addition to the plate. The best part is that this Mexican rice tastes great with very little effort.
- This rice is the ideal companion for any Tex-Mex entrée, and pairs especially well with carne asada.Craving a burrito bowl? Toss in this rice with some carne asada and refried beans, and you've got a winner.
- Serve it as a standalone meal of beans and rice. The flavors remind me of my favorite Mexican restaurant. For a twist, use this rice to elevate your taco Tuesday experience.
- Cilantro lime rice is great, but give this a try and you might just find a new favorite among rice dishes.
POPULAR RICE COOKING METHODS
There are many ways to cook rice. Here is my 2 cents worth, based solely on personal preference.
- Rice Cooker: For me, this is the best method. It is fast, reliable, and does not require a lot of attention. It is sort of a set-it-and-forget-it deal. As long as you remember the ratio of cups of rice to cups of water (1 to 1.5) and the capacity of your rice cooker, it's easy. Most rice cookers have a keep-warm setting so even if the rice cooks faster than the rest of the meal, it will wait for the cook to catch up. Rice cookers are durable. In my lifetime, and I am old, I have owned just two.
- Stovetop: Cooking rice on the stovetop is my second favorite way to cook rice. Sorry to mention age again, but I am just keeping it real. You have to pay attention to the rice that is cooking on the stovetop. If you beam off, your rice will burn. The best way to cook rice on the stovetop is to turn it off shortly before it is completely cooked, leave the lid on, and let it finish off the heat. I have to set a timer to make this happen. I think cooking rice on the stovetop using this method yields the best rice. It does not dry out and fluffs nicely with a fork. It does cool quickly though, so timing it with the rest of the meal is important.
- Instant Pot: I am sorry but I do not care for this at all. I know there are legions of Instant Pot and pressure cooker fans, myself included, but for rice, I take a pass. Instant Pot Mexican rice is not for me. I know it can be done. I have tried and do not care to invest any more time on it. For braver souls, I recommend Instant Pot Rice by Amy and Jack.
- Microwave: I will admit that I have not tried cooking rice in the microwave. I still haven't gotten over my attempt to boil eggs in the microwave in the 1970s. But Steamy Kitchen can teach you a lot about cooking rice in the microwave.
- Oven Baked: Confession, I have not tried this method for cooking rice except for rice casseroles with other ingredients. My Fennel and Leek Casserole is a great baked rice recipe. If you want to bake your rice, Spend with Pennies will teach you everything you need to know about it.
If you like my Mexican Burrito Rice you might also like these Tex-Mex recipes.
Top Tips
- I use brown Jasmine rice when I have it on hand. It is flavorful and fragrant. Basmati rice works equally well. It stays a bit firmer than long-grain rice which helps keep the grains separate. Any plain white rice or brown rice will work.
- Toasting uncooked rice in oil brings out its nutty flavor and also improves the texture.
- Fluff the rice with a fork after cooking instead of stirring. It helps separate the rice before serving.
- If you're a fan of cilantro lime rice, you can sprinkle some chopped cilantro and a dash of lime on this rice for an extra kick. It's like a fusion of your favorite Mexican dishes.
Equipment
- Rice cooker / rice maker / rice steamer I like the large Aroma rice cooker and Zojirushi 3 cup rice cooker.
- Measuring cup
- Large skillet. for stovetop cooking.
- Small skillet for browning the rice
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil use olive oil if preferred
- 1 cup Basmati rice
- 1 tablespoon Tomato bouillon with Chicken Flavor
- 1 ½ cups very hot water
- ¼ cup white onion finely diced
- 1 tablespoon butter (option for crispy rice)
Instructions
- Heat a medium heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the vegetable oil.
- When the oil is hot, add the uncooked rice. Stir until the rice becomes lightly golden brown.
- Turn the heat down to low and add the tomato bouillon to the rice. Stir to mix well. Add the hot water to the pot and stir well. (If using optional onion add it now.)
- Cover and cook over low heat until the water is all evaporated and the rice is cooked through. About 16-20 minutes. You still want a little body to the nice, not mushy.
- Remove from the heat and let sit for 5-7 minutes uncovered. Fluff with a fork before serving.
- For crispy rice, add a tablespoon of butter to a non-stick pan, and sauté the cooked rice until a crispy crust forms. Don't stir too much while getting it crispy.
JOHANNA LITONJUA says
Easiest recipe ever! Flavorful, perfect for what I was looking for. This is not part of my meal prep