This simple side dish is a go-to recipe. Easy to make, tends itself on the stovetop, packs in a boatload of flavor, and serves as the foundation to any Tex Mex meal. Foolproof Mexican rice is a dish of flavorful rice with smoky notes from the cumin and the perfect texture of soft grains that are cooked through without being gummy.
While many recipes for Mexican rice use tomato sauce to achieve the wonderful pale red color, I like to use a handy cheat— Knorr’s Tomato Boullion! It is a pantry staple in my house (along with the chicken and beef bouillon) for when I want to intensify the flavor and salt of the dish without altering anything else. A sprinkle of bouillon powder does the trick. Disclaimer: I use bouillon powder as a flavor accent when I want chicken or beef stock as the base for a dish, that is what I use.
Tomato bouillon lets you control the liquid in Mexican rice, which is what I love about it. Since one of the most frustrating things is to make a recipe and end up with a sticky mess of rice, liquid control is key. Onions and chiles add moisture to the dish from the start, so the ratio of 1 part rice to 2 parts liquid is already slightly skewed.
Tips for avoiding sticky, gummy rice
- Use the correct type of rice. Long grain rice has a different starch composition than medium or short-grain rice. Starch = sticky. So use long grain rice for pilafs (which Mexican rice actually is). If you have tried all the other tricks and still aren’t satisfied with your rice, use Basmati rice which has an even lower starch composition than long grain rice.
- Rinse your rice. Usually, I skip this step when cooking rice, but with any pilaf-type dish, I definitely will take the extra few minutes. Using a fine-mesh strainer, run cold water over the rice while swishing it around with your fingers to separate the grains. You are wanting to rinse off the surface starch from each grain that comes from the processing of rice. Technically, you would rinse the rice until the water is clear, but since I rinse in a colander, the water runs out the bottom so I can’t tell if it is still cloudy. I rinse and swish for about 30 seconds and call it good. (Unless I notice the rice is particularly dusty when I measure out what I need, then I repeat the rinsing a second time. Sometimes, you get what must have been the bottom of the bag.)
- Saute the rice grains in oil before adding the liquid. Heating the rice in oil will caramelize some of the natural starch in the grains which will prevent it from linking with its starchy neighbors. Sautéing allow adds a wonderful rich buttery, nutty depth to the dish as well as carrying the flavors of the toasted grains, and onions into the cooking liquid. Cook over medium-high heat until the rice grains change from translucent to white to slightly toasted and you can smell a nutty aroma that is reminiscent of popcorn. Saute the minced onion and chiles at the same time. An added benefit to sautéing rice—since the grains are already warm, the rice will actually cook faster.
- Reduce the cooking liquid by 2 tablespoons. Since there is liquid in the onions and chiles, reducing the cooking liquid slightly will make up the difference.
- Don’t peek at the rice when it is steaming. Once the rice and liquid come to a boil, turn down the heat to low and put a lid on the saucepan. And leave it covered for 20 minutes. Set a timer and just let it be. No need to stir the rice or check it, since lifting the lid lets steam escape, and that stem is what is cooking the rice. Once 20 minutes has passed, use a fork to fluff the rice and you are good to go with a dish of foolproof Mexican rice!
Usually, you plan on 1/4 uncooked rice per person. This will make a serving of about 3/4-1 cup cooked rice. I find that that ratio gives me plenty of leftovers. So I figure on 1 cup of uncooked rice for 5-6 servings as a side dish.
Serve foolproof Mexican rice with runny refried beans for the perfect Tex Mex plate.
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Foolproof Mexican Rice
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 5-6 1x
- Category: side dish
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: Tex Mex
Description
Flavorful Mexican rice with smoky hints from the cumin and pale red color from a surprising ingredient. Quick and easy to make on the stovetop, this rice is a perfect side dish for any fiesta.
Ingredients
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 clove garlic, minced (abut 1 teaspoon)
- 1 (4 ounce) can diced mild green chiles, drained
- 1 jalapeño, finely diced, (about 2 tablespoons) remove seeds and membrane if less spice is desired.
- 1–1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons Knorr Tomato Bullion
- 1–3/4 cups hot water
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/3 bunch fresh cilantro, minced (about 1/3 cup)
Instructions
- Rinse rice in a fine-mesh strainer for 30-60 seconds to remove surface starch. Shake to remove any excess water.
- In a small saucepan with a lid, heat oil and add rice to oil, stir grains to coat, and saute over medium heat until grains turn from translucent to white.
- Add minced onion, diced chiles and finely diced jalapeño to the pan and saute until onions become translucent and the rice begins to turn golden and smells toasted like popcorn.
- Stir in cumin and tomato bouillon and stir to combine. Add the hot water and heat until water begins to boil.
- Turn down the heat to low, place the lid on the pan and let steam for 20 minutes without stirring.
- After 20 minutes, remove lid and fluff with a fork, taste, and add kosher salt and black pepper as desired.
- Just before serving, stir in fresh cilantro and fluff rice again. Serve warm.
Notes
Mexican rice can be frozen in a labeled zip-close bag for 3-6 months. To use, thaw in the refrigerator and reheat in a microwave until warm.
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