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Easy Mexican Rice Recipe

4.7 from 100 reviews

This Easy Mexican Rice Recipe is a flavorful and simple side dish perfect for any Mexican-inspired meal. Made with sautéed long-grain white rice, tomato sauce, and a blend of chili powder, garlic salt, and cumin, this dish is cooked on the stovetop to achieve fluffy, well-seasoned rice every time.

Ingredients

Scale

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
  • 1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
  • 1½ cups chicken stock or broth
  • 8 oz. can tomato sauce
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin

Instructions

  1. Rinse the Rice: Rinse the rice thoroughly in a mesh strainer under cold running water until the water runs clear. This removes excess starch and helps prevent the rice from becoming mushy when cooked.
  2. Cook Rice: Heat the vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the rinsed rice and sauté it for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently until the rice becomes translucent and lightly toasted.
  3. Add Ingredients: Pour in the chicken stock or broth, tomato sauce, chili powder, garlic salt, and ground cumin. Stir everything together thoroughly to combine the flavors, then bring the mixture to a boil.
  4. Simmer: Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, and let the rice simmer for 20 minutes. Do not lift the lid during cooking to allow the liquid to be fully absorbed and the rice to cook evenly.
  5. Fluff and Serve: Remove the saucepan from heat and let it rest, covered, for 2 to 3 minutes. Then, uncover and fluff the rice gently with a fork to separate the grains before serving.

Notes

  • Rinsing the rice is crucial to prevent clumping and achieve fluffy rice.
  • Use chicken stock for extra flavor, or substitute with vegetable broth to make it vegetarian-friendly.
  • Adjust chili powder according to your preferred spice level.
  • Keep the lid closed during simmering to prevent steam from escaping, ensuring proper cooking.
  • Fluffing rice after cooking helps separate grains and improves texture.

Keywords: Mexican rice, easy rice recipe, Mexican side dish, tomato rice, chili powder rice