Moist and delicious Mexican Spanish Rice. This versatile rice can be adjusted to your liking by adding carrots, peas, corn, or whatever you like! Serve it with Carne Asada (Carne Asada marinade) and Roasted Salsa for a satisfying meal!
One of my guilty pleasures in life is enjoying a nice bowl of rice. I know, I know, it might sound silly to some, but it's been drilled in our brains that carbs are the enemy so when I have some, it feels like an indulgence.
So although I don't eat Spanish rice often, when I do, I reallllly enjoy it! It's tender, flavorful, and not mushy at all. The secret to perfect rice is not adding too much liquid. Thanks, Mom, for that lesson!
So if rice is usually the favorite thing on your plate, you should really enjoy this Mexican-Spanish rice!
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😍 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- This rice is tasty enough to enjoy as a quick lunch, but especially perfect when served as a side dish with green enchiladas, Instant Pot tamales, or this easy chile relleno recipe.
- You can easily make this a vegetarian recipe simply by swapping out the chicken broth for vegetable broth.
🔖 Ingredients & Substitutions
- Rice: My favorite rice to use in this recipe is Jasmine rice.
- Broth: Chicken stock or broth. You can also substitute with vegetable broth.
- Veggies: I like to sneak in some veggies to make this Mexican rice really hearty. You'll need tomatoes, onions, garlic, carrots, corn, and peas. If you don't like peas, they can be left out.
- Spices: Besides salt, I like to add some chili powder for a bit of spice.
- Garnish: I like to plate this dish with some freshly chopped cilantro.
- Optional Ingredients: Diced celery and diced canned chiles can also be added to this recipe.
*A full list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
🍚 How to Make Mexican Rice
Step 1: Add butter and oil to a 6-quart Dutch oven. When the butter melts, add the diced onion and sauté for a few minutes.
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Step 2: Add washed and strained rice, corn, carrots, and peas, if using. Sprinkle with salt, and chili powder, stir for another minute.
Step 3: Add garlic and stir for one more minute. Mix the canned tomatoes, tomato paste, and chicken broth into the rice. Bring to a boil, then cover and cook over very low heat for 25 minutes.
Step 4: Stir the rice halfway through the cooking time. Enjoy as a side with your favorite Mexican dishes. Garnish with chopped cilantro.
🤷🏻♀️ Recipe FAQs
Rice usually ends up mushy because too much liquid is added. Keep in mind that you can always add more liquid if needed. However, if you add too much liquid, you will end up with mushy rice without any recourse.
Mexican Rice gets its orange color from the tomatoes and tomato sauce or paste that is added to the rice. Sometimes tomato bullion cubes are used instead.
Spanish rice is really a misnomer. When people say "Spanish rice" they're really referring to "Mexican rice."
The rice Spain is known for is called Paella, and boy is it delicious! The rice is yellow in color due to the saffron mixed in. Other mix-ins include peas and red bell pepper. It's finished off with shrimp, muscles, clams, and chicken and lemon wedges.
Mexican rice, on the other hand, is usually sautéed in oil (or butter). Diced onions and garlic are also added to this mix. The rice is then cooked in a chicken broth and tomato mixture, giving it its distinct orange-red color.
👩🏼🍳 Pro Tips
- Store rice in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- I don't recommend freezing rice because the rice breaks up into little pieces once reheated. Instead, use it to make other meals like Mexican breakfast burritos or Mexican rice bowls with Mexican black beans.
- Mexican Rice can be reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop.
- Both jasmine rice and long-grain rice can be used to make this recipe.
- Be sure to try my Instant Pot Mexican Rice, too!
🍽 More Mexican Recipes
📖 Recipe
Mexican Spanish Rice
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 small onion minced
- 2 cups jasmine rice (washed and rinsed)
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1½ teaspoon sea salt
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- ½ cup corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned)
- ¼ cup peas (optional)
- ¼ cup diced carrots
- 14.5 ounce canned diced tomatoes
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 cups chicken stock (or vegetable broth)
Instructions
- Add butter and oil to a 6 quart Dutch oven. When the butter melts, add the diced onion and sauté for a few minutes.
- Add washed and strained rice, corn, carrots, and peas, if using. Sprinkle with salt, chili powder, and stir for another minute.
- Add garlic and stir for one more minute. Mix the canned tomatoes, tomato paste, and chicken broth into the rice. Bring to a boil, then cover and cook over very low heat for 25 minutes.
- Stir the rice halfway through the cooking time. Enjoy as a side with your favorite Mexican dishes. Garnish with chopped cilantro.
Notes
- Store rice in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- I don't recommend freezing rice because the rice breaks up into little pieces once reheated. Instead, use it to make other meals like Mexican breakfast burritos or Mexican rice bowls.
- Mexican Rice can be reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop.
- Both jasmine rice and long-grain rice can be used to make this recipe.
- Be sure to try my Instant Pot Mexican Rice, too!
Kelly Methey says
This Mexican rice recipe is very tasty and delicious. It’s quick and easy and is a great addition to any Mexican entree plate.
I noticed someone mentioned on a comment below about the rice being hard. I have never had that problem. I think if the rice was hard, it would need to be cooked longer. I know living in higher elevations, as I do, cooking times sometime need to be adjusted to take that into consideration.
I have never had an issue of any kind with your recipes.
Hilda Sterner says
I know what you mean, Kelly. I I've never had an issue with this recipe. Thank you so much for your feedback!
Billy E Dixon says
this is the worst rice I ever made...rice was crunchy to almost raw...I even kept adding more liquid and it still was inedible
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Billy, Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try—I’m really sorry to hear it didn’t work out for you. I'm not sure why that happened since I make this recipe all the time and I've never had that happen. Either way, thanks for your feedback!
Wes says
This was really great! One small thing I noticed: Unless I overlooked it, there’s no mention of when to add salt. Thankfully I caught that right before I set it to simmer so I added then.
Also, I thought I had a can of whole kernel corn, but I was out. Thankfully I found a can of Southwestern Whole Kernel Corn, and it worked beautifully. I also used vegetable stock to make it vegetarian, and that works awesomely. Based on the taste, my guests couldn’t tell how easy it was to prepare!
Thanks for the recipe. It hit the spot and paired well with spinach and mushroom enchiladas.
Keep up the yummy work.
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Wes,
Thank you so much for the review. And you are right, I did forget to add that info but will go add it now. Thanks!