Description
This flavorful Mexican Rice recipe combines toasted long-grain white rice with aromatic spices, tomato paste, and chicken stock, creating a vibrant side dish. Finished with fresh cilantro, corn, and a touch of lime juice, it’s a perfect accompaniment to Mexican meals and easy to prepare on the stovetop in about 50 minutes.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1½ cups (280 grams) uncooked long-grain white rice
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil or other neutral oil
- ½ small white or yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2¼ cups chicken stock (not low-sodium)
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
- ⅓ cup frozen whole-kernel corn or canned corn, drained well
- ½ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 to 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
Instructions
- Rinse the rice. Place the rice in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cool running water until the water runs mostly clear. Let it drain for at least 5 minutes, shaking off as much excess water as possible. Blot the bottom of the strainer with a clean kitchen towel to help remove any remaining moisture.
- Toast the rice. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan or deep sauté pan over medium heat. Add the drained rice and cook for 4 minutes, stirring frequently to toast the grains evenly.
- Add the onion, tomato paste, and seasonings. Stir in the diced onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until it begins to soften and rice looks opaque with some lightly golden grains. Then add the minced garlic, tomato paste, ground cumin, chili powder, salt, oregano, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute more, stirring constantly until the tomato paste darkens slightly and becomes fragrant.
- Add the liquids. Pour in the chicken stock and tomato sauce, stirring well and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Simmer the rice. Increase heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Stir once, cover the pan, reduce heat to the lowest setting, and cook without lifting the lid or stirring for 15 minutes.
- Add the corn. If using frozen corn, quickly lift the lid and scatter it evenly over the rice without stirring. Immediately replace the lid and continue cooking over low heat for 3 to 4 minutes. If using canned corn, continue cooking covered for 3 minutes, then scatter the well-drained corn over the top, replace the lid, and cook for an additional 1 minute until warmed through.
- Rest the rice. Remove pan from heat and let rice rest covered for 10 minutes without lifting the lid to finish cooking and absorb steam.
- Finish. Remove lid and let rice sit uncovered for 2 minutes to allow excess steam to escape. Gently fluff rice with a fork, then fold in chopped cilantro and 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lime juice.
- Season and serve. Taste and add more lime juice or salt as needed. Serve warm as a flavorful side dish.
Notes
- Rinsing the rice removes excess starch and prevents it from being sticky.
- Toasting the rice adds a nutty flavor and helps keep the grains separate.
- Do not lift the lid during simmering and resting to ensure even cooking and fluffiness.
- Adjust lime juice quantity to your taste for brighter flavor.
- This recipe can be made vegetarian by substituting vegetable broth for chicken stock.