This simple and flavorful rice recipe makes a delicious pairing for your next Mexican feast!
There’s a local taco restaurant I go to about once a month, and they have the best Mexican rice. I love stirring their salsa and pinto beans into it—so good. In fact, I loved their rice so much that I wanted to make my own version at home. This rice cooker Mexican rice comes pretty darn close and is the perfect side for tacos, enchiladas, and more!
Unlike your typical pilaf dishes, Mexican rice boasts a symphony of flavors. The chicken broth and tomato sauce act as a base for the cumin, chili powder, garlic, and onion. While I wouldn’t call it spicy, there is a slight heat to this dish that’ll accentuate your main meal.
Is This Mexican Rice Healthy?
This low-fat side is perfectly healthy, especially when made with low-sodium chicken broth. It’s also gluten-free and can easily adapt to your dietary needs. For example, to make this vegan, you could trade the chicken broth for vegetable broth. And if you’d like more fiber in your diet, brown rice works great for this recipe as well, though you may need to adjust the cooking time.
Tomato Sauce: A Bit Of Flavor And A Bit Of Color
Mexican food uses a lot of tomatoes, and this recipe is no exception. Don’t mistake this common ingredient as bland or boring. For this particular dish, the tomato sauce balances the spices with its mild sweetness and slight acidity. Also, the sauce gives the rice a gorgeous red hue that looks great on your plate! But if you can, buy good-quality tomato sauce, either imported or organic.
Yeah, you can use the super cheap cans from Costco, but I’d argue that there is a difference in the flavor profile. The bargain buys tend to taste watery, bland, overly acidic, and sometimes contain more sodium. You can bet that’ll affect the deliciousness of your rice. On the other hand, imported and organic tomato sauces are usually made from ripe, high-quality tomatoes. They boast a richer, more concentrated flavor and are sure to make your Mexican rice restaurant-worthy!
How Do I Store Leftovers?
This recipe is best when made on the day of serving—it’ll taste the freshest! If there are any leftovers, store the rice in an airtight container in your fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave with a splash of water.
Serving Suggestions
Take a look around FFF’s website, and it becomes pretty obvious—we love Mexican food. You’ll find no shortage of recipes to go with this rice cooker Mexican rice. And I’d argue that you can’t enjoy this rice without another essential side, Black Beans! Enchiladas are a perfect main, and we have a ton of options like these Green Chicken Enchiladas (With Salsa Verde) or our super simple Crock-Pot Chicken Enchiladas. Feeling thirsty? We’ve got the best Classic Margarita recipe to cleanse your palate!
Ingredients
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce
- 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Fresh cilantro chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear to remove excess starch, which helps prevent clumping.
- Combine the rinsed rice, chicken broth, tomato sauce, onion, garlic, cumin, chili powder, and salt in the rice cooker.
- Stir the mixture to ensure that the ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Set the rice cooker to the standard white rice cooking setting and start the cooking process.
- Once the rice cooker cycle is complete, let the rice sit for an additional 5 minutes to steam.
- Fluff the rice with a fork and garnish with freshly chopped cilantro before serving.
Nutrition Info:
Nutrition information are estimates only and may vary based on the specific brands, ingredients, and portion sizes you use. This data is provided for informational purposes only.
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