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Orange-red Mexican rice in a skillet garnished with fresh cilantro and lime wedges on the side

Mexican-Style Rice

Vibrant tomato-infused rice seasoned with cumin, garlic, and onion delivers authentic Mexican flavors alongside your favorite dishes. The toasting technique creates depth while tomatoes provide beautiful color and tangy brightness. This restaurant-quality rice is easier to make than you think.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 411
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Rice
  • 300 g long-grain white rice
  • 45 ml vegetable oil
  • 80 g white onion finely diced
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 400 g canned crushed tomatoes
  • 400 ml chicken stock
  • 8 g salt
  • 3 g ground cumin
  • 1 g chili powder
  • 2 g black pepper
  • 30 g fresh cilantro chopped
  • 1 lime cut into wedges

Method
 

Rinse and Dry Rice
  1. Rinse 300g rice under cold water for 2 minutes until clear, then drain well. Spread onto a clean kitchen towel and let air-dry 5 minutes—dry rice toasts faster and more evenly. If it’s still visibly wet, extend drying by a few minutes.
Toast Rice
  1. Heat a large skillet with a tight-fitting lid (28–30cm) over medium-high heat and add 45ml vegetable oil. Add dried rice and stir frequently 4–5 minutes until golden and nutty-smelling; some grains should show brown spots, but it shouldn’t smell burnt. Toasting builds the signature depth that makes this more than “tomato rice.”
Sauté Aromatics
  1. Add 80g onion and cook 2 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly so it doesn’t brown. Keep heat high enough for quick evaporation but controlled enough to avoid scorching.
Add Tomatoes and Seasonings
  1. Stir in 400g crushed tomatoes, 400ml chicken stock, 8g salt, 3g cumin, 1g chili powder, and 2g black pepper. Scrape browned bits from the bottom—this is concentrated flavor. Bring to a boil.
Simmer Rice
  1. Once boiling, reduce to low, cover tightly, and cook 15 minutes without lifting the lid. The rice should absorb the liquid; if you lift the lid, you lose steam and create uneven texture.
Rest and Finish
  1. Remove from heat and rest covered 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork, then stir in 30g cilantro. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing over top right before eating.

Notes

Toasting is the essential step. Without it, the rice tastes like simmered tomato sauce on plain grains rather than integrated “Mexican-style” rice. Keep stirring and watch color—golden is correct; dark brown in places is fine; burnt is not.
Drying the rice after rinsing makes toasting predictable. Wet rice has to evaporate water before it can toast, which prolongs the step and increases the chance of uneven browning. Five minutes on a towel is a small step with a big payoff.
Don’t open the lid during simmering. This method relies on trapped steam to finish the grains. If the rice is undercooked at the end, add 30–60ml hot stock, cover, and rest 5–7 minutes before fluffing.
Storage: refrigerate up to 4 days. Reheat covered with a splash of water/stock, then refresh with cilantro and lime at the table for brightness.