Arroz Mexicano Rojo (or Mexican rice) is one of the tastiest and most popular side dishes.
There are many variations and can even vary from family to family. This is the way my mom’s family makes it. We are from the State of Durango, Mexico.
You might also hear it referred to as “Spanish Rice” or “Red Rice.” Others call it simply “Arroz Mexicano.”
Super yummy and goes great with just about any Mexican recipe. It is usually served with frijoles de la olla or frijoles refritos.
🍚 Ingredients
Let’s talk about swap out options.
- We are making tomato sauce from scratch. OR, use ½ can of tomato sauce (or 4 oz tomato sauce) and an additional ½ cup more of water.
- Only use whole cumin. You can’t use ground cumin, or it will change the color of the rice.
- Instead of water, use vegetable stock or chicken broth.
🙋🏻♀️ Frequently Asked Questions
Long grain white rice is best. It’s not as sticky and turns out fluffy.
Yes. You can use brown rice instead, but you will need to add ⅓ c more water. Also let it simmer a few extra minutes until the liquid is fully absorbed.
They are basically the same thing. Mexican restaurants use either term. However, rice in Spain gets its color and flavor from saffron, while Mexican rice gets its color from the tomato and cumin.
Just about anything you like. Cilantro. Green Onions. Queso fresco. I had a cousin who used to add banana slices to his rice. To each their own. If you like it spicy, cook with a jalapeno chile.
👩🏼🍳 Instructions
- Add the tomatoes, onion, garlic, chicken bouillon, and 1 cup water in a blender.
- Blend until smooth.
Homemade tomato sauce gives the rice an orange-y color and mild tomato flavor. Not deep red.
- To Get REALLY Red Rice: Simply add 1 tablespoon tomato bouillon to give it a redder look and more intense tomato flavor. This is optional and up to you. Or add a spoonful of tomato paste but thin it out with the water before adding.
- To Use Chicken Broth: Omit the water and bouillon, and add 1 cup chicken broth (or chicken stock). Do not add salt. Some chicken broths can be very salty. Once the rice is ready, taste for salt. Add salt then if it needs it.
- Heat oil over medium-high heat.
- Add rice.
- Toast well, stirring constantly.
- Add onion 1 minute before rice is ready.
Toasting rice or pasta is very common in Mexican cuisine. It’s also done when making Arroz Blanco, or Mexican White Rice.
⚠️ Be Careful!
Don’t go anywhere. Stir and stir some more. The rice burns easily. Double check the heat level to be at medium. Look for a golden brown color in the rice. Then, proceed to the next step.
- Lower heat to medium.
- Add garlic, cumin, bouillon, tomato sauce, and water.
- Stir to combine.
Another great addition is to veggies like diced carrots, peas, or corn.
- For fresh veggies: Add them at this point in the cooking.
- For frozen veggies: Add them at the very end when the rice is resting.
- Cover the pot.
- Cook for 12 minutes on medium.
After 12 minutes, turn OFF the stove. Rest is best! Let it rest COVERED for 5 minutes.
Make it a complete meal by adding shrimp as in Arroz con Camarones.
🤔 Is It Ready?
- Take the lid off. You’ll see that the tomato sauce will have come to the top and the rice should be fully cooked.
- Rice not ready? If it’s ALMOST ready but not quite, add a splash of water. Then cover again for an EXTRA 5 minutes.
- Don’t add more than 2 tbsps water, or the rice will be mushy.
Using a cooking spoon or fork, gently stir the rice to mix with the tomato sauce that came up to the top.
Serve immediately. Store in an airtight container.
🔥 How to Reheat
- Place the rice in a microwavable plate and cover with a wet paper towel.
- Microwave for 1 ½ to 2 minutes on high, depending on the amount being reheating.
Arroz Mexicano Rojo, or Mexican rice, is one of those timeless dishes you want to make over and over again.
It goes great in California Burritos, next to picadillo, or add a spoonful to your bowl the next time you make Caldo de Pollo.
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Did you make this recipe? Please rate the recipe below!
Arroz Mexicano
Ingredients
To Make the Tomato Sauce:
- 2 tomatoes quartered
- ¼ onion quartered
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon
To Make the Rice:
- ⅛ cup olive oil
- 2 cups long grain white rice
- ¼ onion finely diced
- 1 garlic clove finely minced
- 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon
- pinch whole cumin
- 1 ½ cups water
Instructions
To Make the Tomato Sauce:
- Cook the tomatoes, onion, and garlic in 4 cups water.
- Boil just until the tomatoes are soft. About 4-5 minutes.
- Let cool. Drain the water.
- Add the tomatoes, onion, garlic, 1 cup water, and bouillon to a blender.
- Blend until smooth.
- Set aside until ready to use.
To Make the Rice:
- Heat oil in a large stock pot.
- Add the rice.
- Stir constantly until it begins to toast. About 5 minutes.
- 4 minutes after, add the onion.
- Do not stop stirring, or the rice will burn.
- Look for a golden color in the rice.
- Add the garlic, bouillon, cumin, 1 ½ cups of water, and tomato sauce.
- Stir to combine.
- Cover and cook for 12 minutes on medium heat.
- Turn the heat off.
- Let rest for 5 minutes with the lid still on.
- The tomato sauce will have come to the top.
- Uncover and mix to combine.
- Serve.
THIS is genuine arroz Mexicano that I ordered with almost every meal I had while traveling in Mexico during the 60s and 70s. The real deal. I spent three months annually in Mexico for a number of years.
Sounds like an amazing trip! Mexico in the 60s and 70s was totally different. I’m glad you enjoy this recipe. Thank you for your comment!
Easy & delicious
I love hearing that you are enjoying my recipe. Thank you so much for your comment!
The instructions do not say to cook the ingredients for the tomato sauce.. But in a comment you say to cook first then blend?
Thank you so much for catching that. I added it now to the instructions.
Hi,
Anytime I am looking for authentic Mexican, I come to your site! Question about the mexican rice, Do you have an instant pot version of this recipe?
Awww, you’re too kind. This arroz mexicano recipe is one of my most popular recipes. Here’s the instant pot version: https://inmamamaggieskitchen.com/instant-pot-mexican-rice/
Love this recipe! Added 1 tablespoon small diced onion, green and red bell pepper. Topped with chihuahua cheese. Yum!
Genius move! So happy you made it your own.
AMAZING. I’ve tried so many times to make Mexican rice and it never tasted like the kind we love from restaurants. This was the first one that did!! I subbed with chicken broth. Thank you!!
So glad to hear your Mexican Rice turned out spot-on! Hope you make this recipe again soon.
I don’t have bouillon and will be using broth. I believe I saw 3 different salt measurements in the recipe (1/2 T, 1 T and 2 T’s). I typo all the time so I totally understand, but which do you prefer for substituting? Thank you! Excited to try! Actually, there is one more thing, I only have regular ground cumin, so would you suggest omitting since it will change the color or add it in smaller amounts?
If you are using broth, omit salt and bouillon altogether. There are really salty chicken broths. Once the arroz mexicano is done, taste it. Add salt if it needs it then.
fantastic
Thank you!
When do the onions go in? Fried after the rice or into the puree with the tomatoes?
Both. 🙂 To make the tomato sauce, you need onion. Then when you’ve fried the rice, add diced onion and cook for a minute. Stir constantly. You don’t want to burn the arroz mexicano, or you’ll need to start all over again.
“To use chicken broth, omit the water and bouillon.”
I used vegetable broth and it was delicious!
I use both chicken broth and vegetable broth. I think the key is to taste it afterwards for salt. There are really salty chicken broths. You can always add salt if it’s not salty enough.
To make the tomato sauce do you cook the ingredient together and then blend?
Yes, the sauce ingredients are cooked then blended. Once the rice is toasted, add the sauce.
My first time making Mexican rice. This is way better than the one at the restaurant I go to. So fluffy and flavorful! Mine did take 10-15 minutes longer to rest. I need a bigger pot. Will be making again and again!
Yay! You just made my day. Glad you enjoyed the arroz mexicano.
So, I assume you drain the tomatoes after boiling them?
Yes, that’s correct. Just what’s cooked.