Mexican rice is a delicious rice dish made with vegetables, spices, broth, and rice. It is delicious and really easy to make. You can make it in no time. You can serve it with a spicy curry.

Mexican rice is a side dish is also known as Spanish Rice dish. It’s even more strange to note that it is not a popular dish in Spain! Mexican rice also goes by the name ‘red rice’ in Mexico, Arroz Rojo in Spain, and Estamboli Polow in Iran, and Persian cuisine.
To make Mexican rice, heat oil in a skillet. Add carrots, bell pepper, onion, and garlic to it. Cook it for about 5 minutes. Then, add rice and tomato paste. Stir for some time and add chicken broth, potatoes, and tomato sauce to it. Bring it to a boil. Then, season with cumin, oregano, kosher salt, and black pepper. Cook for 15 minutes while covered with a lid. Garnish with cilantro and serve.
This is just a snippet of the recipe. Find the complete recipe below. There are many other recipes that you can make with rice, I highly recommend you to check them as well.
1. Black-eyed Peas and Rice– This recipe is a healthy bowl of rice meal. Using different vegetables makes this dish delicious and colorful. You need to do overnight preparation for this recipe. But don’t be worried as it is a simple and easy recipe.
2. Sticky Rice– Sticky rice or sweet rice is very different than other types of rice. This glutinous rice from Southeast Asia is used in both; desserts as well as savory dishes.
3. Italian Rice– Italian rice is a type of fried rice served with delicious roasted vegetables. The fried rice is made with stock, tomatoes, olive oil, and garlic. It is flavored with herbs and served with delicious roasted vegetables.
4. Carrot Rice– This recipe is a delicious and healthy recipe. It is made from sauteed vegetables, rice and spices. It is flavorful and aromatic. It is also really simple to make.
Ingredients Required for Mexican Rice Recipe
Ingredients | Amount |
Extra Virgin Olive Oil | 3 tablespoons |
Carrots (peeled and diced) | 2 |
small Green Bell Pepper (diced) | 1 |
small Onion (chopped) | 1 |
Garlic (thinly sliced) | 3 |
Long Grain Rice (rinsed and drained) | 2 cups |
Tomato Paste | 1 tbsp |
low-sodium Chicken Broth | 2 1/2 cups |
Fire-Roasted Tomatoes (drained, diced) | 1(14 ounce) oz can |
Tomato Sauce | 1(8 oz) can |
Ground Cumin | 3/4 teaspoons |
Dried Oregano | 1/2 teaspoons |
Cilantro (chopped) | 1/4 cups |
Kosher Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper (for seasoning) | as per taste |
How much time will it take?
Preparation time | Cooking time | Total time |
15 Minutes | 30 Minutes | 45 Minutes |
Mexican Rice Recipe

- Heat oil in a large skillet. Add carrots, bell pepper, onion, and garlic to it.
- Cook for about 5 minutes while frequently stirring until the onions become translucent.
- Now, add rice and tomato paste to it.
- Cook for about 2-3 minutes while stirring frequently.
- Now, add chicken broth, potatoes, and tomato sauce to it. Season it with ground cumin, oregano, kosher salt, and black pepper. Bring it to a boil.
- Then, cover the skillet with a lid and reduce the heat to a low flame.
- Stir it occasionally and cook for about 15 minutes.
- Garnish the rice with cilantro. Your Mexican rice is ready!
Nutritional Information of Mexican Rice Recipe
Calories | 248 |
Total Fats | 11 g |
Saturated Fats | 1.1 g |
Cholesterol | 3.2 g |
Sodium | 282 mg |
Total Carbohydrates | 32 g |
Dietary Fiber | 0.6 g |
Sugars | 3 g |
Proteins | 5.3 g |