Fluffy, beautifully seasoned Mexican Red Rice! With a whisper of coriander / cilantro fragrance and delicate tomato flavour, this Mexican rice staple is so tasty you can eat it plain.
Never be disappointed by gluggy, mushy, bland Mexican Rice again!
Red Mexican Rice – an essential Mexican side!
2 years ago today, I was in Oaxaca, arguably the food capital of Mexico and an ideal place to watch the festivities of Day of the Dead, an annual multi-day holiday during which family and friends gather to pray and celebrate the life of those who have passed. It’s colourful, it’s joyous, there’s a seemingly endless stream of parades that weave through the streets.
It’s a bustle of energy, cemeteries come alive with parties once the sun sets, the town squares are packed with stalls and restaurants serve special festive foods.
.
So today, in honour of this annual Mexican holiday, I’m sharing an essential Mexican staple – Arroz Rojo. Mexican Red Rice. 🙂
Fluffy, perfectly seasoned Mexican Red Rice
A good Mexican red rice should be fluffy and tasty enough to eat plain. Honestly, try some straight out of the pot and tell me if you agree.
But to be sensible and round out a meal, I like to use it on a loaded Mexican plate of goodness, just like what you get at Mexican restaurants (particularly in the States). Like piling on to the plate Pork Carnitas or Beef Barbacoa, steamed corn, and a Pico de Gallo. Few wedges of lime, sprinkle of fresh coriander / cilantro and dig in.
Or use it to stuff into Burritos. Now, I must confess in the burritos pictured below, I just used plain rice! The beef in these burritos stained the rice red. 🙂 (PS These are freezer friendly, they are brilliant standby meals).
If you’ve ever been disappointed by a Mexican Red Rice recipe before, chances are that the liquid to rice ratio was off (anything more than 2 cups = soggy, mushy rice), it lacked seasoning because it wasn’t cooked in broth or it used too much tomato paste / puree which makes the liquid too thick so the rice doesn’t cook evenly = soggy gluggy mess.
It’s not hard. It’s just about getting the ratios right.
Real deal Arroz Rojo is made with pureed fresh tomatoes, sometimes with tomato bouillon cube (I haven’t seen that here). One day I’ll share that with you, but it does require more effort, and super ripe, intensely tomatoey tomatoes to have the same effect as using a couple of tablespoons of tomato paste.
Truly great tomatoes are hard to come by in ordinary grocery stores. Tomato paste is far easier – and it does the job great. 🙂
Serve this Mexican Red Rice with all things Mexican!! – Nagi x
FAVOURITE MEXICAN RECIPES
- Carnitas (Mexican Pulled Pork)
- Chicken Fajitas and Beef Fajitas
- Beef Enchiladas
- Queso Cheese Dip
- Mexican Fiesta Menu and recipes
- See all Mexican recipes
Mexican Rice recipe
Watch how to make it
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Mexican Red Rice
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1/2 small white onion , finely chopped
- 1 cup long grain white rice , uncooked (Note 1)
- 1 3/4 cups (435 ml) chicken or vegetable broth (Note 2)
- 2 1/2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 serrano or jalapeno pepper , whole (optional)
- 1 sprig coriander / cilantro
Optional garnish:
- Finely chopped coriander / cilantro leaves
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, stir briefly, then add onion. Cook for 4 – 5 minutes until translucent (not browned / golden).
- Add rice, broth, salt and tomato paste. Stir until tomato paste is dissolved.
- Plonk in jalapeno and coriander. Cover, bring to simmer, then lower heat to low so the water is simmering gently.
- Cook for 15 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed (tilt pot to check).
- Remove from heat, leave lid on and rest for 10 minutes (KEY STEP). The residual liquid on the surface of the rice will get absorbed and rice will go from sticky to fluffy.
- Fluff with fork then serve! (Optional: garnish with extra coriander)
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
LIFE OF DOZER
This is Geoff, the homeless man who I take hot meals to who you’ve been hearing about for years. His car is his home, and he has special permission from the Council to stay at the dog park. He tells the worst jokes (😂), he seems to know everyone – and their dogs – by name and we always joke that he has the best backyard in the northern beaches: barrel gun views over the beautiful Pittwater waterway.
He’s a valuable member of our community, and looks after the dog park so well for us. Bayview would not be the same without him and his little companion, Cleo.
And there’s Dozer, begging for some of the hot meal I just gave Geoff. Shame on you. Shame on you!
I’ve been on that zocolo! I loved my time in Oaxaca!
I’ll be giving your red rice a try, because, let’s face it … you’ve got recipes that rock and who doesn’t love red rice?
Isn’t Oaxaca the best?? I loved it, my favourite place in Mexico!
Thanks for recept 🙂
You’re most welcome!
Mexican Cook are always awesome! I eat a lot of Mexican food it’s Just delicious. Now time to test your recipe. So far I understood the test of this recipe is awesome. I will try it at my kitchen!
I hope you love it!
You are right…the ratio is the key to this Mex red rice recipe. Always on point about everything,.. your food, your dog, your lifestyle and your goodwill. You and Dozer are foodie/lifestyle superheros. I direct all who will listen to your blog.
Aww, thanks Beth! Such a lovely message to receive! N xx
I am obsessed with Mexican Red Rice. So glad to have a recipe, especially one by you! I look forward to trying this one. 🙂 🙂
Hope you love it Julie! N x
Nagi – You have made me cry! I have had some unfortunate ‘meets’ with posters decrying anything loving and caring as ‘unacceptable charity’ over the last few days! Bad taste in my mouth!! So!!! Geoff,so glad to meet you at last on Nagi’;s blog! If and when I get up there I’ll bring dessert!! May we meet your pup, please, thru’ Nagi!! Cleo!! Beautiful!! Dozer: just looking and not pushing your face in the container: Ok, buddy? ‘Day of the Dead’ – what we learn only on social media’ – my bestest blog-gf happens to be a Florida-gal living in beautiful San Miguel de Allende, north of MC . . . oh, she would have your guts for garters for not knowing her hometown of 27 years tops all of Mexico for food 🙂 ! Love the rice . . . and the wonderful and actually sensible celebration of the ‘Day of the Dead’. The first time Victoria of the Flavors’ sent all the info I did think it macabre . . .but what a wonderful way of a yearly celebration . . . . ‘love is in the air’ . . . truly . . .
Ohh, I loved reading this, thanks Eha! N x
thanks for sharing this recipe Nagi, it will be very useful to me, it gives me the idea to cook my rice like this instead of just simmering it in water as I always do, mainly because my caucasian husband will not eat rice, to him it is like eating saw dust, no flavor at all, I always tell him that you don’t eat rice alone for that matter, you always pair it with other dishes, but he eats fried rice all right, so I will try this and see.
I always like your picture of dozer, he is such a lovely good dog and thanks for sharing the story of Geoff.
No flavour?? THIS HAS FLAVOUR!! Promise!! 😂 N xx
Hi Nagi, I second what everyone has said about Geoff and your friendship with him!
I grow tomatoes at home, and they are the best! Sweet enough to eat like the fruit they are, but incredibly umami in recipes. Given that Australia is coming into tomato months, can you tell me how to use fresh tomatoes in your recipe? I am always looking for good tomato recipes for when the glut comes, although I do end up dehydrating a lot.
I’m jealous Kate!!! I can only get good tomatoes at the markets but even then, not every week. To make this with tomatoes, chop about 300g into chunks then put it in a blender with 1/2 cup of water + the garlic + a coriander sprig. Blitz then add more water until you have 2 1/4 cups of liquid. Strain through sieve then you should end up with about 2 cups of liquid. Then follow the recipe, using this in place of the broth + tomato. You can skip the garlic too. I will do a full recipe for authentic Mexican Red Rice one day! 🙂 N x
Thanks Nagi – will definitely try your version – it belongs on a plate with some enchiladas. refried beans and what is referred to in my family as gazpacho salad. Thanks as well for the photo of Geoff – wish everyone was more like you!
Hmmmm…enchiladas… I want! 😂
Thanks for receipt. When I was growing up we also had celebrations of dead just not as big and colourful as Mexico. Due to different climate Chrisantum is the flower for cemetery’s and candle is must. Thanks for sharing Geoff photos and Dozer. Melbourne is cold.
It’s swinging wildly from hot to cold up here! Most of the day was hot, now it’s cold!
I recently moved from Phoenix, AZ to my home state of South Carolina. Oh how I miss good Mexican food! In Arizona we had really good Mexican food there. I have yet to find a good Mexican restaurant here in SC. This rice looks really good and may help soothe some of my Mexican food craving!
Thank you for including a picture of Geoff so we can put a face to the name. He is a lucky guy to have you as a friend. It sounds like he has lots of friends and he also gives a great service to the community as well.
Looks like Dozer and Cleo both would like a bite of Geoff’s food. At least Dozer was behaving himself this time! LOL!
I think Dozer respects him more than me!! 😂
Thanks for recicpe and sharing photo of Geoff….I totally agree with all the above comments…You are a special person and we who have been following you for some time all know that for a fact!
Awww thanks Lyn! That’s so kind of you to say! N xx
Hi Nagi! I think I could eat rice every day! And put it in a nice fluffy flour tortilla and I’m really happy! The only Mexican food I can get around here comes out of my kitchen. It’s nice that you finally showed a picture of Geoff. He is one lucky guy to have you as a friend!
No Mexican around here?? So glad you liked the photo of Geoff!! N xx
So many people act like the homeless are invisible and/or an annoyance. It is wonderful to see Geoff as a valued member of your community, providing a service, and looked after in return – with the permission of the local government, no less! This should be the model for all communities. Thank you for sharing this.
Gosh, Geoff is the total opposite around here! He’s so well known by everyone!!
I just wadded up my go to recipe for Arroz Rojo and tossed it. This one has taken it’s place. 🙂
Thanks again Nagi 😀
WHOOT!!!!!!!!!!!
The food I miss the most, living where we do is Mexican. We just don’t have Mexican joints. Plenty of pizzerias but nary a Taco stand to be found in my town. Never take Taco stands for granted. Your rice has sent me into a serious hankering for a standup burrito. It shall be on my weekend culinary “to be eaten” list.
Now, I must say your story about Geoff even touched the heart of this old guy. Kuddos to you for looking after him as he looks after the dog park.
Awwww, Ron! Need a tissue? 😉 N xx