Easy Mexican Rice in the Rice Cooker

This Mexican rice is made entirely in a rice cooker, so you can set it and move on with the rest of your meal. No standing at the stove stirring and hoping it doesn’t scorch.

It comes out fluffy and separate, with that classic tomato, cumin, and garlic flavor. And it stays warm in the cooker until you are ready to eat.

Why the Rice Cooker Wins Here

The rice cooker controls the temperature perfectly, so every grain cooks evenly. There is no hot spot that burns and no ring of stuck rice to scrape off later.

I keep this recipe around because it takes the worry out of a side dish that can easily go wrong. You get tender, flavorful rice with almost no effort.

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups long-grain white rice: rinsed until the water runs clear
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil: or any neutral oil
• 1/2 small white onion: finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves: minced
• 1 small jalapeño: seeded and minced (optional)
• 1 cup tomato sauce: plain, not seasoned
• 1 3/4 cups chicken or vegetable broth: use low-sodium if possible
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp chili powder: optional
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 cup frozen peas: optional, for color and sweetness

Variations / Substitutions

• Brown rice instead of white rice: you will need more liquid and a longer cooking cycle, so check your rice cooker’s manual. The texture will be chewier.
• Use diced fresh tomatoes instead of sauce: swap in 1 cup of very finely chopped ripe tomatoes and reduce the broth by 2 tbsp.
• Add more heat: leave the jalapeño seeds in or stir a pinch of cayenne into the liquid.
• Make it a heartier rice: fold in a drained can of black beans or a handful of corn along with the peas.

If you like this one, try my Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas for a full dinner.

How to Make Mexican Rice in the Rice Cooker

Step 1: Toast the Rice and Aromatics

Set your rice cooker to its sauté or quick-cook setting and add the 2 tbsp of oil. Once the oil shimmers, stir in the rinsed 1.5 cups of rice, the diced onion, minced garlic, and jalapeño.

Keep stirring for about 3 to 4 minutes, until the rice turns chalky white and starts to smell nutty. A few golden grains here and there are a good sign.

Step 2: Stir in the Seasonings and Liquid

Pour in the 1 cup of tomato sauce, the 1 3/4 cups of broth, 1 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp salt, and the bay leaf. Give everything a gentle stir so the spices and sauce are evenly mixed.

The liquid should just cover the rice, with a bit of tomato swirling through it. No need to scrape the bottom, the steam will take care of any sticky bits.

Step 3: Cook the Rice

Close the lid and set the cooker to its regular white rice cycle, then press start. Leave it alone while it runs. The steam trapped inside does all the work, so opening the lid mid-cycle will throw off the texture.

The rice is ready when the cooker clicks to “keep warm” and the grains are tender with no liquid pooling in the bottom, which usually takes about 20 to 25 minutes.

Step 4: Fluff and Serve the Rice

Open the lid, fish out the bay leaf, and use a fork to gently fluff the rice. Scatter the 1/2 cup of frozen peas over the top, then close the lid and let them steam on keep-warm for 3 to 5 minutes.

Once the peas turn bright green and are heated through, fluff once more, taste for salt, and serve. The rice should be moist but not wet, with every grain separate.

A Few Notes Before You Start

• Rinsing the rice makes a real difference. It washes away surface starch that can turn the pot gummy. Rinse under cold water until the water runs almost clear.
• If your cooker does not have a sauté function, just skip the toasting step. Add the oil, rice, aromatics, and all other ingredients together, give it a stir, and start the cycle. It will still taste great, though the rice will be a little less separate.
• Do not stir the rice once the cycle starts. Letting it cook undisturbed is what gives you fluffy results.
• If the rice finishes a few minutes before the rest of your meal, that is actually helpful. Sitting on keep-warm for 10 to 15 minutes lets the rice settle and firm up slightly.

Scaling up or down? Here’s a quick guide.

Storing Leftover Mexican Rice

• Refrigerate: Cool the rice completely then pack it in an airtight container. It keeps well for up to 4 days.
• Reheating: Sprinkle a few drops of water over the rice, cover loosely, and microwave until steaming hot. Fluff with a fork before serving.

What Goes Well With Mexican Rice

The light, tomatoey grains pair beautifully with saucy mains that can spoon right over them. Grilled carne asada works because the charred beef and bright cilantro play off the rice’s mild spice. Slow-cooked chicken tinga is another favorite, the smoky chipotle sauce soaks into the rice just enough. For a vegetarian option, black bean and sweet potato tacos bring a similar earthy sweetness that rounds out the plate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use brown rice instead?

Yes, but you will need to increase the liquid and adjust the cooking time according to your rice cooker’s brown rice setting. The texture will be chewier and the flavor slightly nuttier.

Do I really have to rinse the rice?

Rinsing removes the excess starch that can make the finished dish sticky. For fluffy separate grains it is worth the extra 30 seconds.

What if my rice turns out too wet?

Let it sit on keep-warm with the lid open for 5 to 10 minutes. Some of the steam will escape and the rice will dry out a bit.

Can I add corn or black beans?

Absolutely. Stir in a drained can of corn or rinsed black beans along with the frozen peas during the final steaming step.

Is this recipe spicy?

Not as written. The jalapeño and chili powder bring warmth, not real heat. Leave the seeds in the jalapeño if you want a kick.

Mexican Rice Recipe

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 220

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1.5 cups long-grain white rice, rinsed
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/2 small white onion, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 small jalapeño, seeded and minced
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1 3/4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 cup frozen peas

Method

 

1. Set rice cooker to sauté, add oil, then stir in rice, onion, garlic, and jalapeño. Cook 3 to 4 minutes until rice looks chalky.
2. Stir in tomato sauce, broth, cumin, chili powder, salt, and bay leaf until combined.
3. Close lid, select white rice cycle, and cook until cooker switches to keep-warm and rice is tender, about 20 to 25 minutes.
4. Remove bay leaf, fluff rice with a fork, scatter frozen peas on top, close lid, and let steam 3 to 5 minutes. Fluff again and serve.

Notes

If your rice cooker doesn’t have a sauté setting, just stir everything together and start the rice cycle. The rice won’t have the same toasted depth but will still be fluffy and good.