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Restaurant Style Mexican Rice

Restaurant-Style Mexican Rice Recipe

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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 to 6
Calories: 280
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups long-grain white rice
  • 3 tbsp neutral oil
  • 1 small yellow onion, roughly chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 ½ cups canned tomato sauce
  • 2 ½ cups chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • ½ cup frozen peas (optional)
  • ½ cup frozen diced carrots (optional)

Method
 

  1. Heat oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add rice and toast, stirring often, until chalky white with a few golden-brown specks, 4 to 6 minutes.
  2. Blend onion, garlic, and tomato sauce until smooth.
  3. Pour the tomato blend into the toasted rice, add broth, cumin, and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 to 18 minutes.
  4. Scatter peas and carrots on top if using, cover, remove from heat, and let steam for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve.

Notes

Letting the rice rest off the heat for a full 10 minutes is the step that separates fluffy grains from clumpy ones. If you want a deeper color, use a tomato sauce with no added herbs or sugar, and do not skip the onion in the blend.