How to make Homemade Spanish Rice/Mexican Rice. whatever you call it, we’ve got the best and Easiest Spanish Rice Recipe you can find. It tastes like it came straight from the restaurant!
It’s our go-to side dish when serving Mexican food! Not only is it simple and takes under 10 minutes to prep, but it’s perfect served with our tacos and enchiladas!
Easy Mexican Rice
I LOVE Spanish Rice (aka MexicanRice)! As previously mentioned, I’m ½ Mexican. I love this family heritage so much, and am especially grateful that my family has taught me to make delicious Mexican food.
My mom has been making today’s Spanish Rice recipe for as long as I can remember and first showed me how to make it several years ago (along with empanadas, enchiladas and tacos). Now, we make it on a weekly basis because my kids are obsessed and it’s just so easy.
This recipe is actually the Spanish Rice recipe of a popular Mexican Restaurant in Mesa called Mango’s (down on Main). If you’ve ever been down there and liked their rice, then you’ll love this recipe. It really is simple, delicious and the perfect side to any Mexican dish!
How to Make spanish Rice
One of the main reasons we love this recipe (other than the fact that it’s simple), is because we always have the ingredients on hand. Here are the Spanish rice ingredients you’ll need to make this delicious side dish:
- long grain rice
- oil
- tomato sauce
- minced garlic
- chicken broth
- cumin
- garlic pepper + salt
Begin by browning the rice in the oil (we use about ⅛ but it depends on how much you like). Add the minced garlic and sauté for a minute before adding the tomato sauce, chicken broth (or water and bouillon cube) and spices.
Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30-40 minutes. Fluff up before serving.
FAQ + TIPS
How much rice per person? Plan on ¼ cup uncooked rice per person. Once the rice is cooked it will end up being about ¾ – 1 cup per person. If a recipe calls for 3 cups uncooked rice plan on it feeding about 12 people.
Which rice is best for Spanish Rice? We love to use long-grain white rice. It gets fluffy and does not get sticky like some of the short-grained rices.
Can Spanish rice be made with brown rice? Brown rice can definitely be used in place of white rice. Just add ⅓ c more water per cup of brown rice and let simmer longer- until the brown rice reaches your desired texture.
Can you use salsa instead of tomato sauce? Sure thing! Salsa can add more flavor and even a bit more spice to this mild rice recipe. It’s all about preference.
Which topping ingredients are best for this rice? You can add what you love most, but we often add chopped peppers, chopped cilantro, onions or even green onions.
Once all your spices and tomato sauce are added, stir and let it simmer for at least 30 minutes.
REHEATING, FREEZING + MORE RECIPES
How to reheat Spanish Rice/mexican rice? Be sure to store it properly in an air-tight container. It can last in the fridge for up to 5-6 days. To reheat, just microwave or reheat on the stove for a few minutes.
Can spanish rice be frozen? Yes, it can be frozen to be used at a future time. Simply place about 3 cups of cooked rice into ziplock freezer bags, label and place in the freezer for 4-6 months.
When you’re ready to use you can thaw the rice in the fridge or cook straight from the freezer. Using a microwave safe bowl microwave the rice on high stirring every 2 minutes until rice reaches your desired temperature.
Recipes that use Spanish Rice
Yes, we use it as a side for any Mexican dish, but we also like to use it recipes too, including:
- Burritos
- Rice bowls/Burrito Bowls
- Chimichangas
- Taco Salad
And best of all, is that it’s the best side for any Mexican meal!! Below are video and printable instructions to make the Mexican rice. We hope you can enjoy it with any Mexican dish you try.
For more Mexican rice recipes, check out:
what to serve with Spanish Rice?
- Chicken Enchiladas
- Red Cheese Enchiladas
- Beef Empanadas
- Green Chile Burros
- Baked Chicken Chimichanga
Spanish Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups long grain rice
- 1/8 cup oil
- 8 oz tomato sauce
- 6 stems cilantro (optional)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 4 cups water (or 4 cups chicken lower sodium chicken broth - and no bouillon)
- 1 cube chicken flavored bouillon
- dash cumin
- dash garlic pepper
Instructions
- Heat oil in large frying pan on medium heat.
- Add rice and cook until golden brown.
- Add 1 chicken flavored bouillon cube to 4 cups water and microwave for 3 minutes.
- When rice is brown, add water, tomato sauce, salt, garlic, cumin and garlic pepper to pan.
- Stir and cover pan. Let simmer for 30-40 minutes or until all is cooked and there is no liquid left. Fluff before serving and ENJOY.
I’m curious to know what kind of specific tomato sauce? Can I buy a canned tomato sauce in the store?
Any brand of tomato sauce will work for this recipe. Yes – you can buy canned tomato sauce in the store. Hope this helps!
This looks yummy but I’m wondering if brown rice would work just as well.
Brown rice can be substituted for white rice in any rice recipe but it does change the taste and the texture somewhat since brown rice has a chewier texture and a nuttier flavor. The only difference between cooking brown rice and white rice is the water to rice ratio. More water and a longer cooking time is needed for brown rice. Let me know if you try it with brown rice. I’d love to hear how it turns out!
Yes, I have done it with brown rice.
If you scroll up to the FAQ section, the author tells you what you need to do for brown rice.
Very nice recipe ! Thanks
You are so welcome! I’m glad you liked it.
SO good! My boyfriend was craving restaurant style Spanish rice and this was perfect!! I added quite a bit of minced garlic because we love it. I added the cumin to taste. Next time I’ll add onion powder. I was missing that flavor. No more buying packaged flavored rice on taco night! My family loved this recipe so much they said there’s no need to go to our favorite Mexican restaurant anymore. Thanks for sharing!
Awe, that makes me so happy to hear! I’m so glad you like this rice as much as we do. Thanks so much for sharing!
I have tried numerous recipes and followed them exactly and yet the rice never cooked throughly and I kept having to add more and more water until it ended up all soggy or parts were still too hard. I followed your recipe to the tee and it turned out fluffy and cooked all the way through FINALLY!! Thank you for such a simple and easy recipe!!
You are so welcome! I’m glad the recipe turned out so well for you!
I rate this Spanish Rice recipe 5 stars. I only added browned pork chops to the rice and simmered til rice and chops are done. The pork chops get tender and adds some flavor to the rice. I, also added chopped green pepper for added flavor. Thank you for your recipe. I will try other ones you publish.
Those additions sound delicious! Thanks for sharing. I’m glad it turned out so well!
Excellent!! Ty so much
You are so welcome! I’m glad you liked it.
Love this recipe 🙂 Sweet, Delicious, and Convinent
Thanks for sharing! I’m so happy you love it as much as we do. 🙂
can i double the recipe and will it come out good?
Wow, I wish I had known how easy it is to make Mexican rice at home! I only had jasmine rice on hand, which took only about 15 minutes and it was cooked to perfection. Also used better than bouillon instead of a cube. Genuinely tastes like the rice you get at an authentic mexican restauranta! Two cups made a TON so I’d recommend halving this recipe if you aren’t feeding too many people…or are feeding several picky eaters like my boys.😉 I’ll be coming back to this one for sure!
I am mexican and I have never been able to find a recipe so simple, and delicious! Rice was fluffy,tasty, and not burned! Thank You !!!