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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 1/2 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 1/8 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 1/4 cup uncooked rice per person. Once the rice is cooked it will end up being about 3/4 – 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
- Steak Fajitas
Spanish Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups long grain rice
- 1/8 cup vegetable 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.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Best rice ever !! So easy to make and my family loves it!!
I tried this today and it just didn’t work. half of my rice was cooked and the other half was still really underdone. the liquid had all evaporated. any ideas as to what went wrong? could it have been my pan size? I used a large frying pan as the recipe stated.
Hmm..nope, sounds like your pan was the right size. Was it simmering? It should have all cooked, so I am not sure what went wrong.
This is a great recipe. Hubs decided to make fajitas and I didn’t have any Spanish Rice Rice a Roni (my go to for Spanish rice) and had to search Pinterest. I immediately found your recipe and had most of the ingredients so it was a go. I halved the recipe since it is only two of us now. Didn’t have any tomato sauce so used half pasta sauce and half salsa. It was delicious and now my new go to. I did add the juice from a lime with the chicken broth which put it over the top.
Perfect!! That sounds great! Thank you for sharing what you did. I am so glad you came across this recipe!
My mother had a mexican restaurant i grew up in. When she made her rice at home she browned the grains put them in her crockpot, brought her broth mixture to a boil then poured it boiling hot into the crockpot. Stir cover, leave on low till the liquid was gone. It was perfect every time.
She would cook chicken seasoned with lemonpepper and garlic salt and use that broth. – the chicken was often shredded on top of the rice. with tortillas- perfect!
She also added a small spoonful of ‘better than bullion’ or equivalent in almost every base or sauce she made. There is a canned product we use Ro-tel diced tomatoes and chiles- substitute that for the tomato sauce and the rice for angelhair pasta coils and you have her Fideo. Delicious
Excellent Spanish/Mexican rice
Very easy to make and it tastes so good.
Thank you for sharing your Mom’s recipe
Awe, thank you for saying that! Glad you like it!
i love this rice! so easy and always a hit. super easy to adapt the dish with what you have on hand, too! #quarantine thank you for an awesome recipe!!!!!!!
Do you rinse the rice before cooking?
Nope 🙂 Enjoy!
Makes no mention of the ratio of water to rice. How many cups of water per cup or cups of rice. This missing information is key to making good rice.
This recipe is 1 cup rice to 2 cps water. Each type of rice might vary a little. But, in the recipe box it will tell you 2 cups rice to 4 cups liquid.
It is fabulous 😍 😀 thankyou
You are welcome! Glad you think so 🙂
The best recipe for Spanish Rice I’ve made. I misplaced the so-so recipe I’d been using and looked for another. Luckily, I came across this one. Much more like the rice at a good restaurant
I am glad you found it 🙂 Thank you for saying that!