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Home Mexican Recipes

Mexican Red Rice

By:Nagi
Published:1 Nov '17Updated:9 Mar '21
233 Comments
Recipe v Video v Dozer v

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!

Fluffy, beautifully seasoned Mexican Red Rice (Arroz Rojo). Truly like what you get at restaurants! recipetineats.com

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.

Day of the Dead - Mexico, Oaxaca recipetineats.com
The right photo is a shrine in honour of Frida Kahlo, Mexico’s most well known artist. Located at the Frida Kahlo Museum in Mexico City which is actually the house she lived in and around the corner from terrific markets with INCREDIBLE CEVICHE!!!

.

So today, in honour of this annual Mexican holiday, I’m sharing an essential Mexican staple – Arroz Rojo.  Mexican Red Rice. 🙂

Fluffy, beautifully seasoned Mexican Red Rice (Arroz Rojo). Truly like what you get at restaurants! recipetineats.com

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.

Mexican Red Rice and Pork Carnitas recipetineats.com

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

Fluffy, beautifully seasoned Mexican Red Rice (Arroz Rojo). Truly like what you get at restaurants! recipetineats.com

Mexican Rice recipe
Watch how to make it

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Fluffy, beautifully seasoned Mexican Red Rice (Arroz Rojo). Truly like what you get at restaurants! recipetineats.com

Mexican Red Rice

Author: Nagi
Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 18 mins
4.97 from 63 votes
Servings4
Tap or hover to scale
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Fluffy, beautifully seasoned Mexican Red Rice (Arroz Rojo). With a whisper of coriander / cilantro flavour, this is tasty enough to eat plain. The key to fluffy rice is the right water to rice ratio, and don't use too much tomato paste otherwise the liquid gets too thick = gluggy rice. Makes just over 3 cups, once fluffed. Scale up recipe by using slider on Servings. See AUTHENTICITY note below. Recipe VIDEO below.

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:

1. RICE: Long grain rice will give you the fluffiest rice. Jasmine and basmati rice will produce similar fluffiness but will have a different fragrance because of the rice flavour. Medium grain will also be pretty fluffy. Short grain will be a bit sticky, but not gluggy, still very good. Risotto and paella rice are not suitable for this. For brown rice, cook for 35 - 40 minutes on low.
2. BROTH: You can also use water plus 1 bouillon cube, crumbled (vegetable or chicken is best). To reduce overall sodium, use low sodium broth and skip the salt.
3. AUTHENTICITY: As with all traditional dishes, there are many ways Arroz Rojo is made in Mexico the authentic way. Typically, the common ingredient that I do not use is to puree really ripe, fresh tomatoes and often you see it made with tomato bouillon cubes rather than liquid stock which I don't see here in Australia. Truly great, intensely tomatoey tomatoes are not easy to come by for normal folks like myself. And while there are versions made with tomato puree (i.e. pureed tomato, thinner than tomato paste), I find that tomato paste works better to colour and flavour the broth while keeping it really thin and thus allowing for the rice to cook really evenly and come out fluffy. Also the slight acidity of tomato paste is a great touch of freshness.
So this version Arroz Rojo is one that is doable for normal folk like myself that yields a rice that looks and tastes like the real deal - and it's easier too, no pureeing tomatoes! 🙂 
4. This recipe replaced an old recipe I published years ago called Mexican "Fried Rice" made by frying cooked rice with enchilada sauce, spice flavourings, beans and corns. I didn't think anyone was using that recipe but I've had a couple of requests for it, so here it is!
5. Nutrition per serving, assuming 4 servings. 

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 129gCalories: 247cal (12%)
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @RecipeTinEats.

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!

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233 Comments

  1. Michelle says

    March 20, 2023 at 4:57 am

    5 stars
    Love this recipe! Comes out perfect every time. Thanks Nagi!

    Reply
  2. Karo says

    March 1, 2023 at 11:36 am

    This was way too much liquid for me. The rice was cooked at 15 minutes but there was still 1 cm of water/broth on top at that point. Cooked it a little longer and it didn’t really help. Even after resting for 10 minutes it didn’t get absorbed. Normally I use your white rice recipe and that turns out great every time. I even bought long grain rice instead of my usual pandan rice.
    I think if I use the same measurements as the white rice recipe, it would turn out great 🙂

    Reply
  3. Monica Kelliher says

    January 28, 2023 at 11:21 am

    Hi Nagi,
    HELP!
    I was excited about this recipe, but it didn’t work out for me and I’m not sure what I did wrong? The rice stuck to the pot and was uncooked even though I had the heat on low. Also, I used the same pot as your showing in the video.

    On another note, I was wondering if I could use a dry chili, and what the method would be?
    Thanks, Monica

    Reply
  4. Andy says

    December 24, 2022 at 6:29 pm

    Nagi, I thought I’d add my tuppence worth. We cook this with green and red capsicum (about a half of each) sautéed with the onion. Its very much taco Bill style and absolutely delicious. One of our go to Mexican dishes along with a Burrito, Guacamole and sour cream. Such a great mix of flavors and one of our fall backs. We make a dozen or so Burrito’s and freeze most so we always have something on hand. Just Love.

    Reply
  5. Jessi says

    December 11, 2022 at 12:33 pm

    5 stars
    This is so good! I just stand over the pot eating it – it’s so delicious! I’ve also made it in the instant pot using powdered tomato bullion and powdered garlic/onion. Still just as good! Thanks Nagi!

    Reply
  6. Natalie says

    November 26, 2022 at 6:39 pm

    5 stars
    This was delicious. The fragrance when I lifted the lid was wonderful. For my mum’s birthday today, I combined it with your Mexican pulled beef (using brisket) and pico de gallo and served it with flatbread (the Coles ones), grated cheese and sliced avocado (we made burritos). My children ate the rice on its own (so hooray, as that’s another dish I can make for them). Thanks Nagi!

    Reply
  7. DeniseinVA says

    October 28, 2022 at 7:44 am

    Dear Nagi, thank you for this delicious recipe. I made Mexican rice a couple of weeks ago, but always enjoy those I come across, and yours was made by a blogging friend I know who gave your link in her blog post. I will make it very soon. I also think you are a very special lady taking Geoff a hot meal. Bless you for being a kind and considerate human being. We need more kindness in the world, but reading about yours and others out there, it gives me hope. Thank you!

    Reply
  8. Amy Morgan says

    October 5, 2022 at 11:11 am

    5 stars
    This is amazing!

    Reply
  9. Lynn says

    October 1, 2022 at 1:42 pm

    Great recipe although I confess I used less liquid as we like our rice quite chewy (lower GI lol). As usual I used 1 1/4 cups liquid (Australian measure) to 1 cup rice. Perfect.

    And may I say what a great thing to do to take Geoff hot meals. If we want to live in a good community we need to do our bit to make it so. And you do.

    Reply
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I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative! Read More

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