Mexican-ish Rice

This tomato-y orange rice, sometimes called Spanish rice or Mexican rice, is a wonderful complement to Tex-Mex dishes . This was a staple side dish at my favorite Tex-Mex restaurants growing up, but it’s unclear for me where it actually originated, so I’ve dubbed it Mexican-ish rice.

This rice brings a bright, acidic, and slight earthy flavor, that cuts through the richness of most Tex-Mex dishes. It pairs really well in burritos with beans and beef as well as with enchiladas, green or red, but honestly can go with just about anything in the Tex-Mex genre. I hope you enjoy it!

A small side note: “Don’t rinse the rice….isn’t that sacrilegious?!?! Won’t Uncle Roger and Joshua Weissman be aghast at the rice abuse??!!” you may be saying to yourself while reading the ingredients. If your conscience will allow it, I promise this yields the fluffiest results. I’ve tried this multiple times with rinsed rice, even reducing the liquid, but never achieved the fluffiness as with unrinsed rice.

Mexican-ish Rice

Author: Natalie Smith

A bright, slightly acidic, and slightly earthy rice that pairs wonderfully with Tex-Mex dishes.

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Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Resting Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 160

Ingredients

  

• 1 Cup white basmati rice * Don't rinse!!
• ½ Cup tomato puree (NZ) / tomato sauce (US) * Go for unflavored here
• ⅓ Cup yellow or white onion, finely chopped * Can substitute with ¼ tsp onion powder, but also add a pinch of sugar to compensate for the loss of sweetness from the cooked onions
• 2 Tbsp Neutral oil
• ¾ tsp Kosher salt * I use Diamond Crystal
• ½ tsp Ground cumin
• ¼ tsp Garlic powder
• 2 Cups chicken or vegetable stock * Low stock if you can find it

Instructions

 

• Heat oil in a medium sauce pan on medium high heat.
• Sautee the onions until translucent. (Skip this step if using onion powder)
• Add the rice and cook for 1 to 2 min. The rice will start to turn white, if it starts to turn brown, turn down the heat.
• Add the spices and cook for 30 seconds, stirring frequently so avoid burning.
• Add the tomato puree/sauce and cook for 30 seconds, stirring frequently so avoid burning.
• Add the chicken stock, stirring to combine well.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
• Cook covered for 20 minutes (checking at 17 minutes in case done sooner), stirring halfway through to avoid the bottom from burning.
• Once cooked, I like to move the rice off the heat, remove the lid (avoiding tipping the condensation water on the lid in to the rice), fluff and let sit for 5 minutes.
• Serve with your favorite Mexican style dishes and enjoy!