Learn to make my family's Arroz Rojo (Mexican Red Rice) recipe! It's so easy to make and so delicious you'll never want to order take-out Mexican food again. It's the perfect Mexican side dish!
This side dish is the most popular side dish in all Mexican restaurants for a reason! It goes perfect with Tacos Dorados, Enchiladas Verdes and everything else you can think of.
If you're a Mexican Food Lover like I am, you know that Arroz Rojo is a staple dish in Mexican cuisine. Everyone gives them their own twist like adding veggies, or even making the tomato sauce from scratch.
I make it the easy way and I would love you to learn how to make it too! I also recommend you check out my method for making super fluffy Mexican White Rice. The flavors are just as amazing as this recipe.
Ingredients
The ingredients for Arroz Rojo are staple ones that most households already have handy or are easy to find at your local grocery store. With these, you'll have delicious red rice ready in less than 30 minutes!
- The Oil: Vegetable oil or any other high burning point oil like canola or avocado.
- Rice: Long-grain white rice works best for this recipe
- Either white or yellow onion
- Vegetable stock. Homemade is always better but the kind that comes in a box from from your grocery store will work too.
- Tomato sauce
- Better Than Bullion (no chicken base).
- Frozen vegetables such as peas, corn, carrots & green beans. Whatever you prefer. (Optional but highly recommended)
- Kosher salt & ground black pepper
- Plus fresh cilantro. This brings all the flavors together!
How to make Arroz Rojo
- 1) In a medium saucepan heat oil over medium-high. Add rice and sauté rice for about 2 minutes until it starts to get opaque.
- 2) Add the onions and sauté until rice becomes light golden brown. About two minutes.
Did you know? The key for not getting mushy rice is to brown it first!
- 3) Add the 2 cups vegetable stock, tomato sauce, bullion base, frozen veggies, salt & pepper.
- 4) Mix all ingredients and cover saucepan with a lid.
- 5) Bring rice mixture to a boil then reduce heat to low.
- 6) Simmer for 10 minutes.
- 7) At the 10 minute mark, add the cilantro and mix everything well to make sure the bullion is distributed all around.
- 8) Cover again and cook for another 10 minutes or until stock is completely absorbed.
- 9) Remove from heat and allow to rest for 5 minutes before opening pan. Fluff the rice with a fork and serve warm.
Is Mexican Red Rice same as the Spanish one?
Yep, they're "almost" the same thing!
Both dishes have the same basic ingredients such rice, tomatoes, onions. And both are cooked in chicken broth. However, Spanish rice uses saffron while Mexican rice uses the bullion for flavoring.
A Mexican household cannot be without rice & refried beans!
Easy Mexican Rice
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 cup long-grain rice
- ¼ cup onion chopped finely
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- ½ cup tomato sauce
- ½ teaspoon Better Than Bullion (no chicken base).
- ½ cup frozen vegetables such as peas corn, carrots & green beans. Whatever you prefer. (Optional)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ cup fresh cilantro finely chopped
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan heat oil over medium-high. Add rice and sauté rice for about 2 minutes until it starts to get opaque.
- Add the onions and sauté until rice becomes light golden brown. About two minutes.
- Add the 2 cups chicken stock, tomato sauce, chicken bullion, frozen veggies, salt & pepper.
- Mix all ingredients and cover saucepan with lid.
- Bring rice mixture to a boil then reduce heat to low.
- Simmer for 10 minutes.
- At the 10 minute mark, add the cilantro and mix everything well to make sure the bullion is distributed all around.
- Cover again and cook for another 10 minutes or until stock is completely absorbed.
- Remove from heat and allow to rest for 5 minutes before opening pan. Fluff the rice with a fork and serve warm.
ADD YOUR OWN PRIVATE NOTES
Whenever you come back to this recipe, you'll be able to see your notes.
NUTRITION
The nutritional information and US conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this data. If this is important to you, please verify with your favourite nutrition calculator and/or unit conversion tool.
This recipe was originally published in November 2019. Post has been updated to be show step by step instructions and to be more helpful.
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
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Sara says
Living in TN for many years, My kids and I miss this authentic type of rice we grew to love being able to get in AZ. In trying to recreate, I came across this and let me just say, I wish I would have recorded the “taste test” out comes. Steps easy to follow and I think this may now become a “signature” dish of mine as was a hit!
Zima says
This is totally how we make arroz as well. Except for the frozen veggies, which I toss in at the last 7-10 minutes so that they still have a little "crunch" to them 🙂 Beautiful images, as usual.
Ana Frias says
This is good to know Zima! It comes out perfect every time right? Thanks for stopping by!
Beth Pierce says
What a delicious looking recipe! This will be perfect with our tacos tonight!
Ana Frias says
Thanks so much for checking it out Beth!
Estee @soulandstreusel.com says
I looooove Mexican rice! Haven't made it in forever but I would do this with cheese enchiladas or chili relleno!
Monica L says
Oh I need to make this! I love to mix my rice with beans. So good!
SHANIKA says
This Mexican Rice looks so flavorful and delicious! YUM!
Monica says
This has so much flavor, and I definitely prefer this version with the bullion - so much more affordable than saffron, though I'm sure that's delicious, too!
Terri Gilson says
This sounds delicious and I'm definitely trying it! Thank you for clarifying the difference between Spanish and Mexican rice - I didn't realize it was saffron. Mexican rice is obviously a little more economical!:)
Ana Frias says
I know right? Saffron is so expensive for just a little thing of it. Thanks for stopping by!
Chris Collins says
i've tried a few Mexican rice recipes, but this looks like an absolute winner! Can't wait to try!!
Ana Frias says
I'm so happy to hear this Chris!