Arroz Rojo (Mexican Red Rice)

ByAna Frias Published Last Updated
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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!

A white plate with arroz rojo and a fork with some cilantro garnish
Enjoy this authentic recipe for Mexican Red Rice

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 and Arroz Verde. The flavors are just as amazing as this recipe.

A white plate with arroz rojo
Receta fácil de Arroz Rojo Mexicano

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
  • Chicken or Vegetable stock. Homemade is always better but the kind that comes in a box from from your grocery store will work too.
  • Tomato sauce
  • Chicken granulated bouillon such as Knorr, or Better Than Bullion (no chicken base) for vegetarian option.
  • 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!
Ingredients in small bowls: frozen carrots and peas, chicken stock, raw rice, tomato sauce, onions, chicken bullion cube and cilantro leaves
Basic Ingredients for Mexican Red Rice

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!

Sauteing rice in a medium pan
  • 3) Add the 2 cups stock, tomato sauce, bullion, 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. 
A medium sauce pan with rice in a red broth

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.

Two plates with arroz rojo and a blue napkin on the side
Delicious Arroz Rojo Recipe that is so easy to make!

A Mexican household cannot be without rice & refried beans!

A white plate with red rice and a fork with some cilantro garnish

Easy Mexican Rice

Servings 4 cups
Ana Frias
5 from 15 votes
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 30 mins
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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!
4 cups

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 cup long-grain rice
  • ¼ cup onion chopped finely
  • 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
  • ½ cup tomato sauce
  • 1 teaspoon chicken granulated bouillon such as Knorr, or ½ tsp Better Than Bullion (no chicken base) for vegetarian option.
  • 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.

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NUTRITION

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 245kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 645mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g

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.

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

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A white plate with red rice and a fork
Homemade Arroz Rojo that will satisfy your Mexican food cravings!

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17 Comments

  1. I have a question about the recipe. On the ingredients, it says vegetable stock and better than bouillon with no chicken base, but on the instructions, it says chicken stock and chicken bouillon. Just was hoping for clarification.

    Reply

    1. Hi Jackie! Thanks so much for the question! I have fixed the instructions and recipe card to match ingredients. Basically you can use chicken or vegetable stock plus the bullion of your choice: chicken or “better than bullion” for (for vegetarian or vegan option). I hope this makes sense but if not, let me know and I’ll get back to you asap.

      Buen provecho and I have no doubt that you’ll love it!
      xo,
      Ana

      Reply

  3. 5 stars
    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!

    Reply

  4. 5 stars
    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.

    Reply

  6. 5 stars
    I looooove Mexican rice! Haven’t made it in forever but I would do this with cheese enchiladas or chili relleno!

    Reply

  9. 5 stars
    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!

    Reply

  10. 5 stars
    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!:)

    Reply