I have been trying to fix homemade Mexican rice as you get in a Mexican restaurant FOREVER — and I finally found the right recipe for it.

Marcela from Mexican Made Easy really opened my eyes on how to make your rice fluffy and get it to taste like the delicious rice at my favorite Mexican restaurant.
This recipe is so easy to make and I have discovered that cooking your rice in chicken broth versus water adds so much more flavor to the recipe!
How to Make Homemade Mexican Rice

You can have this on the table in 20 minutes or less and goes great with that delicious Mexican feast you are making. Seriously –one cup of rice will make a ton of this delicious homemade Mexican rice.
If you really want to make this dish soar, you can pair it with my Restaurant Style Mexican Cheese Dip.
I can serve this rice with any of my delicious Mexican dishes like Chicken Verde Casserole, Mango Salsa Chicken, Roasted Pork Tacos, or homemade chips and salsa.
Rice is an essential side dish when fixing a Mexican meal for your family. If you are really up for a challenge, why not create a Mexican theme night and make it a family fun night?
- Watch a movie like Nacho Libre (one of our favorite movies ever!)
- Make string art
- Do a Mexican hat dance and act silly with your family
- and then serve a delicious Mexican meal to round out the night!
All of these things I have done with my own family — especially when we have studied those countries for school!
For More Mexican Inspired Dishes Check Out These Recipes
- Restaurant Style Mexican Cheese Dip
- Southwestern Chicken Quinoa Bowl
- Pork Burrito Bowl
- Easy Restaurant Style Salsa
- One Pan Steak Fajitas
What is your favorite Mexican cuisine?
Homemade Mexican Rice

This recipe for homemade Mexican Rice is so easy and taste just like what you would get at a Mexican Restaurant
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cup long grain white rice
- 1 tsp cumin
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Pour the rice into a strainer and rinse thoroughly with water for about 1 minute. This step removes the starch and will prevent your rice from sticking together.
- In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add in the rice and cook for about 2 minutes until the rice is lightly toasted. Stir in the broth, tomato paste, cumin, chili powder, garlic and onion powders, and salt.
- Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium. Cover and let the rice simmer until it is tender, about 20 minutes.
- Add in cilantro and then fluff with a fork and add additional seasonings if needed.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8 servingsServing Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 118Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 626mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 3g
Donna Hoffman
Wednesday 8th of April 2020
Hi! I was looking over the mexican rice dish but it has 4 tablespoons of tomato paste and then a few ingredients below it says 3 tablespoons of tomato paste....would that be 7 TBSP total or which one, the 3 or the 4
Jennifer Sikora
Thursday 9th of April 2020
Sorry about that. I have updated it. It is just 3 tablespoons of tomato paste.
Menu Plan Monday- Getting Back on Track - Jen's Journey
Sunday 15th of March 2015
[…] Wednesday: Beef and Doritos Taco Salad and Homemade Mexican Fried Rice […]
It's Cinco de Mayo! Let's Celebrate with Some Yummy Mexican Food | Jen's JourneyJen's Journey
Tuesday 10th of June 2014
[…] Homemade Mexican Fried Rice […]