We love Mexican food, and this Restaurant-Style Mexican Rice is a really close version to what you’ll order at a restaurant. Plus, it’s not difficult to make and comes together easily while you prepare other dishes for the meal, such as enchiladas, tacos, or fajitas. Lightly sauced with tomatoes and spicy seasonings, it compliments many Mexican-style foods.
Southeast Kansas has a lot of Mexican restaurants to chose from when you’re hungry for some spicy food. But making your own Mexican food is easy to do and uses simple ingredients. Perfect for a weeknight dinner for your family, for Taco-Tuesday, or maybe a Friday night with Margaritas!
Ingredients for Restaurant-Style Mexican Rice
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- vegetable oil
- sweet onion
- green or red bell pepper (or both)
- long-grain white rice (uncooked)
- chili powder
- garlic salt
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- ground cumin
- canned petite diced tomatoes
- chicken broth
Instructions for Making This Recipe
Gather your ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table.
Prepare the Ingredients
Using a sharp knife and cutting board, mince the sweet onion. Finely dice the green bell pepper.
If you have a red bell pepper, you may use that instead of green. Or a combination of both.
Make the Rice
In a medium saucepan, heat extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Stir in minced onion and diced bell pepper. Saute until tender.
Pour the rice into the pan and stir to coat the grains with oil. Mix in chili powder, garlic salt, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and ground cumin.
Cooking the rice in oil, even for just a minute, will coat the grains of rice and reduce starch build-up, which makes rice sticky as it cooks. Adding in the seasonings for browning will further develop the deeper flavors in this dish.
Add the petite diced tomatoes and broth. Stir to combine. Cover and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low.
Simmer for 20 minutes or until rice is tender, stirring occasionally. Once done, remove from heat and keep covered to stay warm until ready to serve.
This recipe will serve 6-8 people. Serve this rice with your favorite Mexican main dish. It’s also a great addition for a Mexican Potluck Dinner.
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Restaurant-Style Mexican Rice
Ingredients
- 3 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup yellow onion minced
- 3 tablespoons green or red bell pepper chopped
- 1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/3 cup petite diced tomatoes canned
- 1 2/3 cups chicken broth
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Instructions Click to Start Cooking
- Gather your ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table.
- Using a sharp knife and cutting board, mince the yellow onion. Finely dice the bell pepper.
- In a medium saucepan, heat vegetable oil over medium heat. Stir in minced onion and diced bell pepper. Sauté until tender.
- Pour the rice into the pan and stir to coat the grains with oil. Mix in chili powder, garlic salt, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and ground cumin.
- Add the petite diced tomatoes and broth. Stir to combine. Cover and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low.
- Simmer for 20 minutes or until rice is tender, stirring occasionally. Cover to keep warm until ready to serve. Serves 6-8.
