This Mexican Red Rice Recipe is my favorite way to make authentic Mexican rice at home using simple ingredients and one pan.
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Post last updated February 5, 2026.
This Mexican-style rice is fluffy, deeply flavorful rice that’s never mushy. It’s a classic staple side dish in Mexican food – comida Mexicana, and it pairs beautifully with just about all your favorite Mexican dishes.
What Makes This Easy Mexican Rice So Simple?
The point where most people get stuck when making traditional Mexican rice (arroz rojo) or other rice dishes is simmering it on the stovetop. The rice can stick to the bottom of the pot, cook unevenly, or turn into mushy rice. Frankly, a lot can go wrong.
This is the recipe I always use because it bakes low and slow in the oven for perfect (never burnt or undercooked) rice every time!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Many red rice recipes rely on powdered seasoning or bouillon which is completely unnecessary. Here’s what you’ll need to get flavorful rice using all natural ingredients:
- Garlic: For a supremely flavorful tomato base.
- White onion: The favorite onion for most Mexican recipes.
- Serrano peppers or you can use jalapeños to lower the heat. I like the slight kick serranos give but remove the seeds or use only half a serrano if you don’t want it to be spicy.
- Long grain rice: I always use Jasmine rice but you can swap a medium-grain rice if that’s all you have.
- Chicken broth: use store-bought or homemade.
- Salt: I always use Morton’s kosher salt unless otherwise specified.
- Tomatoes: I like to use canned because they reliably taste good no matter what the season but if fresh tomatoes (I like Roma tomatoes) are in season you can swap those in instead. You’ll need 2 medium Roma tomatoes.
- Oil: I like to use sunflower oil but olive oil also works.
How To Make This Easy Mexican Rice Recipe
First, the flavor base is effortless. Tomatoes along with chiles, garlic cloves, and onion are puréed in a blender with chicken broth, homemade chicken stock, or vegetable broth. This creates smooth, deeply seasoned blended tomatoes with tons of flavors, no chopping required.
Next, the uncooked rice (or raw rice) is toasted in hot oil over medium heat. This step toasts the rice giving it a nutty flavor, prevents soggy results, and helps create the fluffiest rice. Don’t rush it; you want to see the plain white rice becomes matte and many grains have turned a light golden brown before moving on.
Pour in the blended tomato base and stir to make sure no rice is stuck to the bottom of the pot.
Instead of finishing on the stove, the rice is baked in the oven with a tight-fitting lid. That slow, even heat means no stirring, no scorching, and perfectly cooked Mexican style rice every single time.
The toasted base perfumes every grain, creating a flavorful rice that works as a simple side dish or alongside everything from pork chops to fish. The recipe also makes a big batch, so you’ll likely have leftover rice—ready for burritos, for a quick meal with tacos, or any of these quick and easy Mexican weeknight dinners.
How Long Does This Rice Take?
While stovetop traditional Mexican rice cooks faster, this method is easier:
- Toast the rice in oil for about 5 minutes
- Add the blended tomato mixture and simmer briefly
- Cover and bake for about 45 minutes
- Let it sit for 10 minutes so the final tablespoons of water absorb and the rice fluffs up perfectly
No babysitting required.
The Best Kitchen Tools Make The Best Rice
How simple a recipe is has everything to do with having the right equipment. For example, making this rice dish won’t be very easy if you don’t have the right pan to cook it in….or a blender. Here’s what you need:
- A large, shallow, oven-proof pot with a lid. In French its called a Braiser. I love mine from Le Creuset. It was a wedding gift and what I use every time I make Mexican rice. It’s what I’m making the rice in in the photographs.
- You will also need a powerful blender to get the tomato mixture smooth.
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This rice is a classic. My kids would argue that it is a meal all on its own. That being said, there are some special recipes I just love for a classic comfort food meal:
- Crispy Instant Pot Pork Carnitas Recipe
- Slow Cooker Carne Adobada
- Jalapeño Slow Cooker Beef Tacos with Mango Citrus Salsa
- Best Ever Canned Black Beans
Reduce The Heat On That Pot And Take A Pic!
Like most good things that come out of your kitchen you are going to want to snap a picture of it and share it with your friends, right?! Well, don’t forget to tag @holajalapeno and #holajalapeno on Instagram when you do. I’d love to see it!
Mexican Rice
This Mexican Red Rice Recipe is my favorite way to make authentic Mexican rice at home using simple ingredients and one pan.
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups chicken broth
- 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1/2 serrano chile, stemmed and chopped (seeds removed if you'd like it less spicy
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/2 small white onion, chopped
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups long grain rice
- 1/4 cup sunflower oil
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F. Combine 2 1/4 cups chicken broth, 1 can tomatoes, 1 serrano chile, 2 cloves garlic, 1/2 onion, and 1 teaspoon salt in a blender. Purée until smooth.
- Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large, deep frying pan big enough to hold the rice and sauce, over medium heat. Once shimmering add 2 cups rice and cook, stirring occasionally until toasted and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
- Add sauce and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, cover and transfer to the oven.
- Bake until rice is tender and all the liquid has been absorbed, about 45 minutes.
- Let stand about 10 minutes, fluff with a fork and serve.
Notes
- Braising Dish: This is a simple, one pot dish but if you don't have a frying pan big enough to hold the rice and sauce you can toast the rice in a saucepan, stir in the sauce and then transfer the whole thing to a greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish before putting it in the oven.
- Sauteeing the vegetables: For a slightly more complicated but a bit more delicious version: before beginning the recipe, heat 3 additional tablespoons of vegetable oil in the frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, chiles, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the onion is soft and starting to brown. Then transfer the sautéed vegetables to the blender, and continue with the recipe.
Nutrition Information:
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 0Total Fat: 0g
I am so excited to try this recipe- this is seriously my kids favorite thing and I can’t wait to make this for them!
Do it Heather! And let me know how it turns out :).
Can I use tomato sauce instead of tomatoes? I seem to have a lot on hand right now.
I’ve never used tomato sauce but I’m pretty sure it would work. I would cut back on the stock by 1/4 cup to make up for the extra moisture.
My favorite food is Mexican! And I love rice, thanks for the receipt. Love all your posts!!
Yay!! You are so welcome!
This Mexican rice looks amazing! And just like you said it looks fool proof. Never done rice in the oven. Thanks for sharing. Can’t wait to make this for my hubby and kids.
This sounds really delicious! I have never ate rice like this before, but I definitely need to try it
Yes, please do and let me know what you think!
I must say I love Mexican rice and yours looks delicious! Kate!
Thank you Enri!!
This Mexican rice is life! Thanks for sharing and showing how easy it is to make it
It really is super easy! I hope you give it a try Taty!
Rice turned out fluffy and perfectly cooked. I didnt have pablano peppers and ended up substituting with green peppers and smoked paprika, with some Frank’s Red Hot for heat.
Good dish that I’ll make again.
That’s wonderful Robert! I’m so happy you liked it. Those additions sound great.
Love this Mexican rice recipe, very tasty. Looking forwsrd to trying other recipes.
Awesome! Thank you. I just made a batch myself yesterday. 🙂
I really want to make this dish to go with quesadillas tomorrow. But the temps in southeastern TN are in the low 80s for the next week or so. Our A/C is out and we are saving to get it fixed. Can I cook this on the stove top? If so, what changes? please and thank you.
Oh no, cooking in 80-degree heat without A/C is a total marathon! You can definitely move this to the stovetop to keep your kitchen cooler.
🍚 Stovetop Mexican Red Rice
The Toast: Heat your oil in a heavy pot. Sauté the dry rice until golden and nutty. This prevents the grains from sticking.
The Liquid: Add an extra 1/4 cup of extra broth but leave the rest the same.
The Simmer: Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to the lowest setting. Cover tightly and simmer undisturbed (no peeking!) for 18–20 minutes.
The Rest: Turn off the heat and let it sit, covered, for 10 minutes. This steam-finish is the secret to fluffy rice.
Keep-Cool Tip: Make the rice in the morning while it’s cooler! It stays warm well in a covered pot or tastes great at room temperature with your quesadillas.
Good luck with the A/C—I hope this provides some delicious comfort!
This recipe on the stove top was absolutely delicious!!! It was better than restaurant Mexican rice since I knew what went into it. I’ve always resisted making rice with ingredients other than broth as it came out gloopy. I followed your instructions and the rice was fluffy and so very tasty! And my kitchen didn’t heat up when cooking. Thank you for this delicious recipe!
Yay!! I’m so happy you loved it. Thanks so much for letting me know.