This simple recipe for Tomato Rice is inspired by classic Mexican rice, with warm spices, tomatoes and plenty of aromatics to make a delicious and quick side dish. This is the perfect recipe for taco night!
Authentic Mexican rice typically calls for toasting white rice in fat then adding blended fresh tomatoes, onions and garlic with water. Our recipe takes inspiration from this classic preparation and flavor profile, but instead of blending the vegetables, they are sauteed with the rice, plus a can of fire roasted tomatoes takes the place of fresh tomatoes.
The result is a simple side dish that has tons of flavor. It's the perfect side for our Sheet Pan Tofu Fajitas or our Baked Crispy Chicken Tacos. And there are plenty of ways to tweak this recipe to make it fit your desired flavor profile!
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Ingredients that Matter
The ingredients for this recipe are all readily available at your local grocery store. Here are the ingredients you'll need for this recipe:
- Rice. I recommend using a medium to long grain white rice like Carolina, Jasmine, Basmati or rice simply labeled long grain.
- Canned Tomatoes. Use a 14.5 ounce can of diced or petite diced tomatoes or fire roasted tomatoes.
- Bell Pepper. Use any variety of bell pepper, like green, red or yellow, or even an Anaheim or poblano pepper.
- Red Onion. Adding finely chopped red onion provides a nice sweetness to the tomato rice.
- Serrano Pepper. Use a serrano pepper, finely chopped, to add some heat. You can swap in a jalapeno pepper, or even leave it out all together if you don't want a spicy rice.
- Garlic. A bit of garlic cooked with the other vegetables provides a nice backbone of flavor for the tomato rice.
- Cumin. A bit of ground cumin adds a nice warm spice to this side dish.
- Olive Oil. Use regular or extra-virgin olive oil.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
This recipe comes together in about 20 minutes. Here is how to make tomato rice:
Start by cooking in a medium saucepan the bell pepper and onion in the olive oil. Then add garlic, serrano pepper, cumin and salt and cook until fragrant.
Add the rice and cook until slightly toasted then add the canned tomatoes and water. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, covered, until tender, about 15 minutes.
Remove from heat and leave the lid on to steam for 5 minutes.
Fluff the rice with a fork then top with torn cilantro leaves and lime wedges, if using.
Hint: You can make this recipe up to 1 hour before serving. Just leave it covered off the heat and fluff and garnish just before serving.
Substitutions
This recipe is very easy to tweak based on your dietary restrictions and preferences. Here are some suggestions:
- Brown Rice - You can make this recipe with long grain brown rice but I recommend adding a bit more water (about 1 cup total) and increasing to cook time to 35-40 minutes.
- Spicy - You can make this recipe spicier by including the seeds and white membrane in the serrano or jalapeno peppers, or adding a big pinch of cayenne pepper.
- Fresh Tomatoes - If you want to use fresh tomatoes instead of canned, use 2 medium tomatoes and dice them.
- More Spices - Add more spices like ground coriander, chili powder, onion powder or garlic powder, if desired.
Equipment
This recipe calls for a saucepan. You can use a 3-quart pan like this Cuisinart 3-Quart Saucepan with Lid. Or consider this Cuisinart 11-Piece Cookware Set.
Storage & Serving
This recipe will keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It makes about 4 cups, so that's enough for a side serving 4-5 people. It also works well for meal prep! And, it's easy to double the recipe if you want to make more rice.
Make a pot of rice on Sunday and portion it out among 5 storage containers and top with a protein like our Pulled Chicken in a Dutch Oven or our Perfect Seared Shrimp with Garlic and Herbs. Try serving the rice alongside our Mango and Corn Salsa or Easy Guacamole with Homemade Pico de Gallo.
FAQ
Mexican and Spanish Rice are similar as both are typically made with white rice and tomatoes and other vegetables and/or herbs. But, Mexican rice is softer while Spanish rice is more tender and typically includes saffron.
Tomato Rice (or Mexican Rice) is a perfect side dish for fajitas, tacos, black beans, pulled pork or other proteins.
More Sides
Looking for other sides like this? Try these:
Dinner Ideas
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Recipe
Easy Tomato Rice (Mexican Inspired)
- Total Time: 30 min.
- Yield: 4 cups 1x
Description
This simple recipe for Tomato Rice is inspired by classic Mexican rice, with warm spices, tomatoes and plenty of aromatics to make a delicious and quick side dish. This is the perfect recipe for taco night!
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 small red onion, finely chopped
- 1 small green bell pepper, finely chopped
- 1 serrano or jalapeno pepper, minced (seeds removed, if desired)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ tsp. table salt, plus more to taste
- ½ tsp. ground cumin
- 1 cup long grain white rice
- 1 (14.5 oz.) can fire roasted diced tomatoes or petite diced tomatoes
- ½ cup water
- cilantro and lime for serving
Instructions
- Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high. Add onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until slightly tender, 2-3 minutes. Add serrano or jalapeno pepper, garlic, salt and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add rice and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly toasted, about 1 minute.
- Add tomatoes and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, covered, until the rice is tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and leave covered for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and garnish with cilantro and lime wedges.
Notes
- Serve with our Sheet Pan Tofu Fajitas or our Baked Crispy Chicken Tacos.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- You can swap in fresh tomatoes for the canned tomatoes. Use 2 medium tomatoes and dice before adding to the rice.
- Prep Time: 5 min.
- Cook Time: 15 min.
- Category: Sides
- Method: Steaming
- Cuisine: American/Mexican
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