This Easy Homemade Mexican Rice, or Spanish Rice, with its bold Mexican flavors, will make your taste buds do a salsa dance, which makes it a perfect side dish for your Mexican dinner.

I love bold flavors but don’t want to spend hours slaving over the stove. I want the recipe to be simple, quick and easy. That’s why I love this Mexican Rice recipe. It is fast, easy and flavorful!
My Mexican Rice recipe is probably more similar to Pioneer Woman’s Mexican Rice recipe than an authentic Mexican Rice recipe. However, if you are looking for a lower carb version, then you may want to try my Mexican Cauliflower Rice recipe.
Table of Contents
Probably it is more accurate to say that it is similar to a Tex-Mex restaurant-style Mexican Rice. Instead of adding tomato sauce, tomato paste or tomato bullion, I use red salsa and a can of diced tomatoes and chilies, like Rotel. This gives it a bolder, spicier flavor to match the other flavors of Tex-Mex style foods.
Usually, you will see enchiladas, chicken fajitas, Chicken Empanadas, or other Mexican main dishes served with sides of Mexican Rice and beans. Then the meal would be topped off with Mexican Rice Pudding or another Mexican dessert.
This Easy Homemade Mexican Rice is made with Ro*Tel diced tomatoes and chilies and red salsa instead of tomato sauce.
What is The Difference Between Mexican Rice and Spanish Rice?
Both Spanish rice and Mexican Rice are very similar in that they both have onions and garlic. However, Spanish rice uses saffron and Mexican rice uses cumin. That is the biggest difference.
However, even though technically they are different, here in Texas, Spanish Rice and Mexican Rice often mean the same thing, which is the rice at the local Mexican restaurant.

How To Make Mexican Rice?
Equipment Required
- A good quality sauté pan. You need a good quality, nonstick sauté pan that is large and deep.
- Wooden Spoon. This is a standard kitchen essential and is necessary for this recipe, as well as many others. You will find that you use it all the time.
- Serving Bowl. This classic white serving bowl is perfect for any occasion and any food, from pasta, to salad to rice.
Ingredients Required
To make Mexican Rice you will need the following ingredients, which are shown in the photo below as step 1.
Long Grain White Rice. I use long-grain white rice, and every local restaurant I have seen also uses white rice. You can use brown rice. However, you will need to increase the broth by a half cup. Also, the taste is nuttier and the texture of brown rice is different.
Onion. I use a white onion but you could use a yellow onion, sweet onion, or Vidalia onion.
Jalapenos. This is totally optional based on how spicy you like your rice. If you don’t want it spicy at all then leave the jalapenos out. Otherwise, you can add one, two, or three jalapenos depending on how spicy you want it. Also, leaving the seeds in makes the jalapenos spicier. So if you want to reduce the spicy heat level, remove the seeds from the jalapeno(s) before adding them to the rice. For myself, I used 1 jalapeno and removed the seeds.
Garlic. I used about a tablespoon of minced garlic, which would be equal to about 3 cloves of garlic.
Red Salsa. This is what makes this Mexican Rice different than most standard recipes. Instead of tomato sauce or tomato paste, I use salsa. Like the Jalapenos, you can adjust the amount of salsa as well as the spice level. This ingredient probably has the biggest impact on how spicy the Mexican rice will be, so choose your salsa carefully. I used a medium level heat the last time I made it and it gave the rice a pretty good kick. The next time I make it, I will probably use mild salsa. Whether you use mild, medium or hot, it is up to you which one to use depending on how spicy you want your rice to be.
Diced Tomatoes and Chilies. I always have a can of diced tomatoes and chilies, like Rotel, in the pantry. If you can’t find it, then use a can of diced tomatoes and a small can of green chilies, and you are good. Another option would be to increase the amount of jalapeno’s and skip the green chilies. Again, these are options you have depending on availability near you.
Chicken or vegetable broth. I like to use a low-sodium chicken broth for extra flavor. However, if you want to make it vegetarian or vegan, you can use vegetable broth or water instead.
Cumin. This spice gives the Mexican Rice that Mexican flavor. If you don’t have it, you can use taco seasoning instead. If you use the taco seasoning, I recommend eliminating the salt because both the chicken broth and taco seasoning already have quite a bit of salt.
Oil, Salt, and Pepper. You can use vegetable oil, olive oil, canola oil, avocado oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. See my notes above for the cumin regarding adjusting the amount of salt.

Step By Step Instructions.
The photo above shows the step by step images of how to make Mexican Rice.
Step 2. In a large pot or dutch oven over medium-low heat, add oil, chopped onions, and jalapenos. Cook until softened. Then add minced garlic and cook for one minute.
Step 3. Add the uncooked long-grain white rice to the pan and brown the rice with the onions for about 5 minutes.
Step 4. Add the diced tomatoes and chilies.
Step 5. Add the salsa and chicken broth, cumin, salt and pepper.
Step 6. Bring the rice to a boil and then lower the heat to low heat, cover, and let the rice simmer for 20 minutes. The rice will absorb the broth while it cooks.
Step 7. Remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork. Transfer the rice to a serving dish. Enjoy!
What To Serve with Mexican Rice
Beef Tips And Rice – While not Mexican Food, I love serving Beef Tips And Rice with this Mexican Rice recipe instead of regular rice to give it even more flavor.
Ground Beef Tacos – Easy and tasty ground beef tacos for a delicious Mexican food dinner.
Picadillo Con Papas – A hearty meat and potatoes Mexican or Tex Mex main dish.
Easy Enchiladas Suizas – Creamy, cheesy, and slightly spicy, these white chicken enchiladas are made with sour cream, mozzarella cheese, salsa verde, chicken, and corn tortillas, and are out-of-this-world delicious!
Cheese Enchiladas with a Red Chipotle Sauce – Enchiladas Rojas de Queso, or Cheese Enchiladas with a Red Chipotle Sauce, have a delicious, robust spicy flavor.
Mexican Street Corn Salad – is deconstructed Elote or Mexican Street Corn, a popular Mexican street food, served in a bowl, instead of as corn on the cob, and covered with a fantastic chili lime cream sauce and cotija cheese.
Cheese Enchiladas with Red Sauce – by Grumpy’s Honeybunch -are made with flour tortillas dipped in a homemade enchilada sauce, filled with cheese, then rolled up and topped with more sauce and cheese!
Easy Taco Pie – by Life Tastes Good -is an easy and budget-friendly recipe perfect for even the busiest nights of the week! Refried beans and seasoned ground beef sandwiched between 2 large flour tortillas is topped with shredded cheese and fresh vegetables to create a Mexican inspired dish the whole family will love!
Fry Bread Tacos by Love Bakes Good Cakes -easy recipe for Fry Bread Tacos (aka Navajo Tacos). Quick and simple bread dough is quickly fried and then topped with your favorite taco toppings!
Shrimp Tacos – by Pinch and Swirl – lightly charred corn tortillas cradle tender shrimp with a crisp salt and pepper crust, topped with crunchy cabbage and radish slaw then finished with creamy spicy shrimp taco sauce and a scattering of fresh cilantro.
Instant Pot Red Chile Pork Tamales – by Cooking with Curls – Make Instant Pot Red Chile Pork Tamales in the easiest way possible while still staying true to the original recipes that have been handed down for generations.
Make this Mexican rice recipe and be sure to come back and leave a comment as to how you like them.
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Recipe
Easy Homemade Mexican Rice (or Spanish Rice)
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons oil
- 2 cups long grain white rice
- 1/2 onion , chopped
- 1 jalapeno , seeded and diced
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 (10-ounce can) diced tomatoes and chilies (with liquid)
- 1 cup (8-ounces) red salsa
- 2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot or dutch oven over medium-low heat, add oil, chopped onions, and jalapenos. Cook until softened. Then add minced garlic and cook for one minute.
- Add the uncooked long-grain white rice to the pan and brown the rice with the onions for about 5 minutes.
- Add the diced tomatoes and chilies.
- Add the salsa, chicken broth, cumin, salt and pepper.
- Bring the rice to a boil and then lower the heat to low heat, cover, and let the rice simmer for 20 minutes. The rice will absorb the broth while it cooks.
- Remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork. Transfer the rice to a serving dish. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Recipe Tips
- To save time, heat the Pot and oil while you prep ingredients.
- Put your pot or dutch oven on the stove and heat it to medium low heat. When hot, add the oil and let it eat.
- Finish prepping your ingredients while the oil heats.
- Chopping Onions. I recommend chopping the onions very small. You could even say dice the onions.
- Ensure oil is hot. When you add the diced onions, the oil in the pan should be hot. Don’t add the onions until the pan and oil are hot.
- Soften, not brown Onions. Then cook the onions for about 5 minutes. The goal is to soften the onions, not to brown or caramelize the onions. So that does not take as long.
- The Type of Rice Matters. I used a grocery store generic long grain white rice. If you change the type of rice, for example use short grain white, brown or wild rice, it can change the cook time, and the amount of water needed, etc., and you will need to adjust accordingly. Read the label on the rice for instructions for your type of rice, and follow those for the best results.
- DO NOT DRAIN THE ROTEL! I know every other recipe that uses Ro*Tel calls for draining it, but not this recipe. We want to include the liquid in the Ro*tel in this rice recipe. If you do drain the Ro*Tel, then add another 10 ounces of water or broth.
- Cover the Pot. Don’t forget to cover the pot. If you leave it uncovered, liquid will evaporate more quickly, and could cause the rice to be too dry.
Anna says
I made this a few weeks ago and it was delicious! Had some kick to it because of the salsa but it was very flavorful! I’m going to make this recipe again for a dinner party and I need to triple it. Would I need to adjust the cooking time?
Michele says
Hi Anna, you may need to increase the time by about 5 or 10 minutes if you make it all in one pan. If you make it in more than one pan, then you may not have to increase the time.
Anna says
Thank you! I’ll add the time! I’m making it tonight! Great recipe!!!
Lisa Spears Tenpenny says
I made this and added taco sauce in place of salsa and just water instead of broth and my son the big eater could not get enough of this flavoured colourful rice..thank you for the recipe
Michele says
Hi Lisa,
Thank you for sharing this. I’m so glad your son loved it.
Be sure to check out our other recipes, such as Crockpot Chicken Tacos, Enchiladas Suizas, and Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars. I’m also working on developing more taco recipes. So be sure to sign up for email subscriptions so you will be notified when new recipes come out.
Thanks,
Michele
Kari says
When do you add the cumin? It’s listed in the ingredients, but not in the steps.
Michele says
Hi Kari, Thank you for your question. I added the cumin, salt, and pepper, to step 4 at the same time as the salsa and chicken broth.
Ashley says
I made this tonight for dinner and it was so good! I’ve never made spanish rice before but this recipe is easy. Thank you!
Michele says
I’m so happy you liked it! That’s great. Be sure to check out our other recipes on Flavor Mosaic as we have over 500 recipes and share with friends. Here is a link to my other Mexican recipes. https://flavormosaic.com/category/recipe-index/cuisine/mexican/
Darla Wende says
Hi! Hope you and your family had a wonderful Christmas. I have a question that I need information on. We are having our Christmas with my parents and siblings tomorrow. We are having Mexican and I want to make this Spanish rice. We will have about 16 adults. Will I need to triple this recipe?? Please let me know I am just now trying to find a good recipe and get the ingredients. This looks wonderful.
Michele says
Hi Darla, I love Mexican Food. I think that is a great idea to have Mexican food for Christmas. The recipe as written serves 8. So you would need to double the recipe. If you think they all will eat a lot of rice, even with all the other food, then you could triple the recipe. I hope that helps.
Merry Christmas,
Michele
Sherri says
Made this recipe yesterday, a day before I was serving it at our church Luncheon! This rice was better than any Mexican restaurants rice. The flavors are amazing. It warmed up nicely and was a beautiful dish to add to our taco bar for our luncheon! Will be making many time over now! Thank you so much for sharing!!!
Michele says
Hi Sherri,
Thank you so much for the kind words. I’m so happy you liked it!
Michele
Allyssa says
Thank you so much for sharing this amazing rice recipe! Will surely have this again! It’s really easy to make and it tasted so delicious! Highly recommended!
Clong says
I have tried 2 Mexican rice recipes and i knew i had to make a third try and that was yours. I didn’t have the red salsa on hand but otherwise followed the recipe to a T and this was the best i’ve ever tasted. Better than the resto variety and could even eat it as stand alone. Thank you so much for your generosity will be my go-to Mexican rice.
Michele says
Hi,
Thanks for the kind comment. I’m so glad you liked the recipe. That’s wonderful. Be sure to check out other recipes to go with it, such as Tex-Mex Enchiladas with chili gravy and Instant Pot Refried Beans.
Michele
Cindy McDow says
This made a lot of rice enough for several meals for 4. Next time will reduce by half on rice and liquids. It was good but not as flavorful as it smelled cooking, it was good but kinda on blan side.
Michele says
Hi Cindy,
Thanks for visiting and making this Mexican rice recipe. Yes, it makes a lot, as stated in the recipe card, it makes 8 servings. If you need to reduce the number of servings, it can be modified. For example, if you want the servings reduced to 4, all you have to do is move the slider bar next to the word “Servings” to the left to 4. I’m sorry you didn’t find this flavorful as you would have preferred. However, it is easy to add additional spice if you like but you can’t take it away if you added too much. Let me know if you have any other questions.
Thanks,
Michele
Cindy says
Thanks, i had the rice again next day and flavor was way better. So i stand corrected…i made again yesterday and added a little chili powder and dash of chile lime seasoning and it spiced it up quite nice. I will be making it again and again. Sorry folks my first review was wrong this is very good. Can’t wait for my next family Mexican Fiesta Ole.
KennyD says
This is a solid recipe. I made it in a large deep sided skillet rather than a dutch oven or pot. I may have boiled the rice a bit too long before turning the heat down and covering because the rice was a little mushy, but everyone loved it.
This feeds a crowd, I would say more than 8 if just side portions. Hard to halve this for just me and my wife, it would leave a half can of the tomatoes. We dont eat a lot of rice anyway as we are generally low carbers, but this was a splurge to feed a crowd.
I added way more seasonings than this recipe, and could have added even more, but thats my complaint about most Mexican rice in restaurants…almost no flavor.
Valerie says
This was a really yummy recipe. I didn’t use the jalapeño because I didn’t have any. Also, the diced tomatoes and green chilies were a little spicy so next time, I will use the mild version because my husband doesn’t like spicy food. But this turned out perfect! So much flavor.
Thanks for sharing!
DEB SOOY says
This was a really easy dish for me, I don’t make rice very often, but I needed to take a dish to a fall chili party and wanted to stay with the theme. Everyone loved the rice! Tomorrow I am making it again for a taco themed birthday, and I hope it is recieved as well as the last party. Thank you for such an easy, satisfying side dish!!
Lorraine Keleman says
WOW! This was an easy and flavor packed recipe. I used Sofrito in lieu of salsa and it was crazy good…definitely will be making this again.
Michele says
Hi Lorraine,
I’m so glad you liked it. Sofrito is a great substitution. Good idea. Thanks for the nice comment.
Michele
Carla says
Hello
I am making this recipe today and serving it tomorrow. Would you recommend reheating it in a crockpot, warming in Microwave then keep warm in crockpot, or skip crockpot and just use microwave. soft want to ruin the rice before I even get to serve it.having a cinco de Mayo part and not sure everyone will be eating at the same time.
Michele says
Hi Carla,
My recommendation is to reheat it in the microwave, and then you could keep it warm in the slow cooker. However, Add about 2 tablespoons of water or broth for each cup of rice before reheating in the microwave.
Thanks,
Michele
Lynn says
When we were growing up, our mother served Spanish rice often we loved it and then I just sort of lost track of it until a few weeks ago I became interested in the Mexican spices and the idea of re-creating something my mother did. What a wonderful and tasty recipe and thank you so much, I will make it the night before to serve the next day since I’ve read quite a few reviews that mention that idea