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    Home » Sides, Salads & Small Bites » Mexican Green Rice

    Mexican Green Rice

    January 12, 2021 / by Claire Cary / 2 Comments

    This post contains affiliate links. Read my full disclaimer here.

    JUMP TO RECIPE

    This Mexican Green Rice recipe is perfect for tacos, burritos, bowls and more! It’s incredibly easy to make, flavorful and can easily be made vegan.

    Two bowls with the green rice and forks on the side.

    You probably know this by now if you’re a regular around here, but I looooove Mexican food. The flavors are always amazing and most recipes are actually fairly simple to make with minimal ingredients.

    This green rice recipe is no exception. It requires just 10 simple ingredients, including salt, and is ready in under 30 minutes.

    I love to serve it in tacos, burritos or as a base for my nourish bowls. There’s so many options and it’s even freezer friendly!

    Ingredients for the rice in a food processor.

    How to make this recipe

    Add the chopped onion, cilantro, spinach, garlic, salt, lime juice, diced serrano peppers* and ½ cup worth of broth to a blender or food processor. Process until smooth.

    Heat the olive oil in a large pot or dutch oven. Add in the rice and toast for 2-3 minutes. This helps bring out lots of flavor.

    Add the cilantro mixture and the rest of the broth to the rice. Stir well, then bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Cover and let simmer on low heat for 15 minutes or until the rice is cooked.

    Remove from the heat and let sit, covered, to finish cooking for about 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and sprinkle on top extra chopped cilantro and red pepper flakes.

    Process of making the sauce in a food processor.

    Serving Suggestions

    I’m a huge rice fan, so I could very easily polish off a bowl of this green rice with nothing else no problem.

    However, I usually want something more substantial, in which case I’ll serve it with chicken, my chili lime salmon, or as the base for my cauliflower burrito bowl.

    Storage Tips

    This recipe makes a fairly big batch, about 6 cups of cooked rice since we’re starting with 2 cups of uncooked rice.

    That may seem like a lot, but it stores well in the freezer for up to 3 months so you don’t have to worry about wasting any.

    Final recipe in a white pot after cooking.

    Tips for fluffy rice

    Use the right ratio of rice to liquid. This will vary depending on the rice you use, but I find the best ratio for long grain white rice is about 1 cup of rice to 1 ¾ cup liquid.

    For this recipe you need 2 cups of rice, so 3 ½ cups of broth.

    Keep the heat on low with the lid on. You want the lid to remain on so the steam is trapped which helps cook the rice without adding too much extra liquid. Keeping the lid on the whole time will also ensure the rice cooks evenly.

    Don’t stir too frequently (if at all). Stirring rice is key when making things like risotto because you want it to get creamy, but when making regular rice, you want it fluffy, not creamy!

    Stirring too frequently will release more starches into the broth and can cause the rice to get mushy.

    Green rice in a small bowl tih lime wedges.

    You’ll also love…

    • Cilantro Lime Rice
    • Mexican Inspired Cauliflower Rice
    • Instant Pot Jasmine Rice

    Be sure to follow along on on instagram and subscribe to my email list for more recipes and updates. Leave a comment and rating below if you try this recipe and let us know how it turns out!

    Mexican Green Rice

    This Mexican Green Rice recipe is perfect for tacos, burritos, bowls and more! It's incredibly easy to make, flavorful and can easily be made vegan.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 20 minutes
    Servings: 6 servings
    Author: Claire Cary

    Ingredients
     

    US Customary – Metric
    • 2 cups white jasmine rice
    • 3 ½ cups chicken or vegetable broth* (see notes)
    • 3 tbsp olive oil
    • 1 ½ cups cilantro
    • 1 cup spinach
    • 1-2 serrano peppers*
    • ½ cup chopped white or yellow onion
    • 3 cloves garlic
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 2 tbsp lime juice

    Instructions

    • Add the chopped onion, cilantro, spinach, garlic, salt, lime juice, diced serrano peppers* and ½ cup worth of broth to a blender or food processor.
    • Process until smooth.
    • Heat the olive oil in a large pot or dutch oven. Add in the rice and toast for 2-3 minutes. This helps bring out lots of flavor.
    • Add the cilantro mixture and the rest of the broth to the rice. Stir well, then bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Cover and let simmer on low heat for 15 minutes or until the rice is cooked.
    • Remove from the heat and let sit, covered, to finish cooking for about 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and sprinkle on top extra chopped cilantro and red pepper flakes.

    Notes

    I usually use 1 serrano pepper with some seeds for mild spice. If you like more spice, then include all of the seeds or use an additional pepper. The seeds are the spicy part, so if you don’t like spice, just use one pepper with no seeds. 
    I used white jasmine rice, which calls for 3 ½ cups of liquid for 2 cups of uncooked rice. If you use a different rice, adjust the amount of broth you use. Brown rice will require a bit more. Just check the back of your package to ensure you use the right amount. The broth should just be covering the rice, otherwise it can get soggy.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cup | Calories: 263kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 7g | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g
    did you try this recipe?Mention @eatwithclarity or tag #eatwithclarity!
    Keyword: green rice, green rice recipe, mexican green rice

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kathy

      February 06, 2021 at 9:12 pm

      Can I cut corners and make this recipe with one-minute (microwaved) rice?

      Reply
      • Claire Cary

        February 06, 2021 at 10:01 pm

        unfortunately, that won’t work. If the rice is already cooked, you won’t be able to cook it in the herbs and spices which is what gives it the color and flavor!

        Reply

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