Mexican Restaurant Rice is a simple, no-frills, easy to make restaurant style Tex-Mex rice that makes a perfect side dish.
Mexican Restaurant Rice
By Sue Lau | Palatable Pastime
All this week I am hosting a blogging event with my favorite blogger friends so we can share our favorite recipes for Cinco de Mayo, Mexican and Tex-Mex with you.
Today I am starting things off with a simple, no-frills recipe for restaurant style Mexican rice. This is less involved than my recipe for Spanish rice, and this makes a simple, easy to make side for things already brimming with flavor.
To me, it is similar to a recipe I had seen about ten years ago that was called Chicano rice, that used a can of vegetable soup in it. This type of rice can also have a little bit of frozen corn or other simple veggies added the last few minutes of cooking, and indeed, in many restaurants, they serve their rice like that, so you can come up with your own variations.
Join me tomorrow as I share my recipe for Cheese Enchiladas Rojas. On Wednesday I’ll be doubling up with #FoodieExtravaganza for a salad theme with Taco Salad Boats with a dressing that for me throws back to my St. Louis days when we’d go out for lunch at Casa Gallardo (now there’s a blast from the past!). Thursday I’ll be doubling up with the #FilltheCookieJar group with my recipe for Mexican Chocolate Bizcochitos, and I will be finishing up #MexicanRecipes on Friday with my recipe for Pico de Gallo. Join me each and every day! Don’t forget to scroll down to the recipe linkup below. See ya’ tomorrow!
~Sue
Mexican Restaurant Rice
- 1 cup long grain rice
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 teaspoons dry minced onion
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon cumin seed
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 3/4 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons chicken base
- garnishes: finely diced tomato, finely diced onion, chopped fresh jalapeno, minced cilantro, lime wedges
Method:
- Heat butter in a saucepan and add the rice, minced onion, garlic, cumin seed, turmeric, salt and black pepper, cooking until fragrant.
- Stir in water, tomato paste and chicken base, stirring to mix.
- Bring rice to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
- Remove from heat and let rice sit undisturbed 5-10 minutes (with pan lid on).
- Fluff with a fork before serving, and add desired garnishes.
From the kitchen of palatablepastime.com

Happy #MexicanRecipes
Let’s have a fiesta of Cinco de Mayo inspired recipes all week long!
- Papusas de Queso from A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Mexican Restaurant Rice from Palatable Pastime
- Posole de Camarones (Shrimp and Hominy Stew) from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
- Enchiladas to Feed a Crowd from Tip Garden
- Mexican Street Corn Barley Salad from Cooking With Carlee
- Conchas (Mexican Sweet Bread) from Amy’s Cooking Adventures
- Avocado Paletas (Mexican Avocado Ice Pops) from Caroline’s Cooking
- Churro French Toast from Jolene’s Recipe Journal
- Beef Tacos from Books n’ Cooks
- Easy Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms, Mexican Style from Feeding Big
- One Pan Chicken Enchilada Rice Bake from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Mexican Strawberry Cheesecake Chimichangas from All that’s Jas
Check back each and every day for new recipes by following along with the hashtag #MexicanRecipes on social media.
This rice sounds yummy. Thanks for hosting this week, Sue.
One of my favorite foods is Mexican food. I spent many years living in the Southwest and swear I could eat Mexican food every day. I will have to try this wonderful rice recipe. Thanks for hosting #MexicanWeek
A classic, tasty side!
What a great side dish to go with all of these Mexican goodies! I love Mexican food and want to make EVERYTHING!!
so THAT’S how to do it!!!! Now I’ll have a secret recipe of my own! thank you very much!
This is a staple on any plate when I go for Mexican food, and I certainly haven’t perfected it. Thanks for sharing this version….can’t wait to try it!