Cilantro Lime Rice is an easy and delicious side dish that pairs perfectly with so many Mexican foods! It’s made with a short list of ingredients that make it perfect for weeknight meals. Better than Chipotle’s!
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Rice is a staple ingredient in many Mexican households. It’s the one side dish that can be served with anything and enriches the flavors instead of overpowering them. While most people typically choose authentic Mexican rice made with a red tomato broth, sometimes you may prefer something lighter, refreshing, or different.
That’s exactly where this Cilantro Lime Rice comes in. It’s light, refreshing, and easily goes with everything. The zesty lime and aromatic cilantro mix creates a savory taste that’ll make the whole family crave this dish.
Cilantro Lime Rice Ingredients
- Rice: Long-grain white rice gives you a fluffy and light texture. Make sure to rinse it under water to remove any extra starch.
- Broth: Using chicken or vegetable broth gives the rice even more flavor. If you don’t have any, water will work too.
- Oil: Olive, avocado, or your favorite vegetable oil works great for frying rice. You could also use butter for that delicious buttery flavor!
- Cilantro: A staple Mexican herb that adds brightness and freshness.
- Lime: Adding lime zest and lime juice gives a tangy citric flavor.
- Seasonings: I use kosher salt and garlic cloves to add a savory taste.
How to Make Cilantro Lime Rice
- Rinse and toast: Rinse the rice under running water until the water runs clear, then saute it in hot oil until the rice begins to lightly brown and gets toasted.
- Add garlic, broth, and salt: Saute garlic for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Then, pour in broth, salt, and stir to combine.
- Cook: Bring the rice to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes until the rice is cooked through and all the water has been absorbed. Then uncover and remove the pan from the heat.
- Add cilantro and lime: Add cilantro, lime zest, and lime juice to cooked rice. Gently fluff it to incorporate the ingredients and serve.
Serving Suggestions
Looking for ways to pair your Cilantro Lime Rice? Here are some good options:
Storage
To store, place the leftover rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
More Mexican Recipes
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (or butter)
- 1 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed and drained
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 cups broth (or water)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- 1 lime, zested and juiced
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a medium saucepan or pot over medium heat. Add the rice and sauté for 1 minute, stirring frequently, until the rice turns from transparent to white in color.
- Add in the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
- Pour in the broth and the salt. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 15 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and fluff the rice with a fork.
- Gently stir in the cilantro, lime zest, and lime juice. Taste and season with more salt if necessary.
Isabel’s Tips:
- Broth: Chicken or vegetable broth are both great options.
- Storage: Leftover rice can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Nutrition Information
I love the sound of all of your recipes I can’t wait to make them but unfortunately I don’t have a stove right now is there a way that you can tell me how to make these recipes using just a microwave, toaster oven or an air fryer maybe ?
Hi Anna! We have several recipes for air fryer and some salads or salsas that dont require a stove if you wanted to check those out!
Quick and easy. Nice rice dish. I sautéed the rice & garlic in a skillet then transferred it to my rice cooker – yes, one more utensil to wash but the results we worth it. Thank you, Isabel.
Thank you so much Charles!
This is soooo good.
Isobel – do you have favorite rice?
My go too every time! Easy to make and so good. 😋
Absolutely delicious! Great cilantro and lime flavor! First taste was a mmmmmmm! So good! Frying the rice first made it so fluffy! Who knew? What would I do without Isabel?
What is the best way to reheat cilantro lime rice?
Hi Deb! You can add a splash of water and reheat in the microwave.
I have made this cilantro lime rice recipe a few times. We absolutely love it. We make burrito bowls with this and Isabel’s pork carnitas recipe. We have a lot of company at the cabin, and Isabel’s recipes are my go to.
Italian parsley is a fine substitute for the cilantro (something ate all our cilantro in the garden last night). Excellent recipe.
I have always been horrible with making white rice and this recipe is so easy, delicious and definitely different than the normal white or red rice! I am adding this to my everyday meals for sure! Thank you so much for making your recipes so easy to follow!
Made this for the past few days, yum!! Thank you for the recipe. I’ll be making other dishes using your other recipes tomorrow. It’s Mexican week! :))
I’ve been looking for easy ways to spice up classic, but boring sides and this is the perfect recipe! I can’t wait to try this out and be able to feel like I’m eating Chipotle whenever I want!