I created this recipe on Cinco de Mayo to serve with refried beans, fresh salsa and corn chips. Ok, and margaritas. The result was delicious goodness. This recipe is easy to throw together as a great side dish or main course.

Mexican Rice

1/4 cup of olive oil
1/4 cup of earth balance
2 cups of long grain rice, thoroughly rinsed until water runs clear
1 medium onion, diced
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 jalapeño, seeds and stems removed, minced
1/2 red pepper, diced
I 14.5 can of whole tomatoes, pureed or 1 14.5 can of diced tomatoes
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
3 1/2 cups of vegetable broth or water
1 tbsp of ground cumin
1 tbsp of sea salt


1. Heat earth balance and olive oil in a large heavy cast iron pot over medium high heat.
2. Add rice and stir constantly until it begins to brown.
3. Add onions and garlic and stir for 2-3 minutes.
4. Add jalapeño and red pepper and stir 2-3 minutes.
5. Add tomatoes and stir for 2-3 minutes.
6. Add water or broth, fresh cilantro, cumin and sea salt. Stir well, reduce heat to medium low and cover with a slight air escape. Do not stir rice again until all the water is absorbed (about 20-30 minutes).
7. Once water is absorbed, uncover, stir and cook 5 more minutes uncovered, until fluffy.


Note: You can add other ingredients to this recipe for a more complete meal such as corn kernels or cooked beans (I’m a fan of adding chick peas) right before adding the broth/water. You may want to adjust the seasonings to compensate for the new ingredients.

Serves 4-6
Prep Time: 10-15 minutes
Cooking Time: 30-40 Minutes