Description
Flavorful, tasty and fragrant, this deliciously easy gluten-free Mexican rice comes together in less than 45 minutes and makes a vibrant side to main dishes. Totally vegan too.
Ingredients
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- 2 medium-sized roma tomatoes
- 1/2 cup peas (fresh or frozen)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Rinse Rice: Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear. This helps remove excess starch from the rice and prevents it from becoming too sticky.
- Cook Carrots: Peel and finely dice the carrots. In a pot over medium-high heat, add the diced carrots and pour in enough water to cover the carrots. Cook for about 15 minutes or until they are tender, stirring occasionally. Once carrots are tender, remove pot from heat, drain the water and set carrots aside.
- Blend Tomatoes, Garlic, Onion and Broth: In a blender, combine the diced tomatoes, garlic, onion, and vegetable broth. Blend until smooth.
- Strain Blended Mixture: Strain the blended mixture through a fine mesh strainer to separate the liquid from any solids. This will give you a clear liquid.
- Sauté Rice: In a skillet, add a little bit of oil and the rinsed rice. Sauté the rice for a minute or two.
- Cook Rice with Liquid: Pour the strained red liquid over the rice. Cover the pot and let the rice cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes, allowing it to absorb the flavors from the sauce.
- Add Peas and Carrots: After approximately 15 minutes, add peas to the rice. Stir to combine. Keep the pot covered and let the rice and peas cook for an additional 5-10 minutes, allowing the peas to cook and the flavors to meld. Once the rice and peas are cooked to your desired consistency, add the previously cooked carrots to the pot. Stir everything together to evenly distribute the ingredients.
- Season Rice: Season the rice with black pepper and salt according to your taste preferences.
- Serve and Enjoy: Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve this tasty Mexican red rice hot.
Notes
Rice: Make sure to use long-grain white rice for this Mexican red rice recipe. It is very important to rinse the rice with water for a few times until the water runs clear to get rid of excess starch so the rice does not get too sticky once cooked.
Tomatoes: I used roma tomatoes, but you can also use regular red tomatoes if you prefer.
Peas: Fresh or frozen peas will work. I added peas for extra color, but if you don’t enjoy peas, feel free to leave them out.
Garlic: Fresh garlic is key for the beautiful flavor of this rice.
Onion: Either yellow or white onions will work here.
Black Pepper: For a little kick of heat, I’ve added freshly ground black pepper. Alternatively, you can also use ground paprika, ground Cayenne pepper or chili powder if you prefer.
Oil: I like using sunflower oil because I always have a bottle of sunflower oil on hand, but other vegetable oils will work too (such as canola oil, olive oil, avocado oil, etc.).
Vegetable Broth: For best results, use a low-sodium vegetable broth to be able to control the saltiness. If you are Celiac or gluten-intolerant, make sure to use a certified gluten-free vegetable broth.
Storing: To store, place the cooled rice in an airtight container and store for up to 5 days. Reheat the rice in a skillet or in the microwave for a few minutes before eating. To freeze, place the rice in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Let the rice thaw completely overnight in the refrigerator before reheating and serving.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 35 mins
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
