Restaurant Style Mexican Rice (2024)

FAQs

Why does Mexican restaurant rice taste better? ›

Restaurant style Mexican rice is savory, tender and a little spicy, it's addictive. But how do you get that flavor and color that they get in the restaurant? Two secret ingredients: a can of Rotel tomatoes with chilies, and a packet of sazon seasoning!

The most popular type of rice used in Mexico is a medium long grain rice. Two types are cultivated in Mexico, Sinaloa (long grain) and Morelos (short grain). Rice is served as a food, in and of itself, in Mexican meals.

One of the main differences between these two rice dishes is that Mexican rice is fluffier and tends not to stick together. Whilst Spanish Rice is known for that rich yellow color, Mexican Rice is best known for its reddish orange hue that it gets from being cooked with cumin.

Did you ever wonder why Mexican rice is a red-orange color? Cumin is the answer. It provides that nutty and spicy taste and is the famous culprit for the red-orange color. Cumin is always an ingredient in this rice.

Use Stock Instead of Water

“Instead of water, use either vegetable or chicken stock. Homemade is ideal, but plenty of premade boxed stocks exist for convenience. Add stock to the hot pan with vegetables and toasted rice.” He explains that toasting the rice first adds a layer of nutty flavor and creates more depth.

When you add the rice to the oil, toast it really well! This extra step takes a few minutes, but it adds really great flavor to the rice. The trick to get that great color and flavor: Tomato bullion cubes add great flavor, and they're what makes the rice turn that perfect orange color that you're looking for.

The extra long grain rice contains less starch and cooks to a dryer, fluffier texture. Jasmine rice is a little too starchy, and basmati rice has an aroma that is not authentic to Mexican rice. Toast the rice in oil.

Mexican rice is one of the healthiest ways to eat rice! The tomato adds so many antioxidants. And you get more fiber, vitamins and minerals by cooking your rice with a variety of vegetables like you do in Mexican rice. This just goes to show how healthy our food traditions are!

Around here, all you need to know is that we use long-grain white rice. We have always been committed to preparing real food made with real ingredients. You know, the kind you can recognize and pronounce. In fact, we've listed every single one of them right here.

The method used to make Mexican rice involves lightly frying the uncooked rice in oil which helps it absorb more flavor from the seasoning and cook to a perfect consistency. In addition, a traditional blend of spices and diced vegetables and potatoes create unique flavor.

What is the two major flavor combination in Mexican cuisine? ›

Oregano and cumin offer the signature Mexican flavor and add a fresh, earthy taste to your meals. Mexican oregano is a unique spice, different from the typical European and Mediterranean oregano (Origanum Vulgare) found in most shelves and Italian recipes.

It has been theorized that the name "Spanish rice" was given because Mexicans speak Spanish and make this rice dish, thus causing the language of the country to be incorporated into the name. Other names associated with this dish are "arroz mexicano" (Mexican rice) and "arroz a la mexicana" (Mexican-style rice).

Rice comes into play because it absorbs moisture even faster than salt. You're familiar with the lifesaver of putting your water-damaged phone in a bag of uncooked rice? It's the same concept. By adding just a few grains of rice to your salt shaker, restaurants can guarantee that your salt will pour with ease.

It is known that Mexican dishes always involve herbs and spices that make them very tasty. Think about Chili con Carne. This dish uses a lot of ingredients like garlic, onion, pepper, and tomatoes. So with the combination of these spices, you can expect the resulting food to taste and smell so good.

Mexican rice is one of the healthiest ways to eat rice! The tomato adds so many antioxidants. And you get more fiber, vitamins and minerals by cooking your rice with a variety of vegetables like you do in Mexican rice. This just goes to show how healthy our food traditions are!

Takeout rice is prepped for optimal texture

First, it is important to remove any impurities like sand or husks. Additionally, rinsing gets rid of the extra starch, which is what causes grains to stick together during the frying process.