Traditional Mexican rice is a cornerstone of Mexican cuisine, and it’s easy to understand why: Nutty, tender rice is perfectly complemented by plenty of aromatic ingredients, and the dish has an appealing grassy spice from fresh chiles. The rice is usually fried until golden, which gives it its signature nutty flavor; tomatoes, onions, garlic, and chicken broth add complexity and savory flavors. But many versions we tried turned out soupy, oily, or one-note. We wanted a version with clean, balanced flavor and tender rice that wasn’t greasy or watery. Traditionally, the liquid component in this dish is a mix of chicken broth and pureed fresh tomatoes; we settled on equal parts of each for the most balanced flavor. For an appealing red color we added tomato paste, which, although nontraditional, boosted flavor as well. Rather than deep-frying the rice, as some recipes suggested, we sautéed it in a smaller amount of oil; cooking the rice until golden helped develop deep, toasty notes. Moving the Dutch oven from the stovetop to the even heat of the oven ensured that the rice cooked uniformly. A bit of fresh cilantro, jalapeño, and a squeeze of lime juice provided brightness and complemented the rich rice. To make this dish vegetarian, substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth.
Ingredients
- 2 tomatoes, cored and quartered
- 1 onion, chopped coarse
- 3 jalapeño chiles, stemmed and halved
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 2 cups long-grain white rice, rinsed
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- ½ cup minced fresh cilantro
- Lime wedges
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Process tomatoes and onion in food processor until smooth, about 15 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Measure out and reserve 2 cups tomato mixture; discard remaining mixture. Remove ribs and seeds from 2 jalapeños and discard; mince flesh and set aside. Mince remaining 1 jalapeño, including ribs and seeds; set aside.
- Place rice in fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water, swishing with your hands, until water runs clear. Drain thoroughly.
- Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add rice and cook, stirring frequently, until light golden and translucent, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add garlic and reserved seeded jalapeños and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1½ minutes. Stir in reserved tomato mixture, broth, tomato paste, and salt and bring to boil. Cover, transfer pot to oven, and bake until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, 30 to 35 minutes, stirring well after 15 minutes.
- Remove pot from oven and fold in cilantro, adding reserved jalapeño with seeds to taste. Serve with lime wedges.