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This Rice Cooker Mexican Rice comes out light and fluffy with a mild, savory flavor that goes with just about anything. The grains stay separate instead of getting gummy or clumping together, and the rice cooker takes care of the cooking.
Why I Pulled Out My Rice Cooker Again
A friend called me because she normally makes our Mexican Rice in the Instant Pot, but she was out of town and needed to know how to make it in a regular rice cooker. I hadn’t used my rice cooker in years, so I dusted it off and gave it a try. The first batch wasn’t quite right, so I made a few adjustments and tried again. After just two tries, I think I perfected Mexican Rice in a rice cooker.
It was actually super easy, and the rice turned out so good. I may need to keep my rice cooker a little more handy now, especially when I only need a small batch. I think I actually like it better for that than dragging out my big ol’ Instant Pot. I can’t wait for you to try it and see how easy it is!
🩷 Erica
Ingredients
- Long-grain white rice – I usually use jasmine rice. It cooks up light and fluffy and works really well in the rice cooker.
- Avocado oil – I’ve been using avocado oil for just about everything lately, and it works great for this rice. Vegetable oil works well too.
- Onion and garlic – Finely dice the onion and mince the garlic so they cook evenly with the rice.
- Seasonings – Salt, ground cumin, and chili powder give the rice a mild Mexican-style flavor without overpowering it.
- Tomato sauce – Adds the tomato flavor and color without making the rice too heavy or saucy.
- Chicken broth – I like using chicken broth instead of water because it gives it more flavor but you can just add water if it’s what you have on hand.
- Fresh cilantro – I always use fresh cilantro. It gives it the best flavor.
How to Make Mexican Rice in a Rice Cooker
- Add the rice, oil, onion, garlic, salt, cumin, chili powder, tomato sauce, and chicken broth to the rice cooker. Stir well so everything is evenly distributed.
- Close the lid and cook on the regular White Rice setting. Let the rice cooker run through the full cooking cycle.
- When the rice cooker switches to warm, leave the lid closed and let the rice rest for 10 minutes. This extra rest gives the rice time to finish steaming before you fluff it. When finished, gently fluff the rice with a rice paddle or fork.
- Stir in the fresh cilantro while continuing to fluff the rice. Fluffing it gently helps keep the grains separate instead of mashing them together.
More Easy Mexican Side Dishes
Rice Cooker Mexican Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- 1 tablespoon vegetable or avocado oil
- 3 tablespoons yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Add the rice, oil, onion, garlic, salt, cumin, chili powder, tomato sauce, and chicken broth directly to the rice cooker.
- Stir everything together so the rice and seasonings are evenly distributed.
- Close the lid and cook using the regular White Rice setting.
- When the rice cooker switches to warm, leave the lid closed and let the rice rest for about 10 minutes.
- Fluff the rice gently with a rice paddle or fork, then stir in the chopped cilantro and serve.
Equipment
- Rice Cooker
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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