Mexican White Rice Recipe (Arroz Blanco)

This delicious easy-to-make Mexican white rice recipe is jam-packed with vegetables and comes together in under 20 minutes. You will love this perfect side dish to any main entrée.

One of the most common dishes to serve this Mexican white rice with is Camarones a la Diabla and with a side of fresh homemade corn tortillas.

Mexican White Rice

Mexican white rice, also known as Arroz Blanco or Arroz primavera, is a simple side dish consisting of cooked white rice with vegetables in chicken or vegetable stock. This dish is a great alternative to Mexican Rice and requires a lot less work to make.   

Feel free to pair this classic side dish up with any Mexican main dish as it is light in flavor and can easily complement just about everything.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Rice – Any long-grain white rice will work.
• Vegetables – I like the combinations of corn, peas, and carrots, but feel free to also add in green beans.
• Stock – Chicken stock helps to keep the rice nice and white, but you can use vegetable stock.
• Lime – Fresh lime juice will add some much-needed clean acid to the rice.
• Onion – Use a finely grated yellow, white, or sweet onion for this recipe.
• Garlic – A few cloves will help add some great flavor to the rice
• Oil – I prefer to use olive oil, but you can use any neutral flavored oil or butter.

How to Make Mexican White Rice

Follow these step-by-step procedures and images to make this Mexican white rice:

Rinse the rice under cold water and set it aside in a colander.

Cook the onions in olive oil over low heat in a medium-size saucepot just until translucent and tender, which takes about 5 to 6 minutes.

Stir in the minced garlic and cook just until fragrant while constantly stirring, which takes about a minute.

Add in the drained rice and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until it starts to become transparent while constantly stirring.

Pour in the chicken stock and add in the vegetables and stir to combine.

Place a lid over top and cook at low heat for 15 minutes or until the rice is cooked and the liquid is absorbed.

Season with salt, lime juice, and cilantro, and fork the rice to combine everything. Serve.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Make-Ahead: This is meant to be served when it is done cooking, but you can keep a lid on it and keep it warm for up to 30 minutes before serving.

How to Store: Cover and keep it in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days. You can freeze this Mexican white rice for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator before reheating.

How to Reheat: Add the desired amount of rice to a medium-size frying pan along with 2 to 3 tablespoons of chicken stock or water and cook over low to medium heat while occasionally stirring until hot.

chef notes + tips

• The optional additions to this recipe are the lime juice and cilantro, but they both add great flavors to this.
• If stock is not available then you can substitute with water.

More Side Dish Recipes

• Truffle Fries
• Spaetzle
• Brussels Sprouts
• Glazed Carrots
• Lyonnaise Potatoes

Be sure to follow me on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest, and if you’ve had a chance to make this then definitely drop me a comment and a rating below.

SaveSaved

Mexican White Rice Recipe (Arroz Blanco)

Share

Print

5 from 4 votes

This delicious easy-to-make Mexican white rice recipe is jam packed with vegetables and comes together in under 20 minutes.

Servings: 8

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Ingredients 

US CustomaryMetric

• 2 cups long grain rice
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 peeled and finely grated yellow onion
• 2 finely minced garlic cloves
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 peeled and medium diced carrot
• 1 trimmed ear of corn
• ½ cup peas
• Juice of ½ lime
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
• Salt to taste

Instructions

• Add the rice to a colander and rinse under cold water and set aside to drain.
• Add the oil to a medium size pot over low heat and cook the onions for 5 to 6 minutes while occasionally stirring, or until they become translucent and tender.
• Stir in the garlic just until fragrant, which takes about 1 minute.
• Pour in the drained rice and stir constantly making sure it does not stick for 3 to 4 minutes or until it starts to become slightly transparent.
• Pour in the chicken stock and add in the carrot, corn, and peas and mix until combined.
• Place a lid on the pot and cook over low heat for 15 minutes or until the rice is cooked and all the liquid has been absorbed.
• Season with the lime juice, cilantro, and salt and use a fork to mix in the ingredients and fluff the rice. Serve.

Notes

Make-Ahead: This is meant to be served when it is done cooking, but you can keep a lid on it and keep it warm for up to 30 minutes before serving.

How to Store: Cover and keep it in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days. You can freeze this Mexican white rice for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator before reheating.

How to Reheat: Add the desired amount of rice to a medium-size frying pan along with 2 to 3 tablespoons of chicken stock or water and cook over low to medium heat while occasionally stirring until hot.

The optional additions to this recipe are the lime juice and cilantro, but they both add great flavors to this.

If stock is not available then you can substitute with water.

Nutrition

Calories: 265kcalCarbohydrates: 44gProtein: 6gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 138mgPotassium: 218mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 1350IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 25mgIron: 1mg

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Mexican

Author: Chef Billy Parisi