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    Home » Recipes » All recipes

    Mexican Inspired Brown Rice

    Published: Jan 28, 2019 . Modified: Oct 4, 2022 by Allie

    This website is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe
    Mexican brown rice with cilantro and a lime

    This healthy one-pot Mexican-inspired brown rice recipe is easy to put together, no chopping involved, and oil-free.  Just throw everything in a pot and cook covered, which makes it perfect for a weeknight meal.  It's not a traditional recipe, we're using salsa and cilantro to give the brown rice flavor.

    Mexican brown rice made with salsa

     The salsa I typically use wasn't very salty so I added ½ teaspoon of salt to the rice while it was cooking.  When the grains are done turn off the burner and steam the rice in the pot with the lid on for about 10 minutes.  For more flavor add chopped fresh cilantro to the rice before serving.

    If you're looking for more ideas on adding flavor to brown rice, try my cilantro lime brown rice recipe.

    Serving Suggestions

    • Burrito bowl
    • Vegan taco bowl
    • A side to oil-free refried beans
    • A side to refried bean taquitos
    • Add cooked beans and some veggies for a filling meal
    • Add beans and use them as a burrito filling
    • As a side to walnut lentil taco meat
    mexican inspired brown rice in a bowl with cilantro and a lime

    Brown Rice vs White Rice

    I started to transition my family to a healthier diet with little tweaks to our meals: like choosing brown rice over white rice.  Brown rice is a whole grain and it’s full of health benefits.  According to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, there are three parts to the whole grain: the bran, germ, and endosperm.  The bran is the outer layer, it’s full of fiber, b vitamins, iron, zinc, and magnesium. 

    The germ is the core, which is full of healthy fats, vitamin E, b vitamins, and antioxidants.  The endosperm is an inner layer of carbohydrates, protein, and some vitamins and minerals.  Refined grains (white rice) have the bran and germ removed, which makes them more shelf-stable.  After the grains have been processed, all that is left is the carbohydrate and significantly fewer nutrients.

    I hope you enjoy this easy one-pot Mexican-inspired brown rice recipe!

    More Brown Rice Recipes

    • Cilantro lime brown rice
    • Oil-free fried rice
    • Chickpea vegetable rice bowl
    Print
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    Mexican brown rice made with salsa

    Mexican Inspired Brown Rice


    ★★★★★

    5 from 2 reviews

    • Author: Allie
    • Total Time: 45 minutes
    • Yield: 4 savings 1x
    • Diet: Vegan
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    Easy and simple one-pot Mexican inspired brown rice.


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 1 cup uncooked brown rice
    • 1¾ cups water (plus a couple of extra tablespoons as needed)
    • ½ cup salsa
    • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
    • ½ teaspoon salt (optional)
    • fresh chopped cilantro

    Instructions

    1. Add the brown rice, water, salsa, cumin, and salt to a pot.
    2. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, and cook covered for 40 minutes or until the rice is done. If your salsa is very chunky you may need a couple of extra tablespoons of water.
    3. When the rice is cooked remove it from the heat and keep the lid on to steam for 10 minutes.  Then fluff the rice and garnish with fresh cilantro for more flavor.
    • Prep Time: 5 minutes
    • Cook Time: 40 minutes
    • Category: Main Course, Side Dish
    • Method: stovetop
    • Cuisine: Mexican

    Keywords: easy mexican brown rice, what to use brown rice for

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @threelittlechickpeasblog on Instagram and hashtag it #threelittlechickpeasblog

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kay

      May 05, 2020 at 4:45 pm

      Did you keep the lid on while you cooked it?

      Reply
      • Allie

        May 06, 2020 at 9:38 am

        Yes, I do keep the lid on. I'll update the recipe to reflect that.

        Reply
    2. sydney builder

      November 24, 2020 at 1:08 am

      Greetings! I've been reading your website for some time now and finally got
      the bravery to go ahead and give you a shout out from
      Houston Texas! Just wanted to tell you keep up the
      excellent job!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Allie

        November 27, 2020 at 3:16 pm

        Hi, it's great to hear from you and I hope you're enjoying the content. Thanks for leaving such a kind message!

        Reply
    3. Joan

      May 13, 2021 at 12:26 pm

      So easy and the cilantro adds a lot of flavor!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Allie

        May 13, 2021 at 12:30 pm

        I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe!

        Reply
    4. K Smith

      December 30, 2021 at 5:59 pm

      Can I make it in the rice cooker?

      Reply
      • Allie

        December 31, 2021 at 8:58 am

        I haven't tried making it in a rice cooker, but I believe the rice and water ratio are the same so it should work. 1 cup brown rice to 2 1/4 cup liquid

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Allie! I love cooking and I want to share my simple plant-based meals with you. Eating this way doesn't have to be complicated or expensive. Just simply delicious!

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