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Beans & Sides

Mexican Red Rice With Tomato and Garlic

Comal at Home · Updated 2026-09-04 · 4 min read
Mexican Red Rice With Tomato and Garlic
In shortFor Mexican red rice, blend two Roma tomatoes with onion and garlic, then add water or unsalted broth until the mixture measures 2 cups total. Toast 1 cup of well-drained long-grain white rice in 2 tablespoons oil, add the tomato liquid, cover, and cook on low for 18 minutes. Rest covered for 10 minutes before fluffing. The recipe makes about 3 cups, or four side servings.
Contents

Build the tomato liquid before the pan gets hot

This arroz rojo uses long-grain white rice, fresh tomato, onion, and garlic. The recipe makes about 3 cups, enough for four side servings. Measuring the blended tomato mixture and cooking liquid together is the useful part: tomatoes differ in size and juiciness, but the rice still receives a consistent 2 cups of liquid.

Arroz rojo is made in many household and regional styles. Some versions include peas, carrots, chiles, or bouillon; others are nearly plain. This is one practical tomato-forward version, not a claim that every Mexican kitchen makes the dish the same way.

Ingredients

Put the tomatoes, onion, and garlic in a blender. Blend until smooth, then pour the puree into a 2-cup liquid measure. Add enough water or unsalted broth to reach exactly 2 cups. If using salted broth, omit the measured salt for now and season after cooking.

Rinse and drain the rice thoroughly

Rinse the rice in a fine-mesh sieve under cool running water until the water is much less cloudy, then shake off as much water as possible. Let it drain for at least 10 minutes. Wet rice can spit when it meets hot oil, so do not rush this step.

Rinsing is optional if the package directs otherwise. What matters is consistency: a thoroughly drained cup behaves differently from rice carrying an unmeasured amount of rinse water.

Toast until some grains turn pale gold

Heat the oil in a 2- to 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the well-drained rice carefully and stir to coat it. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until the grains look opaque and some are pale golden. Lower the heat if the rice darkens quickly.

Pour in the tomato mixture carefully because it may sputter. Add the optional vegetables and the salt, if using. Stir once, bring the liquid to a steady simmer, then immediately reduce the heat to low and cover with a tight-fitting lid.

Cook covered, then rest off the heat

Cook for 18 minutes without lifting the lid. Remove the covered pan from the heat and let it stand for 10 minutes. Open it, fluff gently with a fork, and check a grain from the center.

If the rice is still firm and the pan is dry, sprinkle 2 tablespoons of hot water over the surface, cover, and cook on low for another 3 minutes. Rest for 5 minutes before checking again. If a little liquid remains, cover and rest another 5 minutes off the heat rather than stirring the rice over high heat.

Taste before adding more salt. Serve with refried beans made from canned pintos and roasted tomato salsa, keeping the salsa separate so each person controls the heat.

Fix the texture by changing one variable next time

Mushy rice usually points to excess liquid, a lid that trapped more steam than expected, or rice that carried rinse water into the measured recipe. Confirm that the tomato puree and broth total 2 cups together; do not measure 2 cups of broth and then add puree on top.

Crunchy rice after the full cook and rest may mean the burner was too low, the lid leaked steam, or the pot was unusually wide. The small hot-water correction above finishes the center without flooding the whole pan. A scorched bottom means the heat was too high; move the pan to a smaller burner next time rather than scraping burnt grains into the serving bowl.

For a looser, saucier rice, use a recipe designed for that texture. Adding extra liquid to this one changes both the grain texture and the timing.

Use substitutions that preserve the measurement

Plain canned tomato puree can replace fresh tomatoes. Measure the puree first, then add water or broth until the combined amount reaches 2 cups. Avoid seasoned pasta sauce, which adds sugar, herbs, and salt that change the dish.

Frozen peas can go in with the cooking liquid. Fresh diced carrot should be cut into small pieces so it softens in the rice's cooking time. For noticeable chile heat, serve the rice with salsa rather than guessing how hot one whole chile will be. More adjustable options are in Salsas.

Brown rice is not a direct swap here. It generally needs a different liquid amount and longer cooking time, so follow a brown-rice recipe instead of extending this method by guesswork.

Cool leftover rice quickly

Do not leave cooked rice in the covered pan at room temperature. Divide leftovers into shallow containers so they cool faster. The UK Food Standards Agency's current rice guidance advises chilling cooked rice as quickly as possible, ideally within one hour, keeping it refrigerated no more than one day before reheating, reheating it only once, and making sure it is steaming hot throughout.

Freeze portions promptly if they will not be eaten within that window. Defrost them in the refrigerator and reheat until steaming hot throughout. Explore more measured accompaniments in Beans & Sides.

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FAQ

Is arroz rojo the same as Mexican rice?

Arroz rojo means red rice, and English-language menus and recipes often call a tomato-colored version Mexican rice. Neither label guarantees one fixed formula. Household and regional versions may include peas, carrots, chiles, bouillon, or different tomato preparations. Read the ingredients and method instead of treating either name as a universal standard.

Why did my Mexican rice turn mushy?

First check the liquid measurement: the tomato puree and broth should total 2 cups together, not 2 cups plus the puree. Rice that was not drained after rinsing also brings extra water into the pan. Keep the lid closed while cooking, rest before fluffing, and change only one variable on the next batch.

Do I have to rinse rice for arroz rojo?

No, particularly if the package gives a different direction. This recipe rinses the rice and then drains it for at least 10 minutes so the amount of clinging water stays small. If you skip rinsing, keep every other measurement the same and note the texture before changing the liquid in a later batch.

Can I make Mexican red rice with canned tomato puree?

Yes. Put the plain tomato puree in a liquid measure first, then add water or unsalted broth until the two reach 2 cups total. Do not use seasoned pasta sauce as an equal substitute; its salt, sugar, herbs, and thickness change the flavor and may change how the rice hydrates.

How do I fix crunchy Mexican rice?

If the rice has cooked and rested but the center is still firm, sprinkle 2 tablespoons of hot water over it. Cover and cook on low for 3 more minutes, then rest for 5 minutes before checking. If this happens repeatedly, inspect the lid for escaping steam and avoid an unusually wide pot.

How should I store and reheat leftover rice?

Divide rice into shallow containers and chill it quickly rather than leaving it in the covered pan. The UK Food Standards Agency advises cooling it ideally within one hour, refrigerating it no more than one day before reheating, reheating only once, and making sure it is steaming hot throughout. Freeze promptly for longer storage.