Mexican red rice (arroz rojo)
Fluffy long grain rice fried until golden then cooked in a blended tomato, onion and garlic broth.
Make this once, then cook it into 67 different dishes.
- Time50 min
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £0.47 a head
- Makesabout 850 g of cooked red rice, enough for 2 dishes for 4 people
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Rinse the rice in a sieve under cold water until the water runs nearly clear. Cover with warm water for 10 minutes, then drain very well and shake dry.
10 min - 2
Blend the tomatoes, onion, garlic and 100 ml of the stock until smooth. You need about 350 ml of puree. Top up with a little stock or water if short.
- 3
Heat the oil in a wide, heavy pan with a lid over a medium heat. Add the drained rice and fry, stirring, for 5 to 6 minutes until pale golden and toasty.
6 min - 4
Pour in the puree (it will sizzle) and cook for 2 minutes, stirring, until it darkens and is mostly absorbed.
2 min - 5
Add the rest of the hot stock (300 ml), the salt and the peas if using. Stir once and bring to the boil.
- 6
Cover tightly, turn the heat to its lowest and cook for 15 minutes without lifting the lid.
15 min - 7
Take off the heat and leave covered for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork. Taste and adjust the salt. Cool leftovers within 1 hour.
10 min
About mexican red rice (arroz rojo)
Mexican red rice, or arroz rojo, is long grain rice fried until pale golden and then cooked in a blended mix of tomato, onion, garlic and stock until fluffy, orange-red and separate. In Mexico it is the classic sopa seca, the dry soup course, served with beans, meat or eggs.
It tastes savoury, gently tomatoey and toasty, never wet or sticky. The two things that make it work are rinsing the rice well to remove surface starch, and frying it in oil until it just starts to colour, which keeps the grains separate and adds a nutty flavour.
Serve it with refried beans, tacos, grilled chicken, enchiladas or fried eggs. Add peas and diced carrot if you like. Cool leftovers quickly, since cooked rice can grow bacteria that survive reheating, and only reheat it once.
Tips
- Rinse the rice until the water runs nearly clear, then drain it very well. Wet rice steams instead of frying and turns sticky.
- Fry the rice until it turns pale golden and you hear it rattle in the pan. This toasts the grains so they stay separate.
- Measure liquid precisely: for 300 g of rice use about 650 ml of liquid in total, including the blended tomato mix. Add the stock hot and do not stir after it comes to the boil.
- Keep the lid on tightly and do not lift it. Steam does the work, and resting off the heat for 10 minutes lets the rice finish.
- Stir in 80 g of frozen peas and 1 diced carrot with the stock for a classic Mexican version.
- If the rice is still hard when the liquid is gone, add 3 tbsp hot water, cover and cook 5 minutes more.
Storing and freezing
Cool within 1 hour: spread the rice on a tray, then refrigerate and eat within 1 day. Freeze flat in portions for up to 1 month. Reheat only once, until steaming hot all the way through. Never leave it at room temperature.
Dishes you can make with mexican red rice (arroz rojo)
Camarones en Salsa Verde (Prawns in Green Salsa)
GFDFEFChiles Rellenos de Queso en Salsa Verde (Cheese Stuffed Poblanos)
NFVBistec a la Mexicana (Mexican-Style Steak with Tomato and Chilli)
DFEFNFPollo en Salsa de Chile de Árbol (Chicken in Arbol Chilli Sauce)
GFDFEFAlbóndigas Rancheras (Meatballs in Ranchera Sauce)
GFNFPollo en Crema de Chipotle (Creamy Chipotle Chicken)
GFNFAlbondigas al Chipotle (Meatballs in Smoky Chipotle Sauce)
GFNFPollo Asado Sinaloense con Arroz Rojo (Citrus Roast Chicken with Red Rice)
GFDFEFPescado Tikin Xic (Yucatecan Achiote Grilled Fish)
DFEFNFAlbóndigas en Chile Rojo con Arroz Rojo (Meatballs in Red Chilli Sauce)
GFNFCamarones en Salsa Roja con Arroz Rojo (Prawns in Red Chilli Sauce)
GFDFEFMuslos de Pollo en Mole con Arroz Rojo (Mole Chicken Thighs with Red Rice)
GFDFEFQuestions
How do I make Mexican rice fluffy and not sticky?
Rinse the rice until the water runs clear, drain it very well, fry it in oil until pale golden, then cook it covered over the lowest heat with the right amount of liquid and do not stir. Rest 10 minutes before fluffing.
Can I use basmati or other rice?
Long grain white rice works best. Basmati works if rinsed well, but needs slightly less liquid, about 600 ml for 300 g. Avoid risotto or pudding rice, which turn sticky.
Is it vegan and gluten free?
Yes, with gluten free vegetable stock labelled vegan. The rice, tomato, onion, garlic and oil are naturally vegan, dairy free, egg free, nut free and gluten free. Always check the stock label.
Is it safe to reheat rice?
Yes, if you cool it within 1 hour, keep it in the fridge, eat it within 1 day, and reheat it only once until steaming hot all the way through. Never leave cooked rice at room temperature.
Why is my red rice orange and not red?
It comes from tomato, so the colour depends on how ripe they are. Add 1 tbsp of tomato puree to the blender for deeper colour, and fry the puree for a minute before adding the stock.
More base recipes
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.