This simple Mexican rice for tacos is fluffy, flavorful, and naturally plant-based. It goes with everything from tacos to burrito bowls. Cooked in a seasoned tomato base using simple pantry ingredients.
Also check out my vegan Mexican rice with vegetables or this cilantro lime rice. Use this simple Mexican rice in these bean and rice tacos.
A Quick Look: Simple Mexican Rice for Tacos
- 📝 Recipe Name: Simple Mexican Rice for Tacos
- 🕒 Total Time: 40 minutes
- 👥 Servings: 8
- 🎯Key Ingredients: long-grain rice, tomatoes, vegan bouillon, garlic powder
- 🌱 Dietary Info: vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, oil-free option
- ✨ Best For: tacos, bowls, meal prep, simple sides
- 💕 Why You’ll Love It: simple ingredients, no chopping, hands-off cooking, fluffy texture, consistent results
Jump to:
- A Quick Look: Simple Mexican Rice for Tacos
- Why This Recipe Works
- Ingredients & Substitutions
- How to Make Simple Mexican Rice for Tacos
- Tested Tips for Perfect Mexican Rice
- Want to Make This Oil-Free?
- Serving Suggestions
- Make It Your Way
- Storage & Meal Prep
- Mexican Rice for Tacos FAQs
- Build Your Taco Plate
- 📖 Recipe
- Simple Mexican Rice For Tacos
- 💬 Comments
My kids have been raised on plant-based Mexican food. 20+ years of cultural immersion will do that. Some form of Mexican rice is always on the table. We make it constantly.
This is my favorite Mexican rice for tacos because it stays light and fluffy without getting soggy, and practically made for this vegan refried beans recipe. I also serve it alongside vegan taquitos and tacos con papa. It’s simple, dependable, and tastes just like the kind you’d get at a restaurant.
If you’re looking for a go-to, this is the one. And once the lid goes on, you’re done. Everything is blended, there’s no extra prep, and the rice cooks undisturbed, no stirring, no checking, just fluffy, flavorful rice every time.
I also serve this easy homemade rice with smothered bean and rice burritos, which pairs especially well with tatemada salsa or this creamy jalapeño sauce.
Why This Recipe Works
- It’s simple on purpose. This recipe uses a handful of pantry ingredients, which keeps the flavor classic and makes it easy to make anytime.
- The texture is perfect for tacos. The rice cooks up fluffy and separate. Not too wet, so it pairs perfectly with taco fillings without getting soggy.
- Everything blends together. The tomato, onion, and garlic are blended, so there’s no chopping and the flavor is evenly distributed throughout the rice.
- Infused flavor without chunks. Using larger pieces of onion and carrot gives you that slow-cooked flavor without ending up with a chunky texture.
- No rinsing (on purpose). Skipping the rinse keeps a bit of surface starch on the rice, which helps it cook up light but slightly cohesive. Perfect for tacos when you want the rice to hold together without becoming sticky.
This plant-based Mexican rice recipe pairs perfectly with salsa pico de gallo, fresh guacamole recipe, and quick pickled jalapenos.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here’s what you’ll need to make this simple Mexican rice recipe:
- Long-grain white rice (jasmine or basmati work best)
- Plum tomatoes or roma
- Onion, white or yellow work
- Vegan bouillon cubes
- Carrot for sweetness, or you can omit
Note: This recipe uses large pieces of onion and carrot to infuse the rice with flavor, then removes them at the end for a clean, fluffy finish.
Use this Mexican rice for tacos with my refried canned black beans recipe or pinto beans, and drizzle with cashew sour cream, vegan lime crema, or creamy chipotle sauce. So good!
How to Make Simple Mexican Rice for Tacos
This simple Mexican rice recipe is classic. Toast, simmer, and rest for the best texture. No added vegetables, just onion and carrot for flavor, removed at the end for a light, fluffy finish.
- Step 1: Toast the rice in oil until lightly golden.
- Step 2: Add the blended mixture, bouillon, seasonings, remaining onion, and carrot.
- Step 3: Bring to a boil, cover, and cook 17 minutes. Rest 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and remove the onion and carrot.
Tested Tips for Perfect Mexican Rice
These small steps are what take this from good rice to that fluffy, restaurant-style texture.
- Toast the rice first. This builds flavor and helps the grains stay separate. Stir frequently and keep an eye on it, it can burn quickly.
- I've made oil-free mexican rice many times. The texture will be a bit different but still delicious. Just watch the rice closely while toasting so it doesn’t burn.
- Don’t lift the lid once it's on (really, no peeking!). Mexican rice cooks with trapped steam, and opening the lid can affect texture.
- Don't over-stir. Once the liquid is added, stir just once to combine. Over-stirring can break the grains and make the rice mushy.
- Let it rest. The final 10 minutes finishes the steaming process.
This rice pairs well with creamy dairy free horchata and this naturally-sweetened aguas frescas recipe.
Want to Make This Oil-Free?
You can skip the oil entirely. Instead of sautéing the rice in oil, toast it briefly in a dry pan, stirring frequently so it doesn’t burn. Then continue with the recipe as written. The texture will be slightly lighter, but still fluffy and flavorful, and works just as well for tacos.
Serving Suggestions
This Mexican rice for tacos works best when you build a simple plate around it. Something hearty, fresh, and saucy.
- Use as the base for tacos, bowls, or pair with vegan layered dip or vegan bean dip.
- Drizzle this simple avocado salsa recipe or vegan nachos sauce over rice and beans for quick lunches or easy dinners with lots of flavor.
- Salsas pair perfectly with simple Mexican rice. Try pairing it with molcajete salsa or creamy tomatillo salsa.
- Pair this easy homemade Mexican rice with pinto or black beans, lime-drenched shredded cabbage + salt, chopped tomatoes, and avocado slices layered inside warm corn tortillas. I’ll also swap in brown rice in rice cooker when I want to change it up.
Make It Your Way
- Add heat. A pinch of cayenne or a spoonful of salsa chile de árbol gives the rice some kick.
- Add brightness: Finish with lime juice
- Make it a rice bowl: Mexican rice, beans, cabbage, lime, roasted tomato salsa, and avocado.
- Pair with pinto bean salad with corn or cowboy caviar salsa.
For something simple but filling, I'll use this quick and easy Mexican rice as the base for bowls, like my crispy tofu rice bowl with veggies and a chipotle sauce.
Storage & Meal Prep
- Refrigerate: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days
- Reheat: Add a splash of water and warm gently
- Meal Prep: This rice reheats well and keeps its texture, making it perfect for taco bowls and quick lunches. For more ideas, browse through my list of vegan Mexican recipes or check out my roundup of vegan Mexican meal prep recipes.
Mexican Rice for Tacos FAQs
Long-grain white rice, like jasmine or basmati, works best for tacos. It cooks up light and separate, so it holds its texture well alongside fillings without becoming sticky or heavy.
Mexican rice gets its flavor from toasting the rice and cooking it in a blended tomato base with garlic, onion, and bouillon. This combination creates a savory, rich flavor that’s characteristic of arroz rojo.
Mexican rice usually turns mushy when there’s too much liquid, the lid is lifted during cooking, or the rice is stirred too much. Using the right water ratio and letting the rice rest after cooking helps keep the grains light and separate.
To get that restaurant-style flavor, cook the rice in a smooth tomato mixture with garlic, onion, and bouillon. Letting it simmer undisturbed and rest at the end gives it that fluffy texture and deep, balanced flavor.
Yes. Taco rice is typically just Mexican rice served with taco-style meals. Mexican rice (arroz rojo) is made by toasting rice and cooking it in a tomato-based broth with seasonings. This version keeps that classic method, with a slightly lighter, fluffier texture that works especially well for tacos.
Build Your Taco Plate
More Mexican recipes to complete your taco plate:
Did you try this recipe? Let me know what you thought by leaving a comment below and sharing it on Instagram, Facebook, & Pinterest! 💛
📖 Recipe
Simple Mexican Rice For Tacos
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Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil, high-heat oil like avocado
- 3 ¾ cup water
- 2 medium plum, Roma tomatoes
- 1 onion, cut in half
- 1 clove garlic, peeled
- 2 cups long-grain white rice, unrinsed
- 2 vegan bouillon cubes
- ½ carrot, cut into 3 pieces
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
Instructions
- Add the water, tomatoes, half the onion, and garlic to a blender. Blend until smooth and set aside.
- Heat oil in a medium saucepan with a tight-fitting lid over medium heat.
- Add the unrinsed rice and toast, stirring frequently, until lightly golden and fragrant (about 3–5 minutes). Be careful not to burn it.
- Carefully pour in the blended tomato mixture (watch for splattering). Add the bouillon cubes, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, remaining onion, and carrot. Gently stir once or twice to bring everything together.
- Bring to a boil and then cover tightly (No peeking or stirring after this point). Reduce heat to a low simmering boil (medium-low) for 17 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and let the rice sit, covered for 10 minutes.
- Remove the onion and carrot, and fluff gently with a fork.
- Top with fresh cilantro, diced green onions, diced tomatoes, or avocado for added texture.
Video
Notes
- No rinsing (on purpose): Leaving a bit of surface starch helps the rice stay light but slightly cohesive—perfect for tacos.
- If you prefer to rinse your rice feel free to do so, just let it dry before toasting.
- Oil free. The texture will be a bit different but still delicious. Just watch the rice closely while toasting so it doesn’t burn.
- Vegetable infusion: Onion and carrot add flavor as the rice cooks, then are removed for a clean, fluffy finish.
- Watch while toasting: Stir frequently and don’t walk away—the rice can burn quickly.
- No peeking: Once covered, leave it alone. Lifting the lid releases steam and affects texture.
- Let it rest: The final 10 minutes helps the rice finish steaming and stay fluffy.
Nutrition
Julie Gaeta is a plant-based recipe creator, certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, and mom of nine who's been plant-based for over 20 years. She's cooked approximately 4,382 pots of beans and can't vacation without her juicer and pasta pot. Her work has been featured in HuffPost, Yahoo, YourTango, and other major outlets. She helps others simplify wellness and feel good again through her blog, coaching, and weekly newsletter.
Julie Gaeta says
I make this rice all the time. It's simple, fluffy, and always turns out right. Perfect for tacos, but good with just about anything. 😊