Description
Restaurant-style Mexican rice made with roasted Roma tomatoes, toasted jasmine rice, garlic, onion, and cilantro for a flavorful authentic side dish that tastes like your favorite restaurant version.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 ounces Roma tomatoes (2 medium)
- 1/4 medium bunch fresh cilantro (enough sprigs for 1/2 cup)
- 1 1/2 cups water, divided
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1/3 cup coarsely chopped yellow onion
- 2 cloves garlic, divided
- 1 teaspoon tomato paste
- 1/2 teaspoon vegetable or chicken bouillon paste
- 1 cup jasmine rice
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
Instructions
- Heat a comal, griddle, or large nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the Roma tomatoes and cook, turning every 3 to 5 minutes, until browned or blackened in spots and the skins begin to split, about 15 minutes total.
- Transfer the tomatoes to a blender and let cool for about 5 minutes.
- Add 1/4 cup of the water, 1 tablespoon olive oil, onion, 1 peeled garlic clove, tomato paste, and bouillon paste to the blender. Blend until smooth.
- Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the jasmine rice and cook, stirring frequently, until some grains turn opaque and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat. Carefully pour in the tomato mixture and stir to combine.
- Add the cilantro sprigs, remaining 1 1/4 cups water, remaining peeled garlic clove, and kosher salt. Stir to combine and bring to a boil over high heat.
- Cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes.
- Uncover and use a fork to stir the tomato sauce on top into the rice and fluff it. Remove the cilantro stems and garlic clove if desired.
- Taste and season with more kosher salt as needed. Let cool for about 10 minutes, fluff again, and serve.
Notes
- The tomato mixture can be made up to 5 days ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container.
- Store leftover rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- This recipe makes scant 4 cups and serves 4.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 263
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 728
- Fat: 11
- Saturated Fat: 1.6
- Unsaturated Fat: 8.7
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 38
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 4
- Cholesterol: 0