The Perfect Mexican Rice Recipe for Family Dinners

Hello everyone and welcome back to Meals by Mary. Now if your family is anything like mine, they deserve a meal that brings everyone to the table with that excited littlest part. And this rice, it is magic, fluffy, rich, packed with a flavor. So let's make a true family favorite, Mexican rice. We're starting with the veggies. You will need some onion, bell peppers, garlic, and carrot. You can also add some kidney beans, black beans, or a handful of corn I'm dicing 2 onions into small cubes. Now for this recipe, you will find all the ingredients listed in the description box, so don't forget to check them out. Then I'm cutting the bell peppers to about this same size. Keeping everything uniform helps the veggies cook evenly. I'm using green, red, yellow bell peppers for a mix of flavor and a nice pop of color. And if you're enjoying recipes like this one, don't forget to subscribe. There's plenty more coming your way. Now dice 1 carrot as well. And finally, prepare 4 cloves of garlic. I'll mash the garlic straight into the pot later so it melts right into the base of the dish. Now let's move to the stove. Add some vegetable oil in a pan over medium to high heat, along with a teaspoon of butter. Once it is hot and your butter has completely melted, add your mashed or finely chopped garlic. Now give it a gentle mix, then toss in the diced onion. When they turn fragrant, it is time for the spices. Mexican inspired dishes really shine because of their aroma. So we're adding salt, cumin, black pepper, paprika, chili flakes, and some Cajun seasoning. I'm adding the spices at this stage so they can toast in the oil and release all their flavor. Give everything a good mix until your spices are really mixed with the garlic and onion. Now it is time to bring the star of the show, 2 cups of long grain rice that I've already washed and drained. Gently add that to the pan and fold it in with all your veggies and spices. Just be careful not to mash the rice, we want each grain to stay separate and fluffy. Let the rice toast lightly for a minute or two, allowing it to soak up all the flavors of the onions, peppers, garlic, and all the spices. You will already start to smell that amazing aroma filling your kitchen. After 3 to 5 minutes, add all your diced veggies and mix them with the rice. If you're liking this video so far, please don't forget to give this video a thumbs up. Just look at that rice, look at the color from all the spices. This is how you know your rice is going to taste so good. Now add 1 cup of tomato puree, 2 teaspoons of ketchup, and mix them with the rest of your ingredients. At that point, we are almost done. Now, finally, it is time to cook the rice. Pour in just enough water to cover all the grains. For me, that is about 2 and a half cups of water. Give it a gentle stir to make sure everything is evenly distributed. Then cover the pan and let that cook over high heat until the water reduces. Once it does, uncover, fluff it up with a fork, cover it again, and let it continue cooking over medium heat. This allows it to absorb all those wonderful flavors from the veggies and spices, making it perfectly fluffy and packed with taste. In about 15 to 20 minutes, you will have a fragrant, colorful Mexican rice that is ready to serve straight from the pot. You can have this with some grilled chicken, grilled meat, grilled salmon, whatever your heart desires, and it's going to be a complete meal. I will garnish it with some scallions on top. I seriously cannot wait to dig in. And that is it, a colorful, flavorful Mexican rice that is perfect for the whole family. I hope you give this recipe a try and enjoy it as much as we do. I like to serve this Mexican rice with some fresh lemon and creamy avocado slices. It is my way to enjoy it. The tang of the lemon and the richness of avocado take this dish to the next level, making every bite bright, flavorful, and totally satisfying. If you like this video, don't forget to give it a thumbs up, leave a comment down below telling me what you would eat this rice with, and subscribe to Meals by Mary for more cozy, delicious meals every week. Thank you for watching Meals by Mary, and I'll see you in the next one. Buh-bye!