Arroz Rojo - Mexican Red Rice

Arroz Rojo, also known as Mexican red rice, is a classic Mexican side dish.  Serve alongside your favorite meat, chicken, or vegetarian Mexican dish.  

When I first made arroz rojo, I was a little worried that it would taste too similar to Israeli red rice that I wouldn’t be able to share it with you.  Boy was I wrong.

They taste nothing like.  This rice is a little spicy. However, if you leave out the chile, it won’t be.  

Also unlike Israeli red rice, this recipe calls for pureed tomatoes instead of tomato paste and the onions are pureed with them instead of chopped.

Now, I admit that I could be wrong, but there seem to be two types of Mexican red rice.  Arroz rojo and arroz Mexicano.

When I looked up recipes in Spanish for this rice, they were all pretty much the same and very simple.  Tomatoes, onion, garlic, and some added the chili while others left it out.

Then I came across arroz Mexicano, or in English, Mexican rice.  

These recipes seemed pretty much the same with one exception.  They also called for peas and carrots. Or would that be two exceptions?

I would have thought that they were possibly different variations of red rice except for two things.  

The first reason was that most, if not all, recipes I saw for Mexican rice included peas and carrots.

The other reason was that they were often listed as separated recipes on the same site under different names.  

HOW TO STORE RICE

Transfer the cooled, cooked rice into an airtight storage container or a resealable plastic bag.  Make sure to remove as much air from the bag as possible before sealing it. 

Store in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.

HOW TO FREEZE RICE

Transfer the cooled, cooked rice into a resealable freezer bag, making sure to remove as much air from the bag as possible before sealing. 

Store for up to 6 months.  After that, it is still safe to eat, but the quality begins to degrade.

REHEATING RICE

FROM THE FRIDGE

When reheating, place the rice in a pot, sprinkle a teaspoon of water over the top to help loosen stuck, dried grains, then place. 

Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly to keep the grains moving, but be careful not to mash them.

FROM FREEZER

Frozen grains can be added directly to hot dishes like stir-fries.  If you’re planning on eating it on its own, follow the steps above.

Recipe Tip:

If you have leftover restaurant style salsa, you can use that instead of making the sauce.

However, I wouldn't recommend using the very spicy version, since this rice is mildly spicy, if at all.