Cilantro Lime Rice

This quick and easy Cilantro Lime Rice is just as good as Chipotle’s, with the convenience of making it at home. With just a few simple ingredients, you can have this flavorful side dish on the tables in no time at all.

Easy Cilantro Lime Rice

This quick and easy rice recipe is good with so many dishes. I like to serve it with tacos, blackened mahi mahi, or chicken fajitas. Or make your own super yummy burrito bowls with beef birria, black beans, Pico de Gallo, mango salsa, and guacamole.

Cilantro Lime Rice Ingredients

With just a handful of simple ingredients, this has become one of my go-to recipes. For this recipe, you will need long-grain rice, olive oil, minced garlic, kosher salt, lime zest, lime juice, and cilantro.

How to make Cilantro Lime Rice

1. Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. I do this in a colander in the sink with the faucet on sprinkle (for lack of a better word) for at least a few minutes. Let the rice drain for a bit, shaking it in the colander several times.
2. Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the rice and cook for about 1 minute, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the garlic, cooking for 30-60 seconds, stirring constantly.
3. Add the water and salt. Bring the pot to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 13-15 minutes. Check your rice package for cooking times as well, as cooking times for long-grain rice vary slightly.
4. Remove the pot from the heat. Keep covered and steam the rice for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Add the lime zest, lime juice, and chopped cilantro and stir with a fork. Season with additional salt to taste.

Recipe tips

• Use long-grain white rice like Basmati or Jasmine.
• Don’t skip rinsing the rice. Besides making sure it is nice and clean, it makes the rice less starchy. This makes the rice less sticky with kernels that separate instead of clumping.
• Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and turn to a fairly low simmer. Keep the pot covered, and do not peek.
• Don’t forget to remove the pot from the heat and let it steam, covered for about 10 minutes.

Storage and Reheat

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave at low power. Or reheat on the stovetop over low heat with a splash of lime juice or water.

What to serve with it

• Chicken Enchiladas
• Beef Enchilada Casserole
• Crock Pot Chicken Tacos
• Beef Birria
• Stuffed Poblano Peppers
• Ground Beef Tacos
• Cuban Picadillo
• Jamaican Jerk Chicken

Try these next

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Potato Leek Soup

Italian Wedding Soup

French Onion Dip

Lemon Pepper Chicken

Nebraskan Runza

Green Beans Almondine

Hamburger Stew

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus

Cilantro Lime Rice

This quick and easy copycat Cilantro Lime Rice is made with eight easy ingredients, and it is the perfect side dish with the fresh flavor of lime and cilantro. It is ideal for all your favorite Mexican and Cuban recipes.

5 from 15 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: side dish/other

Cuisine: Mexican

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 214kcal

Author: Beth Pierce

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups long grain or basmati rice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 3 cups water
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon lime zest
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

• Place the rice in a colander and rinse with cold for about 2 minutes or until the water runs clean. Leave the rice in the colander and let it drain, shaking it ever so often to remove more moisture.
• Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the rice and cook for about 1 minute, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the garlic, cooking for 30-60 seconds, stirring constantly.
• Add the water and salt. Bring the pot to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 13-15 minutes. Check your rice package for cooking times as well, as cooking times vary a little for long-grain rice.
• Remove the pot from the heat. Keep covered and steam the rice for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Add the lime zest, lime juice, and chopped cilantro and stir with a fork. Season with additional salt to taste.

Notes

• Use long-grain white rice like Basmati or Jasmine.
• Don’t skip rinsing the rice. Besides making sure it is nice and clean, it makes the rice less starchy. This makes the rice less sticky with kernels that separate instead of clumping.
• Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and turn to a fairly low simmer. Keep the pot covered, and do not peek.
• Don’t forget to remove the pot from the heat and let it steam, covered for about 10 minutes.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave.

Nutrition

Calories: 214kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 203mg | Potassium: 71mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 49IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 0.4mg

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