A quick and simple recipe of toasted long grain rice, green bell peppers, tomatoes, and onion. A sprinkling of sliced green olives and red chile powder livens up this Spanish style Green Rice Recipe.
Mexican Green Rice Recipe Versions
I’ve seen many recipes over the years for Mexican green rice where the rice actually appears green in color. A classic called Arroz Verde,
This technique referenced above, colors the rice green by the use of finely chopped cilantro and spinach which are pureed in a blender with chicken broth and then combined with cooked rice.
It’s a beautiful Mexican side dish that I want to try someday soon.
Not really a classic Mexican rice recipe, and not green at all, my green rice recipe instead combines green ingredients, bell pepper and green olives, with some tomatoes thrown in for a Spanish Rice flair.
We enjoyed this recipe at a restaurant years ago and I couldn’t wait to get home and make it in my own kitchen. It was billed as Mexican Toasted Green Rice on the menu.
When I inquired about the depth of flavor that the rice held, our server told me that the chef always toasts the rice before adding water.
On Toasting Rice, What Does It Do?
This recipe is made even more special with a deeper flavor layer by toasting the rice. This toasting step enhances the color, the flavor and coats the rice with fat to prevent the grains from sticking together.
It also adds a deep nutty flavor to the rice.
It doesn’t take long. Once your fat of choice, in this recipe I use butter, is hot, add the rice. Stir frequently until the rice is starting to brown and the aroma is present.
At that point, you can add aromatics, such as onion, shallot and garlic. Cook long enough to become tender before you add water. Then continue cooking the rice according to package instructions. Check it a few minutes before time, as toasting the rice may reduce the cooking time spent in the water.
This creates a highly flavored rice with separate fluffy grains. Do you toast your rice?
Culinary School Tip:
Rinse your rice before cooking. Rinsing rice removed any debris, and removed surface starch that will also cause rice to clump together or get gummy as it cooks. A simple colander works well to rinse rice.
Toasted Mexican Green Rice Recipe
The flavor of this toasted rice recipe is smooth and savory, rich and refined. With a briny bite from the green olives, and a the warm heat from New Mexico chile powder, and you’ve got an exciting Mexican side dish.
This recipe is so easy to make, you’ll find yourself preparing it over and over again. And it goes well with fish, tacos, kabobs, or even grilled chicken.
I hope you give this green rice recipe a try, and if you do, please come back and give the recipe a star rating. And if you have a favorite Mexican rice side dish, let me know, I’d love to give it a try.
More Mexican Side Dishes
- Roasted Poblanos Stuffed With Spicy Mashed Potatoes
- Mexican Macaroni and Cheese
- Mexican Corn Salad with Citrus Aioli
And if you ‘re looking for more side dish recipes, don’t miss my Side Dish Category. You’ll find lots of supporting actor recipes, including the most popular side dish recipe on my site for Broccoli Cheez Whiz Rice Casserole.
Toasting rice before adding water, brings a new depth of flavor. This Mexican Green Rice recipe is so easy you'll find yourself making it over and over.
- 2 Tablespoons Butter
- 3/4 Cup long-grain rice
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 green bell peppers seeded, membranes removed, and cut into planks
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 4 fresh tomatoes or one 14 1/2 ounce can chopped tomatoes, drained well
- 1 1/2 Cup chicken broth
- 2/3 cup pimento stuffed green olives sliced
- 1 teaspoon New Mexico Red Chile Powder for garnish. Or Ancho Chile Powder
Heat the butter in a heavy skillet and stir in the rice. Cook, stirring frequently until coated and starting to turn golden.
Add the onion, bell pepper, garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes. Add 1 1/2 cups of broth and cook rice according to package instructions. Add more broth if necessary and season with salt and pepper.
To cut the bell peppers into planks, cut off both ends of the pell pepper. Cut the bell pepper so it will lay flat. Clean it up by cutting out the large chunks of membrane. Cut the bell pepper horizontally and then slice the two pieces into bite sized planks. They should be about 1 1/2 inch tall and 1/4 inch wide.
If you’re serving this with my Shrimp and Mahi-Mahi Skewers with Jalapeno Butter, don’t forget to melt a little of that butter over this steamy hot rice.
Mexican Green Rice ..It’s What’s For a Side Dish
pam says
June 6, 2012 at 5:08 pmThis sounds good!
Lea Ann says
June 7, 2012 at 5:32 pmThanks Pam
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
June 6, 2012 at 6:19 pmThe rice sounds good. I’m impressed that you can draw a circle around it. I wouldn’t even know where to start. I don’t know if I would say that I toast my rice but I do coat it in olive oil for a minute or so before adding any liquid.
Cathy at Wives with Knives says
June 7, 2012 at 7:58 amThis looks so good, Lea Ann. Love sides like this that match up well with so many other things. I have a thing for those little pimento stuffed green olives…once I get started I can’t leave them alone. Making this recipe today.
Lea Ann says
June 7, 2012 at 5:33 pmI’m the same way Cathy. L-O-V-E those olives.
Stephanie@PlainChicken.com says
June 7, 2012 at 8:34 amLooks great. I love to make “southwestern” rice too. I would have to leave out the olives – Tadd isn’t an olive eater (unless they are stuffed with bleu cheese in a vodka martini).
Lea Ann says
June 7, 2012 at 5:33 pmWell heck Stephanie, maybe I’ll use those bleu cheese olives next time.
Cathy @ Noble Pig says
June 7, 2012 at 11:29 amI love the olives on top, never thought of putting them on rice!!
Lea Ann says
June 7, 2012 at 5:34 pmI didn’t either Cathy, until I had it at a restaurant. It’s really good.
Vickie says
June 7, 2012 at 3:22 pmThat dish sounds really flavorful with all the peppers, olives and onion! I am a HUGE rice fan. My MIL makes green rice with cilantro as you mentioned. (an entire bunch pureed in the rice water while it cooks. That rice is good and green, girl)
I don’t toast my rice because I use basmati and do it like the bag instructs. That method is foolproof fluffy, so I am afraid to change anything. 🙂
Lea Ann says
June 7, 2012 at 5:35 pmI’m not a rice expert, but I think basmati is a softer rice? I toast (or sautee) long grain. Toasting also makes Rose rice a mess. Don’t try that one. I think rice can be a bit fickle, I agree, if you find something that works, don’t mess with it. 🙂
Larry says
June 8, 2012 at 5:00 amI believe this dish could turn me into a rice fan as I like evrything you put in it, especially the olives. I’ve never toasted rice but it makes sense. Do you cook it long enough for it to begin to brown?
Lea Ann says
June 9, 2012 at 7:33 amYou’re not a rice fan? I don’t think it browns much, just gets all fragrant and coated and with the oil. Keeps it from getting sticky. I don’t know why I’ve never tried this with jalapeno. I think I found this recipe long before jalapeno’s were “in”. 🙂
Sam @ My Carolina Kitchen says
June 8, 2012 at 6:06 amWhen I first got married my husband always browned his rice first and we called it “Meakin’s rice.” For some reason I went back to my mother’s method of cooking rice (the same as you do pasta – in a lot of water.)
We will definitely try your green rice Lea Ann. It’s so pretty and colorful!
Sam
Lea Ann says
June 9, 2012 at 7:31 amI love how we name techniques or recipes after people. I do it all the time. If you try it, let me know what you think.
Karen says
June 8, 2012 at 2:59 pmI bet this was good with those shrimp. I love the stuffed olives 🙂 I do toast my rice, but I do it in a dry pan – no fats.
Lea Ann says
June 9, 2012 at 7:29 amI have dry toasted too Karen. Really brings out the flavor.
Rhonda says
June 9, 2012 at 9:52 pmI do toast my rice! I do a cheater version of green rice, i sub some of my liquid with green enchilada sauce (straight from the can). I need to plan some of this for this week I think.
Lea Ann says
June 10, 2012 at 2:15 pmI love that idea Rhonda. Next time rice is on the menu, I’ll try that canned sauce.
Susan says
June 10, 2012 at 9:40 amThis does sound like the perfect compliment to the shrimp and fish skewers! I love all the flavors you’ve added!
Lea Ann says
June 10, 2012 at 2:15 pmThanks Susan