This smoky vegan Mexican Red Rice, Arroz Rojo, is so flavorful you might want to make it a meal by itself!
This sumptuous Mexican Red Rice is wonderful in burritos, bowls and tacos. The rice is perfectly cooked, smoky with roasted tomatoes and Mexican oregano, and all round delicious. All you need to make it are a handful of pantry staples. A vegan, soy-free, nut-free and gluten-free recipe.
Mexico is one of my favorite countries to visit and eat in. Contrary to what one might believe after eating at Mexican restaurants here in the United States and elsewhere, vegetarian and vegan food is actually quite easy to come by in Mexico and at the very least one can make a delicious meal with sides of beans, rice and veggies.
My rice-loving family always makes a beeline for rice dishes and two of my go-to Mexican foods have, for long, been Arroz Verde, Mexican Green Rice, and Arroz Rojo, a delicious red rice that gets its color from tomatoes.
There are perhaps as many recipes of Mexican Red Rice as there are cooks, and this recipe is one I've developed for maximum flavor after years of tasting various versions of it that I liked but didn't love.
If you know anything about cooking rice, you know there is nothing quite as awful as rice that's mushy when it shouldn't be. In this recipe I make sure that the grains cook up perfectly but remain separate. There is also so much umami here from roasted tomatoes and a dash of tomato paste. Mexican oregano adds an additional layer of smoky, native flavor.
This red rice is so flavorful, in fact, that you can even eat it plain! Although piling on some other flavorful Mexican sides doesn't hurt at all.
Why you'll love this Mexican red rice
- It's easy to make. I roast the tomatoes for the best flavor but you can skip that step by using canned fire-roasted tomatoes. I do recommend using fresh tomatoes, however, for the best taste. Apart from that there is almost no prep work required for this Mexican rice recipe.
- It's so tasty. The rice is perfectly cooked and the roasted tomatoes, garlic, tomato paste and Mexican oregano add so much amazing flavor.
- It's versatile. You can eat this rice by itself or with any side of beans, especially refried beans. Or fold it into a taco or burrito.
- It's everyone friendly. This is a gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free and vegan recipe, so anyone can eat it.
Ingredients
- 4 medium tomatoes
- 2 tablepoons extra virgin olive oil. Or use any vegetable oil that's unflavored.
- 2 teaspoons Mexican oregano.
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 4 cloves garlic (unpeeled)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon paprika. You can skip the paprika and add a serrano chile pepper instead for a spicier Spanish rice. Blend the serrano with the tomatoes.
- 2 cups long grain rice (like basmati)
- 4 cups vegetable stock or water
- 2 tablespoon cilantro
How to make Mexican Red Rice
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit/230 degrees Celsius.
- Cut the tomatoes in half, then place them, cut side up, on a baking tray with a rim to catch any juices that overflow. I line the baking pan with aluminum foil for easy cleanup but you don't have to.
- Sprinkle a teaspoon of the Mexican oregano followed by the salt and ground black pepper to taste. Drizzle on a tablespoon of olive oil.
- Wrap the garlic cloves in a piece of aluminum foil and drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Ball up the foil and place in the baking tray with the tomatoes.
- Place the baking tray in the oven and roast 25-30 minutes or until the tops have black spots and the tomatoes look really soft.
- Let the tomatoes and garlic cool enough so you can handle, then place the tomatoes and peeled garlic in a blender. Process into a coarse puree--don't add any water.
- Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Add the tomato puree and cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until most of the liquid has evaporated.
- Add the Mexican oregano followed by the tomato paste. Mix well. Stir in the rice.
- Cook for a couple of minutes until the rice grains look a little opaque. Add paprika and four cups water or vegetable stock. Mix well.
- Bring to a boil and let the rice cook, uncovered, over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until a good deal of the water has been absorbed but there is still some moisture left in the pot.
- Give the rice one final stir. Check for salt and add more if needed at this time.
- Lower the heat to the lowest setting on your stove, so the rice just simmers. Cover with a tight lid, and let the rice cook, undisturbed, for 20 minutes. Don't peek.
- Turn off the heat after 20 minutes and let the rice stand, undisturbed, for 10 more minutes.
- Uncover, fluff up the rice grains with a fork, garnish with cilantro, and serve hot.
The names are used interchangeably in the United States, but Spanish red rice, from Spain, is more of a golden-hued rice with saffron adding color instead of tomatoes.
I wrote about this in a bit more detail in my vegan Mexican Black Bean Casserole post, but in a nutshell, Mexican oregano is quite distinct from regular (or Mediterranean) oregano with a unique, citrusy flavor. If you wish to substitute it in this or other recipes that call for Mexican oregano, use marjoram instead.
Some versions of the red rice include vegetables like carrots and peas. If you want to use these, add the carrots with the tomato puree and the peas after you've added the rice and vegetable stock to the pot. Bell peppers would work great here too.
The rice stores nicely in the fridge for up to four days. For longer storage you can freeze in an air-tight, freezer-safe container for up to three months.
Any Mexican bean dish goes very nicely with this rice, including my Cheezy Vegan Mexican Black Bean Casserole and Vegan Refried Beans.
Serve topped with guacamole and a mango black bean salsa.
More vegan Mexican recipes you might enjoy
Mexican Red Rice
Equipment
- Saute pan with lid
Ingredients
- 4 medium tomatoes (cut each in half)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons Mexican oregano
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 4 cloves garlic (unpeeled)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon paprika (You can skip the paprika and add a serrano chile pepper instead for a spicier Spanish rice. Blend the serrano with the tomatoes).
- 2 cups long grain rice (like jasmine rice or basmati)
- 4 cups vegetable stock (or water)
- 2 tablespoons cilantro (chopped)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit/230 degrees Celsius.
- Cut the tomatoes in half, then place them, cut side up, on a baking tray with a rim to catch any juices that overflow. I line the baking pan with aluminum foil for easy cleanup.
- Sprinkle a teaspoon of the Mexican oregano followed by the salt and ground black pepper to taste. Drizzle on a tablespoon of olive oil.
- Wrap the garlic cloves in a piece of aluminum foil and drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Ball up the foil and place in the baking tray with the tomatoes.
- Place the baking tray in the oven and roast 25-30 minutes or until the tops have black spots and the tomatoes look really soft.
- Let the tomatoes and garlic cool enough so you can handle, then place the tomatoes and peeled garlic in a blender. Process into a coarse puree--don't add any water.
- Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Add the tomato puree and cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until most of the liquid has evaporated.
- Add the Mexican oregano followed by the tomato paste. Mix well.
- Stir in the rice. Cook for a couple of minutes until the rice grains look a little opaque. Stir in paprika and four cups water or vegetable stock. Mix well.
- Let the rice cook, uncovered, over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until a good deal of the water has been absorbed but there is still some moisture left in the pot.
- Give the rice one final stir. Check for salt and add more if needed at this time.
- Lower the heat to the lowest setting on your stove, cover the rice with a tight lid, and let it cook, undisturbed, for 20 minutes. Don't peek.
- Turn off the heat after 20 minutes and let the rice stand, undisturbed, for 10 more minutes.
- Uncover, fluff up the rice grains with a fork, garnish with cilantro, and serve hot.
Recipe notes
- I like using a long grain rice for this recipe so the grains remain nice and separate but you can use medium grain rice if that's what you have. The medium grain will clump up a bit more.
- If you don't want to go through the additional step of roasting tomatoes, use a 15-oz can of fire-roasted tomatoes instead.
- Some versions of the red rice include vegetables like carrots and peas. If you want to use these, add the carrots with the tomato puree and the peas after you've added the rice and vegetable stock to the pot. Bell peppers would work great here too.
- The Arroz Rojo stores nicely in the fridge for up to four days. For longer storage you can freeze in an air-tight, freezer-safe container for up to three months.
- Vegetable stock adds more rich flavor to the rice, but if you don't have it water will work perfectly fine as a replacement.
- You can cut down on the oil in this recipe by replacing the tablespoon of oil to saute the tomato puree to one teaspoon.
Drew
Maybe I'm missing something, but I think there's a step missing between #6 and #7. I surmise that before #7 you add the tomato-garlic puree to a pan on the stove? And then cook most of the moisture out of the puree?
Vaishali
My bad--I think I may have accidentally deleted it while adding the photo gallery. Good catch, and added now.
Terry
Sounds delicious but I’m confused. Step 7 days heat the remaining olive oil and cook for a few minutes until most of the liquid is gone. I didn’t think oil evaporated with heat. When do you do something with the tomato purée? Seems like a step is missing.
Vaishali
Hi Terry, my mistake--corrected now!
Briana Salcido
Is this white rice?
Vaishali
Yes, white rice. You can use light brown or brown rice, but you will need to add a cup more of water and increase cooking time to about 45 minutes or more after covering the pot.