This 30-minute Vegan Mexican Rice, also known as Spanish rice or red rice, is so delicious & easy to make! With only 10 ingredients required, this vegan & gluten-free recipe makes a great side dish.
Between my Vegan Fried Rice and Vegan Wild Rice Mushroom Soup, it's clear you love SGTO rice recipes!
This vegan Mexican rice recipe is the perfect base for a vegan burrito or rice casserole and is just as good on its own as a side dish.
Ingredients:
Ingredient notes:
- Rice: For this recipe I recommend using a long-grain rice like Basmatic rice or Jasmine rice.
- Shallots: This isn't a traditional ingredient to this dish, but I think it makes it even more flavorful! Feel free to omit it if you would like or substitute with ½ onion.
- Tomato sauce: The type of tomato sauce you use for this recipe makes a huge difference! I love using Raos Marina, but the most important thing is to use a sauce you love the flavor of.
How to make vegan Mexican rice
This 30-minute one-pot red rice recipe couldn't be easier to make and involves three main steps.
Cook the shallots & garlic in butter
It's important to cook the shallots and garlic in butter for 3-5 minutes until translucent. This brings out the best flavor in the dish!
Add rice & toast
Next, add in the rice and stir it with the shallots, garlic, and butter for about 1 minute. Toasting the grains helps them get a chewier texture and better flavor.
Add remaining ingredients & cook
To finish this dish, add in the vegetable broth, tomato sauce, and spices. While I used cumin, paprika, and salt you can swap the cumin with saffron for vegan Spanish rice.
Then, bring the mixture to a low boil, reduce the heat, cover, and cook over low heat for about 20-25 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed.
Make sure to stir halfway through so the rice doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. Also, if the rice is sticking too much, you can always add in 1-2 Tablespoons vegetable broth.
What to serve Mexican rice with:
As mentioned above, my favorite way to enjoy this vegan Mexican rice is in a homemade vegan burrito! However, it also works great as a base in burrito bowls, taco bowls, or vegan enchiladas.
I also love adding it to taco recipes like my Sweet Potato Black Bean Tacos, Chickpea Cauliflower Tacos, or my Vegan Lentil Tacos.
If you want to enjoy this rice as a main meal, the best way to make it more filling is to add cooked black beans and sauteed vegetables. Trust me, it's so good!
FAQ & Tips:
How do I store Mexican rice?
This Mexican rice will keep in a closed container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. I recommend storing in individual containers for easy defrosting.
Can I make this with different rice variety?
Yes, however, keep in mind that different rice varieties may need a longer cooking time. For example, brown rice needs about 10 more minutes and will likely need slightly more vegetable broth to account for this additional cooking time.
I truly hope you love this Vegan Mexican Rice recipe! It's one of my new favorite staples and is packed with flavor. Enjoy!
-TSG
More vegan side dishes you will love:
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Vegan Mexican Rice
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons vegan butter
- 2 shallots finely chopped, or ½ onion
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup long grain rice
- 1 ½ cups vegetable broth
- ¾ cup tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin or saffron
- 1 Tablespoon lime juice
- salt to taste
- cilantro optional, as garnish
Instructions
- First, prep the veggies by finely chopping the shallots and mincing the garlic. To have less sticky rice, I also recommend rinsing the rice before using.
- Next, add the vegan butter to a saucepan and melt over medium heat.
- Once the butter is sizzling, add the chopped shallots and minced garlic to the pan. Sauté over medium heat for 3-5 minutes.
- Next, add in the rice and toast with the butter, shallots, and garlic for about 1 minute.
- Add the vegetable broth, tomato sauce, paprika, and cumin. Stir together and bring to a simmer.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 20-30 minutes until the rice is cooked and has soaked up all the liquid. While the rice is cooking, I recommend removing the lid and stirring the rice a few times so it does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
- Once the rice is cooked, add in the lime juice and salt to your preference and stir to mix it into the rice.
- Fluff the rice with a fork and serve with cilantro as a garnish or enjoy as is while warm!
Notes
- If liquid has been absorbed and rice is still not fully cooked, add in 1-2 Tablespoons vegetable broth as needed to fully cook the rice.
- I HIGHLY recommend rinsing the rice before cooking to remove some of the starch. Starchy rice tends to clump together so this helps it from sticking together while cooking.
- You can substitute the 2 shallots with ½ onion and the 2 garlic cloves with 1 teaspoon of garlic powder for similar results.
- Cooked Mexican rice will keep in a closed container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. I recommend storing in individual containers for easy defrosting.
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