Cilantro Lime Rice

Cilantro lime rice is such an easy way to flavor rice for a variety of meals. Jasmine rice is mixed with cilantro, lime juice and zest to create a delicious side dish.

Everything is simmered in broth until the rice absorbs all of the liquid for the perfect fluffy consistency. This is the perfect recipe to serve with a variety of meals including chicken, pork, beef, or fish.

A bowl of cilantro lime rice with two spoons.

Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe

Rice is one of the easiest side dishes for almost any meal. However, rice can get a little boring over time, which is why I love using easy rice flavors like this one.

This recipe uses basic white jasmine rice and adds flavors of cilantro and lime to create a refreshing combination. The process to make this rice is the same as usual - it's cooked on the stove in liquid. But the ingredients added make such a huge difference!

Rice is one of the easiest ingredients to add flavor ingredients to because it will absorb them easily. This method is really easy and if you like the flavors of lime and cilantro, then you'll definitely want to try this one!

Lime cilantro rice was my husband's favorite out of all the rice flavors that I made recently.

For more easy rice flavors try my cheddar broccoli rice, garlic butter rice, or flavored taco rice, yellow turmeric rice, or see all 8 easy rice recipes together in one blog post.

You can serve cilantro lime rice with taco seasoned chicken, add it as a base to our sweet potato taco bowl or a burrito bowl, top with marinated shrimp, or serve with my sheet pan fajitas.

Recipe Ingredients

Simple ingredients add really incredible flavor here! I recommend using broth (not water) as it adds great flavor! Here's an overview of the recipe ingredients with the full details in the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post.

RICE - White uncooked jasmine rice will take less time to cook and works great for this recipe. If using long grain white rice, it will take a little longer to cook. You'll need 1 ½ cups of uncooked rice which will make 4-6 servings depending on the amount you serve.
LIME - Two limes are needed. You'll need the fresh lime juice from both and the zest from one.
CILANTRO - Chopped fresh cilantro is added to cooked rice.
BUTTER + OIL - The combination of salted butter and olive oil is used to sautee the onion and garlic and toast the rice a little bit before adding the rest of the ingredients.
CHOPPED ONION - Yellow onion is diced small. This will create the best texture for the rice.
GARLIC - Minced garlic adds great flavor. Feel free to use more or less garlic depending on how much you like it (I LOVE garlic). You can also use ½ tsp of garlic powder instead.
BROTH - Vegetable broth is used instead of water. It truly makes a difference in flavor and I highly recommend! If you don't have broth, water works too.

Four images showing steps to make recipe. First is garlic, onion and butter in a pot. Second is onion and broth in a pot. Third and fourth are cooked rice, one with zest and cilantro added.

How To Make Cilantro Lime Rice

This method is similar to cooking most rice recipes. First, saute the onion with garlic, then simmer the rice in the broth.

Here's an overview of how to make it with the full instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post.

SAUTE ONION - First, add salted butter and olive oil over medium-high heat to a large pot. Sautee the diced yellow onion and garlic for 1-2 minutes, until it turns translucent.
SIMMER - Next, add the broth. Stir everything together. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low and cover the pot with a lid. No need to stir during this time. Just make sure to have a low heat to prevent burning the rice on the bottom.
STEAM - Once the liquid has been soaked up by the rice, remove the pot from the heat source. Let the pot sit covered for 5-10 more minutes to let the rice steam.
FLUFF - Remove the lid and add in the lime juice, zest and chopped cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. Toss together. Lightly fluff the rice with a fork then serve while still warm.

Storing Leftover Rice

Cool the rice completely to room temperature. Then follow one of the methods below on how to store leftovers.

REFRIGERATE - Rice can be added to an airtight container and stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.
FREEZER - I love to freeze leftover rice for future meals! I highly recommend making a double batch of any rice recipe and then freezing half for later. It's a great way to meal prep and save time. I add mine to a large freezer bag and squeeze out the excess air.
TO REHEAT - Add the rice to a microwave-safe bowl. I like to sprinkle a bit of water on top. This will help to freshen up the rice as it reheats. You can heat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through. Add fresh lime juice to liven up the flavors.

My husband also likes to add leftover rice to a frying pan to make fried rice.

Rice Making Tips

RINSE RICE FIRST - Add the uncooked rice to a fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold water. This will help to remove excess starch from the rice. The rinsed rice can be added straight to the pot to cook.
DON'T STIR - Do not stir this rice when it is simmering in the broth. Stirring will make the rice turn mushy. This is the same trick to use when you're cooking quinoa.
USE LOW HEAT - Let the rice simmer in broth on low heat. If the temperature is too high, it may burn the bottom of the rice in the pot.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different style of rice?

Yes, you can use white basmati rice. I haven't tried long grain brown rice with this recipe, but it should also work. Brown rice will take longer to cook and may require a little bit more broth. You'll have to play around with the ratio to see.

Do I have to use chicken broth?

No, you can use vegetable broth or beef broth as well. You can also use water but the rice will lack the same flavor.

Why is my rice mushy and sticky?

There are a few things that could have happened here. You may have used too much liquid for the type of rice used or overcooked the rice. Also, make sure not to stir the rice while it's simmering in the broth - stirring usually results in a mushy texture.
Next time you make rice, add ¼ cup less liquid and see if that fixes the problem. Continue adding a bit less each time until you reach your desired consistency.

Can I cook this in a rice cooker?

Yes, the taste will be a bit different but still work. You can still cook it in broth, then stir in the lime juice and zest and cilantro at the end.

A pot of cilantro lime rice with a spatula and fresh limes around the pot.

This easy cilantro lime rice is such an easy way to liven up the flavors of plain rice! Simply sautee garlic and onion in a large pot with butter and oil.

Next, add the broth and lime zest with rice. Let it simmer until the rice is cooked, and stir in chopped cilantro and lime juice. The results are so simple, easy and flavorful!

For more rice recipes, try my instant pot chicken fried rice, easy shrimp with turmeric rice, side dish chicken pineapple rice salad, easy healthy teriyaki ground turkey with rice, or festive wild rice stuffing.