Taco Rice

Taco rice is a delicious side dish to serve with a variety of meals. White jasmine rice is mixed with taco seasoning and green chilies. Everything is simmered in chicken broth with tomato sauce until the rice absorbs all of the liquid for the perfect consistency. It's the perfect alternative to serve with chicken, tacos or our sweet potato taco bowl.

Easy Taco Rice Recipe

Tired of the same boring rice? Try this easy taco rice recipe! I love adding simple additions to rice because it can create incredible flavors! This recipe uses a traditional way to make rice (in a pot on the stove), but adds taco seasoning and green chilies. It's so simple but makes a wonderful difference! You can pair this taco rice with any chicken recipe, pork or beef. Add leftovers to a wrap or taco bowl!

For this recipe, there are a few simple tricks to getting the right consistency. I’ve explained those below in the “recipe tips” section.

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 post:

• JASMINE RICE - White uncooked jasmine rice as 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.
• ONION - ¼ cup diced yellow onion is first sauteed and then mixed with the rice. Be sure to chop the onion small for the perfect texture.
• BUTTER - 1 tablespoon of salted butter is sauteed with the onion and really helps to create delicious flavor.
• OLIVE OIL - 1 tablespoon of olive oil is also used.
• BROTH - Broth adds a delicious depth of flavor to the rice.
• TOMATO SAUCE - 1 cup of tomato sauce is mixed with broth for the liquid to be absorbed for fluffy rice.
• TACO SEASONING - Grab a packet of taco seasoning mix from the grocery store or make your own homemade taco seasoning mixture easily. This recipe uses 1 tablespoon of taco seasoning.
• GREEN CHILIES - A 4 oz can of chopped green chilies adds a bit of spice. Feel free to skip this if your family doesn't like spicy ingredients.

How To Make Taco Rice

This method is simple and is the same for making most rice recipes. First, saute the onion, then simmer the rice with broth and tomato sauce. Here’s an overview of how to make it with the full instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

1. SAUTE ONION – First, add the butter and olive oil over medium-high heat to a large pot. Next, sautee the chopped yellow onion for 1-2 minutes, until it turns translucent.
2. TOAST RICE – Next, add the uncooked rice, broth, tomato sauce, taco seasoning and chopped green chilies. Stir everything together, gently scraping the bottom of the pot as well.
3. SIMMER – Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low and cover the pot with a lid. Gently scrape the bottom of the pot every 5 minutes or so, but don't overmix the rice when you do it. This will help to prevent the bottom of the pot from burning.
4. STEAM – Once the liquid has been soaked up, remove the pot from the heat and let it sit covered for another 5-10 minutes to let the rice steam.
5. FLUFF – Remove the lid and lightly fluff the rice with a fork. Serve the rice while still warm.

Storing Leftovers

Leftover taco rice can be stored in the fridge or frozen. Here’s how to do it:

• REFRIGERATE – This taco rice recipe should be cooled completely to room temperature first. Then add it to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for 3-4 days.
• FREEZER – Cooked rice can also be frozen! Consider making a double batch of this recipe and freezing half for a future meal. Frozen rice can be thawed overnight in the fridge, or thawed in the microwave.
• TO REHEAT – Add the cold rice to a microwave-safe bowl. I like to add a splash 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. My husband also likes to add leftover rice to a frying pan to make fried rice.

Recipe Tips

• RINSE RICE FIRST – Rinse long grain rice before you cook to release excess starch. Just add it to a fine mesh strainer and rinse under cold water. Rinsed rice can be added right to the pot.
• DON’T STIR – Never stir the rice while it’s boiling in the broth. Instead, gently scrape the bottom of the pot once or twice to prevent burning caused by the tomato sauce. While you do this, try not to stir the rice too much.
• LOW HEAT – First, bring the liquid to the beginning of a boil, then let the rice simmer on low heat until all of the liquid is absorbed by the rice. The tomato sauce will burn if cooked at too high of a temperature.

Frequently Asked Questions

This taco rice is an easy way to add more flavor to your meals! Grab some taco seasoning, canned chopped green chilies, and an onion. Give the rice a quick rinse (to help remove excess starch) and add it all to a pot to simmer with broth and tomato sauce. The result is the most beautiful reddish hue with loads of delicious flavor.

More Rice Recipes

• Chicken Fried Rice
• Shrimp with Turmeric Rice
• Chicken Pineapple Rice Salad
• Teriyaki Ground Turkey With Rice
• Wild Rice Stuffing