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Cilantro lime rice recipe

This cilantro lime rice recipe is one that you have to make and then memorize as you will likely be making it many more times. While the ingredient list may be simple, it adds so much flavor to any meal and is even delicious when eaten on it’s own!

Easy Cilantro Lime Rice

When you go out to eat at a restaurant, you may be surprised by how much flavor is in the rice. For such a basic ingredient that is often considered a “filler” side dish, professional chefs can make rice taste totally amazing! Now, with this easy recipe for cilantro lime rice, you too can make incredibly delicious rice right in your own home. There is no need to go out to eat and wonder about a restaurant’s rice anymore- we have the secret to all that flavor right here.

How to Cook Cilantro Lime Rice

Rice is actually a very easy ingredient to cook however it does take a little bit of time to cook rice to perfection. Yet, with a few extra minutes in the kitchen and a great recipe, you will have perfect rice in no time. Take a look at the simple steps that our recipe for cilantro lime rice follows to get an idea of what you will be doing when it comes time to cook.

Bring the 2 1/2 cups water in the recipe to a boil over high heat, add the 1 1/2 cups jasmine rice and stir.
Cover the pot and lower the heat to a simmer, cooking the rice for about 40 minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat and keep the lid on. Set the rice aside for 15 minutes to cool and absorb some of the left over water and moisture inside the pot.
Remove the lid and add the fresh lime juice, chopped cilantro, olive oil and salt and pepper.
Stir everything together, taste and adjust the salt and pepper if needed then enjoy while hot.

As you can see, it is easy to make this recipe but it does take a few minutes of your time so, if you are planning on enjoying this rice alongside your dinner, start cooking it early!

What Goes with Cilantro Lime Rice?

Now that you have the perfect recipe for cilantro lime rice, you may be thinking about what you can serve alongside the rice. The possibilities are endless! Cilantro and fresh lime juice are typical staples in Mexican cuisine so that is always a good genre to start with when you consider what to pair your rice with. Here are a few ideas and dishes that we have served with our cilantro lime rice:

Use the lime rice inside and recipes for burritos
Place the cilantro lime rice in a bowl and make a burrito bowl
Serve alongside a spice rubber steak
Pair the rice with spicy shrimp
Chipotle seasoned chicken is ideal with this tangy rice
Cook some salsa marinated chicken or mix salsa into ground beef as it cooks then serve with the rice.

There are many other recipes that you can use and you can also just eat the fresh cilantro rice on it’s own- one spoonful and you won’t be able to stop!

What Kind of Rice is Best

We love using jasmine rice in our recipe because it cooks to the perfect texture and actually has a sweet, subtle taste of it’s own that really adds to this dish. However, there are lots of different kinds of rice that you can try. To begin with, basic white rice is a good and simple option. White rice also cooks slightly faster than jasmine rice as it absorbs the water quickly so using it will save you a few minutes of time in the kitchen.

Brown rice is a very good option as well and is actually quite healthy. Brown rice has the germ and the bran still attached to the grain which will add a lot of nutrition to the recipe. When you change the type of rice you use in the recipe, be sure to check the directions on the rice to see if you need to adjust the water quantity. Some rice recipes will ask for more cups or a few less cups of water and also may adjust the cooking time by several minutes.

FAQ’s

Here are a few questions that we often get regarding this recipe. Hopefully, the answers will help guide you in making a perfect cilantro lime rice!

How do you make good rice?

Making good rice is all about the seasonings. Rice on it’s own can be very plain and simple but when you season it perfectly, you will have a fantastic meal. The basics like salt and pepper are always necessary and should be adjusted based on your taste. Add a little more salt or a little more pepper freely! The fresh ingredients that our recipe uses is also necessary. Fresh chopped cilantro and fresh-squeezed lime juice add tons of flavor that is unmatchable.

Be sure to cook the rice the perfect amount of time so that it is tender and soft. When perfectly cooked, all the water should be absorbed by the rice. After the rice has cooked, add a drizzle of olive oil to prevent the rice from getting too sticky. Perfect lime rice is not hard, especially when you have great recipes like this on hand.

Once the rice has cooked, store it in airtight containers for up to one week. If it seems to be a little dry, add about two tablespoons of water and one teaspoon of olive oil to the dish before you reheat it. This will help make it soft again and prevent it from drying further while it cooks.

Can You Cook Cilantro?

You can definitely cook cilantro but it does reduce the flavor of the herb. Cilantro is best when it is freshly chopped. The knife will cut through the herb, releasing the flavor. Mix in the fresh cilantro at the end of the recipe to ensure this delicious herb stays pungent.

Hopefully, you enjoyed this cilantro lime rice and make it all the time! We have plenty of other amazing recipes ready to share as well! Browse the recipes on our site or sign up for our emails to get recipes sent straight to your inbox. Easy, delicious and healthy recipes are what we are all about!