Cilantro Lime Rice

BEST cilantro lime rice, no kidding! Better than Chipotle's. Easy to make. Perfect with Mexican and Asian food, great in burritos.

By
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.
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Updated June 06, 2021
Elise Bauer
Cilantro Lime Rice
Elise Bauer

Cilantro lime rice is the best rice for burrito bowls, and pretty much any Mexican food, right? (Cilantro haters, please look away, this one's not for you.) It works well with Asian dishes too.

But you don't want to just toss plain rice with cilantro and lime juice and call it a day. Well, you could, but the rice wouldn't be close to as good as it could be.

Cilantro lime rice made well is irresistible. As in, "as soon as you finish one batch, you'll want to make another" irresistible. Or, "take your hands off my food, this is all for me" irresistible.

Tips for making the best ever cilantro lime rice? First, use basmati long grain rice. It's more aromatic than plain rice and the flavor complements the cilantro and lime.

Cilantro Lime Rice
Elise Bauer

Second, start by lightly browning the rice in some olive oil. It's how we normally make rice pilaf or Spanish rice. The browning brings out wonderful flavor in the rice that you can't get any other way. This is the main difference between this recipe and other recipes you may find online for cilantro lime rice.

Finally, use fresh limes and toss some grated lime zest in with the water that you add to the rice. The lime oils in the zest will infuse the rice with lime flavor as it cooks.

At the very end, after the rice is cooked and fluffed, you'll add in chopped fresh cilantro and lime juice.

Video: Cilantro Lime Rice

2:10

How to Make Cilantro Lime Rice

Cilantro Lime Rice

Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Total Time 35 mins
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

  • 1 1/2 cups basmati rice, or other long-grain white rice

  • 1 clove garlic, minced

  • 2 1/4 cups water

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • Finely grated zest of one lime

  • 3 tablespoons lime juice

  • 1 cup lightly packed chopped cilantro (leaves and tender stems only)

Method

  1. Brown the rice:

    Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan on medium high heat. Add the raw rice and stir to coat with the olive oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice has started to brown.

    Add the garlic and cook a minute more.

    cilantro-lime-rice-method-1
    Elise Bauer
  2. Add water, salt, zest, then simmer:

    Add water, salt, and lime zest to the rice. Bring to a rolling boil, then cover and lower the heat to low to maintain a very low simmer.

    cilantro-lime-rice-method-2
    Elise Bauer
    cilantro-lime-rice-method-3
    Elise Bauer

    Cook undisturbed for 15 minutes (check your rice package instructions), then remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes.

    Fluff the rice with a fork.

  3. Stir in lime juice and cilantro:

    Transfer the rice to a serving bowl. Pour lime juice over the rice and toss with chopped cilantro.

    cilantro-lime-rice-method-4
    Elise Bauer

    Serve with chicken, steak, shrimp, Mexican or Asian food.

Cilantro Lime Rice
Elise Bauer
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
101 Calories
5g Fat
14g Carbs
1g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 101
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5g 6%
Saturated Fat 1g 3%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 358mg 16%
Total Carbohydrate 14g 5%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 10mg 48%
Calcium 18mg 1%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 62mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.