You can make cilantro lime rice in a rice cooker, and it's so delicious. Not only is it super easy to make, but it tastes just like the cilantro lime rice you get in those awesome burritos at Chipotle!
Jump to:
- 💚Reasons You'll Love This Recipe
- 🛒Ingredients
- 🙋Jasmine Rice Vs Basmati Rice
- 🙋How Many Cups Of Rice Will One Cup Make?
- 👨🍳How To Make Cilantro Lime Rice In A Rice Cooker
- Top Tips
- 🍽️Serving Suggestions
- ❄️Storage Instructions
- 🙋Frequently Asked Questions
- Mexican Rice In Your Rice Cooker
- Craving More Easy Vegan Side Dishes?
- 📖 Recipe
- ❄️Storage Instructions
- Comments
Cilantro lime rice is the perfect complement to jackfruit nachos or birria tacos. It also makes a flavorful filling for burritos and fajitas. In fact, it's the perfect side dish for all Mexican dishes.
While I think using a rice cooker makes this recipe so simple to make, if you don't have one - you can still make it on the stove top.
If you have a rice cooker, you might also enjoy learning how to cook farro and lentils in a rice cooker.
💚Reasons You'll Love This Recipe
💚You only need 7 simple ingredients.
💚Making cilantro lime rice in your rice cooker is much easier than cooking it on the stovetop.
💚It's suitable for vegans and those on a gluten free diet.
💚Add a boost of fiber by swapping brown rice for the jasmine rice.
🛒Ingredients
- Jasmine Rice: I love the flavor and texture of Jasmine rice, and I think it suits this recipe perfectly. See below for more information on the differences between basmati and jasmine rice. Please feel free to substitute basmati rice or brown rice. The rice to water ratios are below.
- Olive Oil: We'll only be using a small amount to bring all the flavors together.
- Limes: You'll need 2 limes. We're going to use the zest and juice to get a big dose of that citrus flavor that complements cilantro so well.
- Cilantro: Cilantro (aka coriander) is what gives this recipe it's amazing flavor. You need to use fresh cilantro (stems and leaves).
- Chili Pepper Flakes: These are optional, but if you like a bit of spice (like me), I highly recommend it.
- Garlic Powder: I've tried this recipe with raw garlic, but the taste was too aggressive. Enter garlic powder...the perfect compromise.
- Salt: Salt makes all the other flavors pop.
🙋Jasmine Rice Vs Basmati Rice
So, what's the difference between jasmine and basmati rice, and which one is best to use for making cilantro lime rice in a rice cooker?
Basmati rice, which hails from India and Pakistan is a firmer, chewier rice than Jasmine rice, which comes from Thailand. On the whole, Jasmine rice is softer and plumper than basmati rice, with an aroma that's more floral.
Basmati rice require soaking before it's cooked (usually about 30 minutes) if you want for it to be fluffy, not sticky. Jasmine rice, on the other hand, should never be soaked because it's already soft.
Both kinds of rice can be cooked in a rice cooker, so either can be used for this recipe. I find Jasmine rice to be a bit sweeter and softer, and I like the contrast with the cilantro and lime in this recipe. However, basmati rice, though it's a touch dryer, will work perfectly fine here. Just be sure to soak it before you put the rice in your rice cooker. If you don't have 30 minutes to soak it, at least give it a good rinse in a colander.
🙋How Many Cups Of Rice Will One Cup Make?
- 1 cup of uncooked white rice = 3 cups cooked rice.
- 1 cup brown rice = 4 cups cooked rice. Note: the water to rice ratio is different for brown rice. See the recipe card notes.
- 1 cup of long grain rice = 3 cups of cooked rice.
👨🍳How To Make Cilantro Lime Rice In A Rice Cooker
- Put the rice in a colander and wash it thoroughly, turning it over with your hands as the water runs through. Washing rice removes the starch that causes rice to be gummy. Well washed rice will be light and fluffy.
- Transfer your rice to your rice cooker. Program your rice cooker and cook until all the water is gone and the rice cooker switches to warm.
- Take the lid off the rice cooker and stir in your lime zest. Put the lid back on and leave the rice cooker on warm for 10 minutes to remove any excess water and absorb the flavor of the lime zest.
- Transfer the rice to a bowl and stir in the olive oil, lime juice, cilantro, garlic powder, chili pepper flakes and salt. Mix to combine.
Top Tips
- Always make sure your rice is thoroughly washed. To do this, use a colander and turn the rice over with your hands as water runs through. This removes excess starch and prevents the rice from becoming too sticky.
- For white rice, use 1 cup of water per cup of rice. If opting for brown rice, adjust to 2 ¼ cups of water per cup of rice. This precision ensures that the rice cooks evenly and has the ideal texture.
- After the rice cooker switches to "warm," keep the lid on for an additional 5 minutes. This allows the residual steam to continue cooking the rice gently, which is what will give you that perfect, fluffy texture.
- Stir in the lime zest immediately after the rice cooker completes its cycle, and you've let the rice rest for 5 minutes on the warm setting. This helps the lime flavor meld seamlessly into the rice.
🍽️Serving Suggestions
Cilantro lime rice suits any kind of Mexican food! Here's a few dishes that I think it pairs well with:
🧡There's nothing like a steaming bowl of vegan chili served with a side of flavorful rice.
🧡Love enchiladas? Who doesn't? Pass the rice, please!
🧡Make yourself the ultimate burrito. Check out my white refried beans for a delicious twist on a classic (it's vegan, too). Stuff a tortilla with black beans and rice and top it off with some fresh veggies and guacamole. Yum!
🧡I sometimes start with this coconut rice as a base and add the cilantro and lime afterwards. The sweet and tangy flavor combination is really special!
🧡If you've never tried taquitos, you're missing out. These would make the perfect sidekick to cilantro lime rice.
❄️Storage Instructions
Store any remaining Cilantro Lime Rice in an airtight container and refrigerate promptly. It should stay fresh for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. When reheating, add a bit of water to prevent the rice from sticking and drying out. You can reheat this rice in your microwave or on stovetop.
I don't recommend freezing cilantro lime rice; the texture changes too much.
🙋Frequently Asked Questions
It couldn't be simpler - the ratio of water to rice is 1:1. So, if you're using 1 cup of rice, add 1 cup of water.
Two things may have happened: 1) The rice was not washed properly before you cooked it. 2) You used the incorrect water to rice ratio. The correct ratio is 1:1.
It generally takes 25-26 minutes to cook white rice in a rice cooker, but it can vary between rice cooker brands. 1 cup of brown rice generally takes about 60 minutes.
Mexican Rice In Your Rice Cooker
If you love flavorful rice cooker recipes, check out my Rice Cooker Mexican Rice recipe!
Craving More Easy Vegan Side Dishes?
Healthy Baked Beans- No Molasses or Sugar
📖 Recipe
Cilantro Lime Rice (Rice Cooker)
Ingredients
- 1 cup jasmine rice *or basmati rice
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 3 tablespoons cilantro finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon chili pepper flakes *optional
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Put the rice in a colander and wash it thoroughly, turning it over with your hands as the water runs through.
- Transfer the rice to a rice cooker and add 1 cup of water (for brown rice, see note 1). Program the rice cooker and cook until all the water has been absorbed. It generally takes 25-30 minutes to cook white rice in a rice cooker.
- When the rice cooker switches to warm, take the lid off and stir in the lime zest. Put the lid back on and leave the rice cooker on warm for 10 minutes.
- Transfer the rice to a bowl and stir in the olive oil, lime juice, cilantro, garlic powder, chili pepper flakes and salt. Mix to combine.
Notes
- If using brown rice, the water to rice ratio will be 1 cup of rice to 2 ¼ cups of water. Brown rice will take longer to cook than white rice.
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