Why You’ll Love This 10-Minute Mexican Rice:
- Quick and Easy—This rice can be made in 10 minutes or less, thanks to a package of Ben’s Original Ready Rice, making it the perfect quick side for busy weeknights.
- Flavor-Packed—Salsa, taco seasoning, tomato paste, and more turn plain microwave rice into a truly tasty side or base for taco bowls.
- Versatile—Serve it alongside tacos, pack it into burritos, use it as a base for taco bowls, or eat it on its own!
Need a fast, flavorful side for taco night—but not a fan of those bland, store-bought Mexican-style instant rice packets? Same here. I’ve never found one I actually enjoy—they always taste a little off to me. That’s why I started making this quick and easy Cheater Mexican Rice. It’s packed with flavor thanks to my homemade taco seasoning, salsa, and a touch of chipotles in adobo. And the best part? It comes together in under 10 minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights.
If you’re new here, a cheater recipe is one that uses a shortcut that will save you time and/or effort without sacrificing taste. In this case, the “cheater” ingredient is a pouch of Ben’s Original™ Ready Rice (shop on Amazon), which serves as the base of this dish and cuts down the cooking time to almost nothing.
10-Minute Mexican Rice Ingredients
Ben’s Original Ready Rice: One package (8.8 oz) of Ready Rice is used for this recipe. You can use any plain, unflavored variety you like, such as long-grain white, jasmine, or basmati. Just follow the package instructions for heating the rice in the microwave and it’ll be ready to go in only 90 seconds.
Onion: Small diced sweet onion is sautéed in butter to start the base for the rice.
Tomato Paste: Adds a deep, savory tomato flavor to the rice.
Taco Seasoning: I am partial to my homemade taco seasoning (so yummy), but feel free to use your own personal favorite.
Chipotles in Adobo: Just a little bit of chipotles in adobo adds some smoky flavor and subtle heat to the rice. If you are particularly sensitive to spice, reduce the amount or skip the chipotles completely.
Salsa or Pico de Gallo: A generous spoonful of salsa or pico de gallo adds delicious flavor and some extra spice to the rice. Fresh salsa or homemade pico de gallo is best, in my opinion, but feel free to sub in your favorite jarred variety.
Add-Ins: To make the rice a bit more filling, I love mixing in black beans and a handful of cheese—a shredded Mexican blend or crumbled queso fresco (or both!). You can also toss in kidney beans, green chiles, fresh or pickled jalapeños, or any of your other favorite mix-ins to customize it to your taste.
How to Make Mexican Rice in Under 10 Minutes
Melt butter in a medium skillet. Add the onion and sauté on medium heat for 3-4 minutes—until the onion is translucent and soft. Then, stir in the tomato paste.
Pour in some water. Then add the taco seasoning, chipotles in adobo, and salsa/pico. Stir until all ingredients are well-combined. Cook over medium heat for another 3-4 minutes.
Meanwhile, prep the Ben’s Original Ready Rice in the microwave according to package instructions—most varieties cook in 90 seconds.
Carefully (so as to not burn yourself) add the rice to the tomato/salsa mixture. Stir well, until the rice is completely coated. Add an extra splash of water if needed.
Add your mix-ins and toppings. I like to stir in about half a 15 oz can of black beans (drained and rinsed) before topping the rice with some cheese and extra salsa.
How to Store Leftover Mexican Rice
Store any leftover rice in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Reheat the rice in the microwave, adding a splash of water if the rice seems too dry.
This rice, made with a single packet of Ready Rice (8.8 oz) is the perfect amount to serve as a side for 2-3 people. Since this rice reheats well, I would make a double batch if you are cooking for a few people and you want leftovers.
Ways to Serve Mexican Rice
- Serve alongside tacos (made with homemade taco meat, of course).
- Add to burritos.
- Use as the base for taco bowls—add some taco meat, pico de gallo, and Mexican street corn salad on top.
Read on for the full recipe for this quick Mexican rice!
Once you’ve given it a try, leave a rating and review down below to let me know how you liked it.
10-Minute Cheater Mexican Rice
Equipment (Shop on Amazon)
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp salted butter
- ⅔ cup small diced sweet onion
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- ¾ cup water
- 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp taco seasoning
- ½ tsp chipotles in adobo
- 1 heaping tbsp salsa or pico de gallo
- 1 bag Ben's Original Ready Rice (8.5-8.8 oz, depending on variety) long-grain white, jasmine, or basmati will all work—your choice!
- 7-8 oz black beans drained and rinsed; optional
- Shredded Mexican blend cheese to taste; optional
- Other mix-ins or toppings of choice, such as crumbled queso fresco, extra salsa, kidney beans, green chiles, fresh and/or pickled jalapeños
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the small diced sweet onion and stir until coated in butter. Sauté for 3-4 minutes.2 tbsp salted butter, ⅔ cup small diced sweet onion
- Add the tomato paste and stir. Then, add the water, taco seasoning, chipotles in adobo, and salsa/pico de gallo. Stir until all ingredients are well combined. Cook over medium heat for another 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.1 tbsp tomato paste, ¾ cup water, 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp taco seasoning, ½ tsp chipotles in adobo, 1 heaping tbsp salsa or pico de gallo
- While this mixture is cooking, prep the rice. Heat the Ben's Original Ready Rice in the microwave according to package instructions—the cook time is typically 90 seconds per 8.8 oz packet.1 bag Ben's Original Ready Rice (8.5-8.8 oz, depending on variety)
- Add the rice to the pan and stir until coated with the seasoned salsa mixture. If the rice seems dry, add an extra splash of water.
- Optional: Stir in some black beans and a bit more water. Sprinkle some shredded cheese on top of the rice and place the lid on the skillet to let the cheese melt.Shredded Mexican blend cheese, 7-8 oz black beans
- Add any other toppings you'd like (such as extra salsa, crumbled queso fresco, or cilantro). Serve this quick Mexican rice with tacos, taco salad, or your other favorite Mexican dishes. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.
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