Cilantro Lime Rice
Whether it's a side dish, the base of a bowl, or a filling in a burrito, this homemade Cilantro Lime Rice is a flavorful addition to any meal! Made on the stove, in an Instant Pot, or in a rice cooker, it's so easy to make this tasty Chipotle copycat recipe anytime.
Ingredients
- 2 cups long grain white rice
- 2 cups water, adjust for stovetop recipe
- 1 teaspoon oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, leaves and stems - chopped
- ¼ cup fresh-squeezed lime juice
- 1 teaspoon lime zest, optional - for more lime flavor
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions
- Rinse the rice under cold water in a fine mesh strainer for 30 seconds, or until the water runs clear.
- Add the rinsed rice, 2 cups water, oil, and salt to the Instant Pot. Place the lid on the Instant Pot and make sure the steam valve is in the “sealing” position.
- Use the “manual” button to set the Instant Pot pressure to high for 3 minutes.
- Once the Instant Pot finishes and beeps, allow the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, move the steam valve to “venting” and release any remaining pressure.
- Remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork. Add the cilantro, lime juice and lime zest. Stir to combine and serve immediately.
Stovetop Instructions
- Rinse rice under cold water in a fine mesh strainer for 30 seconds.
- Add the rinsed rice to a medium saucepan with 2 cups water, oil, and salt. Cover the saucepan and place it on the stove over high heat.
- Bring the rice and water to a boil, this should take approximately 8-10 minutes. After the rice begins to boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, maintaining a gentle simmer. Set a timer for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, remove the lid and check to see if the rice has absorbed all of the water. If it has not, set another timer for 2 minutes and continue checking the rice every 2 minutes until the rice has absorbed all of the water.
- Once the rice has absorbed all of the water, remove it from the heat and place the lid back on the saucepan. Let the rice sit for 10 minutes off the heat, then remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork.
- Chop the fresh cilantro and add it to the saucepan with the cooked rice. Add the fresh lime juice and lime zest (optional) to the saucepan, then stir to combine everything and serve the rice.
Rice Cooker Instructions
- Rinse rice under cold water in a fine mesh strainer for 30 seconds, or until the water runs clear.
- Add the rinsed rice to a rice cooker with 3 ½ cups water, oil, and salt, making sure all of the rice is covered by the water. Secure the lid on the rice cooker. Set the rice cooker to “white rice” mode, or set timer for 45 minutes.
- After the rice cooker has finished cooking the rice, allow it to rest in the rice cooker for 10 minutes. Remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork.
- Chop the fresh cilantro and add it to the rice cooker with the cooked rice. Add the fresh squeezed lime juice and lime zest (optional) to the rice cooker, then stir to combine everything and serve the rice.
Notes
- Always rinse the rice, no matter which cooking method you choose. Rinsing the rice removes any excess starch on the rice that can cause the rice to clump together or become gummy as it cooks. This is one of the keys to making the perfect rice every time!
- In an Instant Pot or Rice Cooker, the ratio of water to rice is 1:1, one cup of rinsed rice + one cup water. On the stove top, the ratio is 1 ¾ cups water to one cup of rinsed long grain white rice.
- The fastest way to prepare cilantro lime rice is in an Instant Pot. The stove top method of cooking white rice takes 35 minutes. The Instant Pot method takes 25 minutes and the rice cooker method takes 60 minutes.
- One cup of uncooked rice will result in approximately three cups of cooked rice. As a side dish, I like to plan for ½ cup cooked rice per person. If I’m using the rice as the base of a bowl, I usually plan for one cup of cooked rice as the base of each bowl.
- Store any leftover cilantro lime rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 6 days. You can reheat it in the microwave or on the stove. I recommend adding 1-2 teaspoons of water to the rice so that it does not dry out when you reheat it.
Nutrition Facts
Serving 1cupCalories 234kcal (12%)Carbohydrates 50g (17%)Protein 4g (8%)Fat 1g (2%)Saturated Fat 0.2g (1%)Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat 1gSodium 202mg (8%)Potassium 90mg (3%)Fiber 1g (4%)Sugar 0.3gVitamin A 95mg (2%)Vitamin C 3mg (4%)Calcium 22mg (2%)Iron 1mg (6%)
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