Cilantro Lime Rice

This Cilantro Lime Rice recipe is easy peasy LIME squeezy! Cilantro Lime Rice is the perfect starchy side to almost any meal. It has plenty of flavor and acts as a wonderful base for chilis, burrito bowl, and chicken dishes. It is easy to make and smells so good when being whipped together. I used to only eat this when I would eat Mexican cuisine, but through experience, I now know that I love Cilantro Lime Rice with lamb chops, chicken, steaks, and salmon. It works well with anything, really!

Whenever I make Cilantro Lime Rice, I like to use white basmati rice. It is a long grain rice that just cooks so well. The texture is wonderful. The long grain makes the dish pop and look pretty. Another rule of thumb is that you must be sure to wash the rice before cooking it. This helps to remove any surface starch that the rice may have. It makes the fluffing process much easier and the rice less sticky. You do not have to boil your rice on the stovetop. I make mine this way because it is what I have available. If you have a rice cooker, then that will work all as well, if not better. Just do yourself a favor and make this cooking process as easy and stress-free as possible for yourself!

Cilantro Lime Rice

5 from 1 vote

Recipe by Madison Course: SidesCuisine: MexicanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

5

minutes

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups 1 ½ long grain white rice, cooked according to package instructions

• 1 tablespoon 1 unsalted butter, melted

• 1 cup 1 cilantro, chopped

• 2 tablespoons 2 fresh lime juice

• ½ teaspoon ½ lime zest (optional)

• salt and pepper (to taste)

Directions

• After cooking the rice according to the package instructions, add melted butter, lime juice, cilantro, lime zest, salt and pepper and fluff together.
• Serve in a bowl as a side dish or plated with other fixings such as tacos, lamb or chicken. Enjoy!

Notes

• For perfectly cooked White Basmati Rice, bring rice and water to a boil and then down to a simmer for 15-20 minutes. 

If you are boiling your rice, a simple rule of thumb for boiling rice is for every 1 cup of rice use, 2 cups of water. For perfectly cooked White Basmati Rice, bring rice and water to a boil and then down to a simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Something unique about this recipe is the butter. The butter gives the rice an extra boost and a delicious comforting flavor. I highly recommend that you use it, but if you have restrictions or have a vegan diet, it is completely alright if you exclude it. It will slightly change the flavor, but the true flavor for this rice comes from the cilantro and lime.

Now, depending on how much of the lime flavor you truly want with your rice, you can add lime zest. Keep in mind that citrus zest is much stronger than the citrus juice itself. My recommendation would be to try the rice first without the zest and if you find you need some extra punch, then add in that ½ teaspoon of lime zest. Once you add the zest, there is no backtracking. I tell you this because I do not want you to be surprised. I want you to enjoy your rice and be satisfied! I like mine both ways and how I make it (zest or no zest) truly depends on what flavor I am in the mood for that day.

Once all the ingredients are combined, serve your rice however you like and whatever pleases your tastebuds. There are many recipes on this site that this rice pairs well with. I hope you get to try this easy, quick, and delicious recipe and add it to your rotation of sides. Enjoy!

-Madison