Mexican Brown Rice (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Fresh Ingredients
01 -
2 medium ripe tomatoes (or 1 can/15 ounces diced tomatoes, undrained)
02 -
1 small yellow onion, root end trimmed and quartered
03 -
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
04 -
1 medium jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
05 -
½ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
06 -
1 lime, cut into wedges for serving
→ Pantry Items
07 -
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
08 -
2 cups long-grain brown rice (important: do not rinse!)
09 -
2½ cups vegetable broth
10 -
1 tablespoon tomato paste
11 -
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
12 -
Red pepper flakes (optional, for extra heat)
# Instructions:
01 -
Start by preheating your oven to 375°F. Grab your food processor or blender and blend the tomatoes, onion, and garlic until they become a smooth mixture. Measure out exactly 2 cups of this flavorful base - that's all you'll need!
02 -
Get your Dutch oven warm over medium heat with the olive oil. Once it's shimmering, add your brown rice and chopped jalapeño. Let them dance together for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally to develop those toasty flavors.
03 -
Carefully add the broth (watch for those playful splatters!), your prepared tomato mixture, tomato paste, and salt. Give everything a good stir, then turn up the heat to medium-high and let it come to a lively boil.
04 -
Cover your pot and transfer it to the oven. Let it bake until the rice drinks up all the liquid and becomes tender - this'll take about 75-90 minutes. Don't worry if it looks dry when you first peek in; that's exactly what we want!
05 -
Once done, fold in the fresh cilantro and taste test! Add more salt if needed (often ¼ to ½ teaspoon does the trick). For those who like it spicy, a pinch of red pepper flakes works wonders. Serve with lime wedges for that perfect finishing touch.
# Notes:
01 -
Want a shortcut? Replace the blended tomato mixture with 2 cups of mild red salsa, but remember to reduce the initial salt by half
02 -
Make it heartier by stirring in 1-2 cans of drained black beans after cooking
03 -
Leftovers freeze beautifully - just cool completely before storing in freezer bags
04 -
Important: Do not rinse the rice before cooking - it'll stay crunchy if you do!