Description
This healthy Mexican rice bowl is hearty, flavorful, and perfect for weeknights when you want something nourishing but low-effort. The brown rice cooks up tender and slightly creamy, while the roasted vegetables add nutrients, color, texture, and smoky depth—all on one simple sheet pan. Video.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 1 clove garlic, diced
- 1 cup short-grain brown rice
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3/4 teaspoon sea salt, adjust to taste
- 2 1/2 cups chicken stock or veggie stock
- 1 lb yams, sliced about 1/4 inch thick
- 8 shishito peppers (sub padrone peppers, 2 poblanos or 2 bell peppers)
- 1 red onion, sliced into 1/2 inch rings
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ancho chili powder (optional)
- Pinch salt
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 Fdegrees.
Mexican Rice Recipe
- Saute. In a braiser or Dutch oven, sauté onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add rice and stir 2-3 minutes. This will add a nice nutty flavor.
- Season. Add cumin, tomato paste, dried oregano and salt. Stir until the paste is fully distributed.
- Simmer. Pour in the stock, bring to a boil, cover, and lower to a gentle simmer (medium low heat) until the liquid is fully absorbed, roughly 1 hour. Stir and test the rice for doneness. It may need another 10 -20 minutes, depending on the rice. Turn off the heat, leave covered until ready to serve.
Roasted Veggies ( while rice is simmering)
- In a bowl, toss sliced yams with oil, maple syrup, cumin, chili powder, ancho chili powder, and salt. Place in one layer on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Place the onions on the sheet pan and brush the remaining marinade over them to coat. Add the shishitos to the same bowl, toss with salt and oil if necessary (wait to roast).
- Bake. Place sweet potatoes and onions on the middle rack of the oven, and bake for 20 minutes. Add the shishito peppers to the sheet pan after the 20 minutes. Put back in the oven on broil 3-5 minutes on the middle rack. (Be careful if using parchment- it can catch on fire under the broiler.)
Serve.
- Place a scoop of rice in each dish.
- Arrange yams, onions and shishito peppers on top.
- Garnish with lime wedges, fresh cilantro, sour cream, pickled jalapeños, and pumpkin seeds.
Notes
Instant Pot Mexican Rice: Set Instant Pot to sauté function and follow steps 1 and 2, above. Add stock and seal the lid, close the pressure valve. Set the pressure cooker on high setting for 40 minutes. Let it naturally release for 10 minutes.
Shishito Peppers are becoming more popular. If not available for you, substitute strips of poblano or bell pepper.
Leftovers will keep up to 4 days in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup Mexican rice with 1 cup roasted veggies
- Calories: 445
- Sugar: 8.3 g
- Sodium: 883.8 mg
- Fat: 11.3 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 81.3 g
- Fiber: 8.5 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
