But you don’t want to just toss plain rice with cilantro and lime juice and call it a day. Well, you could, but the rice wouldn’t be close to as good as it could be. Cilantro lime rice made well is irresistible. As in, “as soon as you finish one batch, you’ll want to make another” irresistible. Or, “take your hands off my food, this is all for me” irresistible. Tips for making the best ever cilantro lime rice? First, use basmati long grain rice. It’s more aromatic than plain rice and the flavor complements the cilantro and lime. Second, start by lightly browning the rice in some olive oil. It’s how we normally make rice pilaf or Spanish rice. The browning brings out wonderful flavor in the rice that you can’t get any other way. This is the main difference between this recipe and other recipes you may find online for cilantro lime rice. Finally, use fresh limes and toss some grated lime zest in with the water that you add to the rice. The lime oils in the zest will infuse the rice with lime flavor as it cooks. At the very end, after the rice is cooked and fluffed, you’ll add in chopped fresh cilantro and lime juice.
Video: Cilantro Lime Rice
Add the garlic and cook a minute more. Cook undisturbed for 15 minutes (check your rice package instructions), then remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork. Serve with chicken, steak, shrimp, Mexican or Asian food.
