Name: Authentic Cilantro Lime Rice
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 2 cups long grain white rice; 4 cups water; 2 tablespoons olive oil (divided); 1 teaspoon salt; 3 cloves garlic (grated or pressed); 1/2 bunch cilantro (finely chopped); 3 limes (juiced, one zested)

Recipe

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This is the cilantro lime rice recipe for my cilantro & lime lovers out there. It's generous on the portions and with the garlic. It's a win-win.

I’m about to show you why this is the most authentic & best cilantro lime rice out there and why the one extra step separates it from the rest.

Lime Rice with Cilantro

One thing I love about rice is that it’s always there, in the pantry, waiting to solve my side-dish dilemma with very little effort. And since I always have limes, garlic, and cilantro on hand; this is a recipe I make on repeat.

Most recipes out there require you to add lime to the cooked rice and toss it with cilantro, which is disappointing if you expect cilantro-lime rice as good as the one at Chipotle or like the one my Abuela made.

This recipe was her way of using up leftover cooked rice the next day. I’ve adapted it with freshly cooked rice for you since you’re probably looking for a start-to-finish recipe.

For a lower-carb option, try my Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice which is nearly identical and helps all of us make veggies taste great.

Ingredients

The measurements for the ingredients that will transform your plain white rice into epic cilantro lime rice are in the recipe card but before you go rogue and make swaps, you’ll need:

White rice: I recommend long-grain rice. That’s what abuelas everywhere use. Basmati works too.
Water: to cook the rice. No broth or stock for this one.
Olive oil: a little added to the cooking process helps separate the rice kernels.
Salt: seasons the rice.
Garlic: fresh cloves are best or garlic paste.
Cilantro: fresh is best. Be generous…
Limes: fresh limes are essential for the best outcome. You’ll zest one and juice the rest.

Do You Use the Cilantro Stems?

Yes! After you discard the bottom-most part of the cilantro stems on the bunch, you’ll chop your way up the stems. They’re not only edible but also packed with flavor and when you chop it real fine with the leaves, you get more flavor, more cilantro, and less waste.

How to Make Cilantro Lime Rice

The detailed steps for making this cilantro lime rice are written in detail in the recipe card; here are some additional tips in each to ensure the best outcome:

Cook the rice
You’ll cook the rice the usual way; however, one important step noted below is to remove the lid and fluff the rice once it’s done cooking so you can evaporate as much moisture as possible. You’ll be adding lime juice and you don’t want soggy rice.
Prep the garlic, lime, and cilantro
While the rice cooks, grate or mince the garlic cloves, finely chop the cilantro, zest one lime, and juice all 3 limes. You’ll want to have these handy since the cooking process goes fast!
Sauté the garlic
Heat the pan, add the oil, and sauté the garlic for about 15 seconds to make it fragrant, just enough to toast it but not burn it.
Add the rice
Add the cooked rice to the pan, reduce the heat, and break it up using a spatula.
Make it cilantro-lime
Drizzle the lime juice mixed with the lime zest over the rice, top everything with cilantro, and give it a mix with the spatula to combine.
Serve
Turn off the heat and serve the cilantro lime rice warm.

First time making this recipe? Watch this quick video to see the whole process start-to-finish

How to Avoid Mushy Rice

When making cilantro lime rice, the ratio of rice to water should be 1 cup rice to 2 cups water. This is just as important as taking off the lid from the pot and letting the excess moisture evaporate since you’ll be adding more liquid, the lime juice, later.

Learn more tips for cooking perfect white rice every time here.

Making Cilantro Lime Rice with Leftover Cooked Rice

Cooking white rice a day or two ahead saves me the 20 minutes of cooking time for this recipe and it’s one shortcut I employ nearly every week. You’ll need 4 to 5 cups of cooked rice. To get the best results, warm it up in the microwave first and start with warm rice then continue with the sauté portion of the recipe.

What to Serve with Cilantro Lime Rice

This Cilantro Lime Rice is the kind of side dish you can enjoy with sooo many things! It pairs amazingly well with Baked Salmon, Pan-Seared Chicken Breasts, and Cilantro Lime Chicken with Avocado, just to name a few.

Leftovers never go to waste. They get transformed into another meal topped with a couple of fried eggs. Sometimes I give it more ooomph by adding roasted peppers and onions making my house an even better build-your-own meal than at Chipotle.

Authentic Cilantro Lime Rice

Servings: 6

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 25

This is the cilantro lime rice recipe for my cilantro & lime lovers out there. It's generous on the portions and with the garlic. It's a win-win.

5 from 11 votes

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Watch how it’s made:

Ingredients

2 cups long grain white rice
4 cups water
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon salt
3 cloves garlic, grated or pressed
½ bunch cilantro, finely chopped
3 limes , juiced, one zested

Instructions

Cook the rice:

Add the rice, water, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and salt in a pot. Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer for 20 minutes. When the rice is cooked, turn off the heat and keep it covered.

Prep:

Grab a large cutting board and while the rice cooks, prep the ingredients. You'll want to have these handy when you're about to add it to the rice since the process goes fast!
Use a garlic press or a microplane to grate the garlic cloves and set aside. You can also use 3 teaspoons of garlic paste.
Chop the cilantro, stems and all. Be generous, it's okay to add more, I recommend ½ cup chopped (about ½ bunch).
Zest one lime and juice all 3 limes into a small bowl. Set these ingredients on the counter close to the stove.

Turn it all into the best rice ever:

Heat a large non-stick pan or skillet with sides over medium heat. Once hot, add the 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the grated garlic on top of the oil and stir it for 10 to 15 seconds, just enough to toast it but not burn it.
Add the cooked rice to the pan, and using a wooden spatula, break it up so it covers most of the bottom of the pan while mixing it with the garlic. Reduce the heat to low.
Sprinkle the lime zest over the rice, the cilantro, and the lime juice all around the pan. Working quickly, give everything a good toss to combine, and turn off the heat.

Serve & Store:

Serve warm. Once cooled, transfer leftovers into an air-tight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Freeze in ½ cup servings for future meals for up to 3 months.

Notes

Cooking white rice in the rice cooker a day or two ahead saves me 20 minutes of cooking time for this recipe, and it’s one shortcut I employ nearly every week. You’ll need 4 to 5 cups of cooked rice, the 2 cups above at a min. For the best results, warm the rice in the microwave first, and then continue with the sauté portion of the recipe.