Cilantro lime rice that you can cook on the stove top or in a rice cooker! This cilantro lime rice recipe has subtle fresh citrussy and cilantro flavors and is the perfect side dish for Mexican and Asian recipes.
Boring plain rice? Not around here! You might have noticed that I’m on a bit of a mission to jazz up our rice routine.
We eat rice 2-3 times per week, and it’s the same every time. Salt and pepper. That’s it.
The truth is, all it takes is a few simple ingredients, and less than 5 minutes of prep time to bring a ton of flavor to your rice! Example: this cilantro lime rice recipe.
Because all we need is a lime and some fresh herbs, no sauteeing is needed, meaning we can cook this cilantro lime rice in the rice cooker! Stove top instructions are also included.
Looking for rice recipes? Check out this post with 7 Easy Rice Recipes!
How to make cilantro lime rice
Like the other rice recipes in this series, you don’t need to sautee anything, and you can cook it either in a rice cooker (I love the Aroma 8 Cup Rice Cooker
) or in a pot.
- Rinse rice under the tap using a colander. Honestly? I skip this half the time. But for the fluffiest rice, I recommend rinsing.
- Combine all ingredients in a pot (with minimum capacity of 8 cups), or a rice cooker (I love the Aroma 8 Cup Rice Cooker
) - Cook! If you are using a rice cooker, just press the ‘white rice’ button. If you are using the stove top method, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer (covered) for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand (covered) for another 10 minutes before stirring in the lime juice and cilantro leaves.
Can I use jasmine rice in this recipe? Brown rice? Any other rice? This cilantro lime rice recipe will work well with a long grain white rice such as jasmine or basmati, but this particular recipe has only been tested with basmati. It should work as written for jasmine as well.
Brown rice *may* work, but you will need to increase the cook time as indicated on the package. Par-boiled/pre-cooked rice won’t work in this recipe.
Can I freeze this cilantro lime rice recipe? YES. This rice recipe freezes well. You can freeze it in meal prep containers or in freezer bags (I love these re-usable silicone freezer bags
!). Some people add a little bit of water when re-heating freeze/thawed rice, as it does end up slightly dryer than fresh rice. You *may* wish to leave out the cilantro leaves if you plan on freezing this recipe, and them adding them fresh, however I enjoyed the rice recipe as written after freeze/thaw.
Can I cook this recipe in the Instant Pot? I have not tried, but I bet it would work! I’d refer to this tutorial for Fail Proof Instant Pot Rice and remember to adjust the cooking liquid/rice ratio to 1:1.
Can I use cauliflower rice? Yes! Check out this Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice Recipe!
What goes well with this lime cilantro rice recipe?
This rice recipe is infused with subtle citrus and herb flavors that pair well with Mexican and Asian recipes. Here are some ideas:
- these Fajita Chicken Skewers
- this Instant Pot Thai Chicken Curry
- these Thai Salmon Patties
- roasted veggies tossed in this Easy Homemade Fajita Seasoning
Tips for perfect cilantro lime rice
- I recommend rinsing your rice under the tap through a collander
- I love the Aroma 8 Cup Rice Cooker, but if you have a large family, you might want to consider the Aroma 20 Cup Rice Cooker
- Looking for more rice recipes? Check out this Instant Pot Wild Rice Pilaf, this Mexican Rice Recipe, or this post with all 7 Easy Rice Recipes
Cilantro Lime Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup basmati rice rinsed
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil (no need to melt)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- zest of 1 lime
- 2 cups water
After cooking
- 1/2 cup cilantro leaves chopped
- juice of 1/2 a lime
Instructions
Stove Top
- In a medium pot, combine the basmati rice, coconut oil, salt, lime zest and water.
- Cover and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer (covered) for 15 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let sit for another 10 minutes before adding the cilantro and lime juice and stirring up.
Rice Cooker
- Spritz your rice cooker insert with some spray oil. Add the basmati rice, coconut oil, salt, lime zest and water.
- Cook using the 'white rice' function (or regular function if there is not a white rice option).
- Once the cook time is up, stir in the cilantro and lime juice before serving.
Andy
coconut oil isn’t something I generally have sitting around the house. Any suggestions for a substitution?
Denise
Hi Andy! Just back from holidays, apologies for my late reply. You can leave it out, or you can swap for butter. Hope you enjoy!
Andy Shearer
coconut oil isn’t something I generally have sitting around the house. Any suggestions for a substitution?
Sharon
Please cut back on the ads on your website. It’s reached the point where I can’t even get to the recipes.
Denise
Hi Sharon, there is a “jump to recipe” button that you’re free to use at the top of each page. I think you can also agree that the ads are not as bad as most media websites these days. These are free recipes that I’m sharing here. Thanks for your feedback.