Cilantro Lime Rice

This Cilantro-Lime Rice recipe combines the bright flavors of cilantro and lime with fluffy white rice for a flavorful and tasty side dish.

Cilantro-Lime Rice Is…

• Quick and easy: Let the stovetop handle it!
• Simple: Just basic pantry items.
• Versatile: Perfect with tacos, fish, and more.
• Delicious: Fresh, vibrant cilantro and lime flavors.
• A crowd pleaser: Loved by everyone.
• Meal prep friendly: Keeps well, making your week easier.

Cilantro-Lime Rice Ingredients

• Olive oil: Use extra virgin for richer flavor.
• White rice: Choose long-grain and don’t rinse first.
• Water: Use filtered water for a cleaner flavor. We don’t use broth here; the flavor is too savory.
• Salt: Adjust to taste.
• Cilantro: Chop finely for even distribution.
• Lime juice: The heavier the lime, the more juice you’ll get!
• Lime zest: Grate only the green part to avoid bitterness.

How To Make Cilantro-Lime Rice

• Boil: Combine rice, water, salt, and oil in a pot. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low; simmer 13-15 mins.
• Rest: Remove from heat; let stand covered for 10-15 mins.
• Finish: Fluff rice with a fork. Stir in cilantro, lime juice, and zest. 

Recipe Tips

• Avoid boiling rice on high heat; it traps excess steam, affecting texture during simmering. Keep heat at medium-high!
• Use a tight-fitting lid to ensure proper steam retention.
• Let the rice stand after cooking to finish cooking in the steam.

What To Serve With Cilantro-Lime Rice

More Easy Sides:

• Roasted Sweet Potatoes (the most popular side dish on this site!)
• Mexican Salad
• Corn and Tomato Salad
• Smashed Potatoes
• Avocado-Orange Salsa

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5 from 1 vote

Cilantro Lime Rice

By Chelsea Lords

Cilantro-Lime Rice is light, fluffy, and bursting with fresh, zesty flavor—the perfect side to brighten up any meal!

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 13 minutes minutes

Resting Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 28 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings, as a side

Equipment

• Medium pot

Ingredients

1x2x3x

USMetric

Add First

• ▢ 1-1/2 teaspoons olive oil
• ▢ 1 cup long grain white rice
• ▢ 1-1/2 cups water
• ▢ 1 teaspoon fine sea salt

Add Later

• ▢ 1-1/2 teaspoons olive oil
• ▢ 3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
• ▢ 2 limes see note 1

Instructions 

• Combine “add first” ingredients to a medium nonstick pot over medium-high heat.
• Wait until the water starts bubbling gently across the entire surface and you notice a slight foam forming on top. Once this happens, cover the pot with a lid and reduce heat to low.
• Simmer for 13–15 minutes without taking off the lid, touching, or stirring. Check to make sure that water should be fully absorbed into rice.
• After checking, quickly place the lid back on and remove pot from the stove. Let it stand, covered, for 10–15 minutes. It’s important not to rush this step as the rice continues to cook in its own steam.
• Zest and juice limes to get 1/2 teaspoon zest and 3 tablespoons juice. Remove lid and gently fluff rice with fork. Stir in “add later” ingredients. Taste and adjust salt if needed. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Note 1: This will require 1 very large juicy lime or 2 smaller ones. Zest the lime(s) with a zester; juice with a citrus juicer.

Tips: Avoid boiling rice on high heat; it traps excess steam, affecting texture during simmering. Keep heat at medium-high! Use a tight-fitting lid to ensure proper steam retention.

Storage: Store in an airtight container in the fridge, for up to 5 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 198kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 0.5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 589mg | Potassium: 68mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 26IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 0.4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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