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

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

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

Ingredients  

1x2x3x

Add First

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

Add Later

• ▢ 1½ teaspoon olive oil
• ▢ 3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
• ▢ 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, plus 1/2 teaspoon lime zest (Note 1)

Instructions 

• COMBINE: Combine "add first" ingredients to a medium-sized nonstick pot over medium-high heat.
• BRING TO A BOIL: 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 the heat to low.
• SIMMER: 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.
• REST: 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.
• FINISH: Remove lid, gently fluff rice with fork. Stir in "add later" ingredients. Taste and adjust salt if needed. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

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

Tips: Rice: 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.

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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