Rice is a common food ingredient worldwide, and there are many varieties of this grain and many ways that it can be prepared. 

This grain can be white or brown. There are also red, purple, and black varieties of rice grains. 

White rice is a grain of rice that has been milled to remove the bran and germ layers

Many cultures have come up with their own unique rice recipes where they make use of different ingredient to make rich flavored rice dishes.

Mexican rice is a rice dish common in Mexican cuisine. It has a reddish hue but is often made from white rice  

In this post, we discuss about Mexican rice and how it gets its reddish hue as well as compare it nutritionally with white rice  

Mexican rice gets its color from the tomato sauce 

White rice could simply be boiled or steamed and served with a sauce. 

some rice dishes are made simply with white rice whereas other make use of additional ingredients to add a distinct flavor or color to white rice 

Mexican rice is a dish made from the white grain rice but gains its orange color by cooking it in a tomato sauce. 

The tomato sauce and spices used in these dishes gives it it’s flavor.

What is Mexican rice

Mexican rice is sometimes known as Spanish rice, red rice, or arroz rojo. 

This dish is popular all over Mexico and in areas in the United States with a large Mexican population 

A Mexican staple and an easy dish to make 

Mexican Rice is a dish that is made from white rice. medium or long-grain white rice is used to make Mexican rice. Brown rice can also be used if you want a healthier option 

The grains have a reddish orange color Which comes from the tomatoes and broth 

The rice is soaked, then toasted in oil which also give the rice a toasted flavor 

A sauce of Tomato, onion, garlic, chicken broth, is added to the rice and the mixture is allowed to simmer  

The dish can be seasoned with salt, coriander, cumin, parsley, cilantro, oregano and chili powder. 

Fresh tomatoes or canned tomatoes are also used to make Mexican rice. 

Carrots, peas and red bell pepper can be used to garnish the dish 

Regional variations in the recipe and choice of ingredients 

Mexican rice can be served with fried fish, fried chicken. It is eaten as a side dish for enchiladas, tacos, fajitas, carne asada. 

Which is healthier, white rice or Mexican rice?

White rice grains have been processed to remove the bran and germ layers. 

This strips the white rice of a lot of their nutrients. Often these grains are enriched with nutrient by manufacturers 

Sometimes white rice can be prepared by boiling the grains in water without any additional ingredient and eaten with a sauce 

The preparation of white rice is carbohydrate dense and lacking in a lot of other important nutrients. 

Mexican rice is a dish that combines other ingredients including green peas, carrots, onions, tomatoes with white rice grains enhancing the nutritional quality of the dish including the protein and fiber content  

For an even greater enhancement in nutritional content, brown rice can be used in place of white rice in Mexican rice.