Equally at home in a burrito, on the side of a Mexican bowl or with your favourite Latin-American meal, this green rice - or arroz verde - is made with fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves. It’s cooked in one pan and contains just nine ingredients.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my full disclosure for more information.
I’ve been eating green rice for years in Mexican restaurants.
But I had no idea how easy it would be to make it at home.
It’s such a simple way to jazz up plain rice.
And although it’s usually served with Mexican, or other Latin American cuisine, it pretty much goes with everything.
Here's how simple it is to make:
- Blend the coriander (also known as cilantro) leaves with water, chopped green chilli and a little salt.
- Rinse your rice well, until the water runs clear.
- Then fry off onion and garlic, stir through the rice and a little salt and cook for a minute or two.
- Pour over the green liquid, bring to the boil, then cover, simmer and cook.
Voila! Green rice perfection!
Different kinds of green rice - Mexican vs Peruvian
There are many different recipes for green rice but they all have something in common - lots of lovely fresh green herbs.
This green rice recipe is made with fresh coriander (also known as cilantro) leaves. Coriander rice (cilantro rice) - or arroz verde in Spanish - is usually associated with Mexican cooking.
However, it’s also made in Peru. Arroz verde Peruano is made in a similar way but also contains carrots and peas and is usually made with chicken stock. This could be replaced with vegetable stock to make it vegan-friendly.
Green rice could also be made with other herbs - for example parsley - for a different flavour. Some recipes use a mixture of coriander and parsley.
Best rice for green rice
Although any white rice can be used I recommend that you use a long grain white rice for your green rice.
I usually use basmati rice but some recipes recommend jasmine or regular long-grain rice.
Do you need to rinse the rice?
Yes, it’s best to rinse the rice under running water until the water runs clear.
If you have time you could also soak the rice in cold water for 30 minutes before starting this recipe.
Avoid stodgy rice
Rinse the rice before starting the recipe - see above.
Use the amount of water specified below. The aim is for the rice to cook to perfection in the water - it shouldn’t need to be drained afterwards.
Don’t be tempted to remove the lid until 15 minutes has gone by.
Leave the rice to rest for 5-10 minutes after turning off the heat.
How many calories in this dish?
There are 264 calories per serving of this green rice (assuming you use the quantities below and divide by four).
Basmati rice typically has 182 calories per serving. A serving in this recipe is 50g (¼ cup) weight of uncooked rice.
For full nutritional calculation see the recipe card at the end of this post.
Ingredients
- 200g long grain white rice
I prefer basmati rice - 2 tablespoons olive oil
For cooking your onion - 1 onion
Finely chopped then fried - 2 cloves garlic
For flavour - ½ teaspoon salt
Either sea salt or pink Himalayan salt is good
For the green liquid
- 450ml cold water
- 1 green chilli
Add more or less depending on how spicy you like things - 50g coriander (cilantro) leaves
Roughly chop before blending - ½ teaspoon salt
As above I use either pink Himalayan salt or sea salt
To serve
- lime wedges
- extra coriander (cilantro) leaves
Equipment
You will need:
- Blender*
- Saucepan with lid*
- Chopping board*
- Sharp knife*, mezzaluna* or herb scissors
- Weighing scales - I prefer digital*
- Jug*
- Measuring spoons*
- Sieve*
Special diets
This recipe is suitable for the following diets:
- gluten free
- egg free
- dairy free
- vegan
- vegetarian
Storage
Green rice is best eaten straight away.
However, if you do have leftovers you can store as follows:
Fridge
Cool the rice completely and as quickly as possible to avoid the risk of food poisoning.
Spreading it out on a baking tray or shallow bowl will speed this up.
Transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to three days.
When ready to eat reheat until piping hot.
Freezer
Rice can also be frozen, although the texture may not be exactly the same once defrosted.
Cool your rice as rapidly as possible (see note above about spreading it out).
Transfer to a freezer box or bag and label with the name and date.
Cooked rice can be frozen for up to one month.
When ready to eat, defrost in the fridge overnight and reheat until piping hot.
Reheating
The best way to reheat your green rice is in the microwave. Be sure that the rice is piping hot before serving.
If you have a food thermometer you can check that it is 75°C (167°F) before serving.
If you don’t have a microwave you can reheat on the stove top. You may need to add a few spoonfuls of water to stop it from sticking.
What to serve with green rice
Green rice goes well with so many dishes.
We love it in burritos and any of these dishes go well on the side:
If you like this you might also like this Mexican rice.
Pin green rice for later
How to make green rice
1. First of all give your rice a good rinse under running water until the water is clear.
2. Put the water into your blender with a chopped green chilli, roughly chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves and a little salt.
3. Blend until you have a green liquid.
4. Fry your onion until soft.
5. Add crushed garlic and cook for a further minute.
6. Add the rice and some salt. Cook for a minute or two, stirring often.
7. Pour over the coriander liquid and stir well.
8. Bring to the boil, then stir again, reduce the heat to low and cover with a lid.
9. Cook for 15 minutes without removing the lid then turn off the heat and leave to rest for 5-10 minutes.
10. Serve with extra coriander and lime wedges.
If you have made this recipe and loved it please consider leaving a comment and rating below.
One-pot green rice
Equipment
- saucepan with lid
- knife or herb chopped
- Measuring jug
Ingredients
- 200 g basmati rice*
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 450 ml cold water
- 1 green chilli chopped
- 50 g coriander leaves (cilantro) chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt
To serve
- lime wedges
- extra coriander
Instructions
- Rinse rice until the water runs clear.
- Blend 450ml water with the chopped green chilli, the coriander and ½ teaspoon salt.
- Heat a large saucepan and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the chopped onion and fry until soft. Add 2 crushed cloves of garlic and fry for a further minute.
- Pour in the rinsed rice and ½ teaspoon of salt. Stir until the onion is well combined and the rice is lightly toasted.
- Pour in the watery green mix and stir well.
- Bring to the boil then cover with a lid and reduce the heat to low.
- Cook for 15 minutes without removing the lid. The rice should have absorbed all the water - if it hasn’t return the lid and cook for 2 more minutes.
- Once the water has been absorbed stir well turn off the heat and leave for 5 minutes.
- Serve with extra coriander and lime wedges.
Notes
- Nutritional information is approximate and is intended as a guide only.
- This recipe has been tested with basmati rice. If using another type of rice the cooking time may differ.
Nutrition
HAVE YOU TRIED THIS RECIPE?
If you loved this recipe why not let me know by leaving a rating and comment below? Alternatively you can let me know on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook.
FREE GUIDE TO ESSENTIAL VEGAN INGREDIENTS
Subscribe to get recipes and news straight to your inbox plus get my FREE guide to essential vegan ingredients.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure for more information.
*Disclaimer: this is an affiliate link meaning that if you buy something after clicking on it I’ll receive a small commission, which I will probably spend on buying more ingredients for recipes! The price to you remains the same. Thanks for supporting Cook Veggielicious. Read my full disclosure.
Leave a Reply