• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
The Kitchen and a Latte
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • How to
  • Meal Planning
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Meal Planning
  • How to
  • About Us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Meal Planning
    • How to
    • About Us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » side dishes

    Cilantro Lime Rice with Garlic

    Published: May 2, 2021 · Updated: May 2, 2021 by Dawn · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe

    This cilantro lime rice recipe is one of the easiest dishes to make. It has only a few simple ingredients including lime, cilantro, garlic and salt along with some olive oil.

    rice prepared in a dish ready to be served with lime on a plate next to it for decoration

    Do you like rice with your fajitas or homemade tacos? We love it on them here but plain rice is rather boring and bland. This is where this easy cilantro lime rice comes in! We put garlic in ours to add the extra flavor, it is the perfect combination. Sometimes I even serve it as a side with stuffed chicken.

    To get the best flavor we highly recommend using a mortar and pestle. The link is to the same one I use all the time - just about everyday. It is double sided and I use the shallow side for coarse things like sea salt. The deeper side is what I use for mixing herbs and blending in garlic for dishes like this. The flavor you get is so much better when the herbs are blended together.

    Frequently asked questions

    What if I don't have a mortar and pestle?

    You can still make this even without a mortar and pestle, it just makes it a little easier using one. You can place the garlic, cilantro and sea salt on a cutting board - be careful if using glass so you don't break the board. Use the bottom of a flat cup (like a coffee mug) to mash them together on the cutting board. You can also use a rolling pin to mash them together.

    Can I make cilantro lime rice in Instant Pot?

    Yes you can! Cook the rice according to directions in the Instant Pot depending on the rice you use. For basmati you would cook high pressure for 6 minutes and do a 10 minute natural release before manually releasing the rest. Stir in the seasoning mix and serve!

    Do I have to use chicken broth?

    No you can also use vegetable broth, it tastes amazing with homemade vegetable broth even!

    If you don't have broth or would rather not use it, you can use water as well. I always add a little oil or butter to my rice if I am using water when cooking it.

    Do I have to add the seasoning after cooking?

    It is recommended to make it this way to get the best flavor. Cooking with cilantro in the rice can make it overpowering but also change the flavor a bit. You also won't taste the lime as much if you add it to the rice before cooking.

    The flavors are more intense if you stir the seasoning in at the end, it will definitely taste better.

    What is the best rice to use?

    Basmati or even Jasmine, but basmati is our favorite here. It has the perfect texture when cooked and doesn't clump together as easy after cooking.

    Cilantro lime rice in a bowl ready to be served

    Cilantro Lime Rice with Garlic

    Dawn
    The perfect rice to go with tacos, fajitas or even served as a side dish. Cilantro lime rice is easy to make with just a few simple ingredients.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe SaveSaved!
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 20 mins
    Total Time 30 mins
    Course Side Dish
    Cuisine Mexican
    Servings 6
    Calories 234 kcal

    Equipment

    • Mortar and pestle recommended see notes
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 garlic cloves
    • ¼ cup cilantro fresh leaves
    • ½ teaspoon coarse sea salt see notes
    • 1 lime
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 3 cups chicken broth low sodium - see notes
    • 1½ cups basmati rice

    Instructions
     

    • Add garlic cloves, sea salt and cilantro to the mortar and pestle (see notes if not using one.) Mash into a paste.
    • Squeeze the juice from the lime into the seasoning mix and add in the olive oil. Mix together and set aside.
    • Rinse the rice until the water runs clear.
    • Bring the broth to a boil and add in the rice. Cook until the liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.
    • Remove from heat and stir in the seasoning mix.
      Serve and enjoy!

    Notes

    Serving sizes and nutritional facts are estimated.  Serving sizes are based on being a side dish.
    A mortar and pestle is recommended here.  If you do not have one there are instructions in the post above to use a cutting board.
    You can substitute table salt for sea salt, sea salt has just a little less sodium but not much.  We recommend Himalayan salt but you can use what you like.  If you use a broth with full sodium you won't need too much salt.  Adjust to taste.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 234kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 6gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 232mgPotassium: 174mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 51IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 24mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    More Side Dish Recipes

    • Cranberry Sauce With Orange and Cinnamon
    • Easy Lentil Pasta Salad
    • Grilled Ranch Potatoes in Foil Packs
    • Best Grilled Potato Wedges

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Meet Dawn

    Dawn Conklin profile picture
    Hey there! Welcome to our fun and delicious place on the Internet. I am Dawn - the kitchen mess maker, recipe developer and the one behind the scenes. I share recipes that you can make with mostly simple ingredients. Welcome to our kitchen where life is full of good food and lattes!

    .

    More about me →

    Side Dishes

    • Easy Taco Pasta Salad
    • 45 Best Side Dishes for Baked Ham
    • Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole
    • Candied Sweet Potato Casserole

    We use affiliate links

    We have affiliate links on our blog which means at no extra cost to you, we may earn a commission if you click on a link from our site.  Please read our affiliate disclosure for more details.

    Amazon Disclosure:

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases

    Footer

    We share free recipes for you to enjoy.  All recipes have been tested here before sharing.  There are various reasons why something might not turn out the same.  Our altitude is low, we use a gas stove and gas grill here.  Different devices cook differently, please adjust accordingly.

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Photo Use Policy
    • Stories
    • Terms and Conditions

    Copyright © 2023 Kitchen and a Latte LLC