This is a recipe I truly only make in the summer. There’s just something extra special about cooking Mexican rice with veggies entirely from your garden. Their own incredible flavours shine here, and the tomato, cilantro, jalapeno addition gives it just enough kick to make it pair incredibly with tacos, enchiladas and more!
If you don’t like zucchini you can omit it – but let me just say that my husbands hates zucchini and he doesn’t mind it here. He also doesn’t really like rice as a side dish and eats this without me harassing him. To me that’s gold star approval, but take that information how you will.
Tips for the Best Summer Mexican Rice
- Use fresh, local, in-season vegetables for the best flavour! If you can’t get things local or in-season, frozen or canned veggies would be better.
- Toast the rice for the best texture and flavour. Toasting the rice allows the grains to stay separate and develop more flavour. It essentially “traps” the starch on the grain and keeps them from getting sticky as well as keeping a bit of bite in the rice.
- Cook the rice and vegetables separately so the rice doesn’t get mushy. Depending on your vegetables, they may release more or less water than expected. Cooking them this way also allows you to cook down your softer vegetables and maintain some crunch in the firmer ones.
- Use what you have available. Feel free to add in other fresh vegetables you have laying around, just make sure you add in recipes you’d like to soften early and leave ones that you’d like to maintain crunch for to add later.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Highlights seasonal flavours when using what’s locally available in the summer.
- Easy to make. It’s hard to mess up Mexican rice when you cook the veggies separate from the rice. No mushy or wet rice here!
- Healthy side dish to go with your Mexican mains! I personally believe that when you serve rice and beans with tacos or enchiladas, the sides should shine just as bright as the main dish.
- Sneaky vegetables. Depending on how picky you, your partner, or your kids are – the tiny bits of vegetables in this rice are delicious and well distributed so you can’t really pick them out. Feel free to chop even smaller for the extra picky ones.
How to Make Summer Mexican Rice
Start the Rice
In a small pot over medium-low heat, toast your rice with the olive oil and salt until the rice turns pearly white (about 2-3 min). Add the broth and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, for 15 minutes.
Cook the Vegetables
While the rice cooks – heat a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the olive oil. Once the oil is shimmering, add the onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent (about 3 min).
Once the onion is soft, stir in the zucchini, carrot, jalapeño, garlic, and half of the salt. Continue to cook the veggies until they begin to soften (another 2-3 min).
Add in the tomato and the remainder of the salt. Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking until the tomato breaks down and the vegetables are incredibly fragrant (another 5 min). Do not let them brown.
Once the rice is mostly cooked but still has some bite (after 15 min), add it to the saucepan with the vegetables. Stir in the peas and cilantro and toss everything together until well mixed. Remove from the heat and cover the rice. Let it sit for 5 minutes for the flavours to mingle and the rice to finish cooking.
Taste for salt and serve with additional fresh cilantro if desired.
What to Serve with Summer Mexican Rice
- Easy Salsa Verde Braised Pork Tostadas
- Crispy Baked Heart of Palm “Fish” Tacos with Cilantro Lime Slaw & Chipotle Mayo
- Fresh and Easy Guacamole
- Pico de Gallo | Fresh Salsa
- Enchiladas Verdes with Roasted Tomatillo Salsa and Pinto Beans
Summer Mexican Rice
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In a small pot over medium-low heat, toast your rice with the olive oil and salt until the rice turns pearly white (about 2-3 min). Add the broth and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, for 15 minutes.
- While the rice cooks – heat a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the olive oil. Once the oil is shimmering, add the onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent (about 3 min).
- Once the onion is soft, stir in the zucchini, carrot, jalapeño, garlic and half of the salt. Continue to cook the veggies until they begin to soften (another 2-3 min).
- Add in the tomato and the remainder of the salt. Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking until the tomato breaks down and the vegetables are incredibly fragrant (another 5 min). Do not let them brown.
- Once the rice is mostly cooked but still has some bite (after 15 min), add it to the saucepan with the vegetables. Stir in the peas and cilantro and toss everything together until well mixed. Remove from the heat and cover the rice. Let it sit for 5 minutes for the flavours to mingle and the rice to finish cooking.
- Taste for salt and serve with additional fresh cilantro if desired.
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