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Here’s how to make fluffy cilantro lime rice with lime zest, juice, and fresh herbs. This Chipotle-style side makes every burrito bowl better!
If you’re making a burrito bowl, tacos, or enchiladas, here’s my go-to side dish: this easy Cilantro Lime Rice recipe! Adding cilantro, lime juice and lime zest to plain rice catapults it to an entirely different level.
The ways to serve it are endless: use it in burrito bowls (Chipotle style!), tacos, or as a side for grilled shrimp skewers. It’s so versatile, I’ve made it so many times. Really, any meal is better with a little cilantro lime rice!
5 Star Reader Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “I literally love this recipe, it’s delicious and good for just a random little snack. Thank you for the recipe!” -Alora
How to Make Cilantro Lime Rice
This cilantro lime rice recipe is fast and easy: and only includes a few extra steps to boiling up a pot of rice. But for the amount of flavor it adds, you’ll want to make it this way every time! It takes a pot of rice from bland to irresistible. Here are the basic steps:
- Cook the rice. It starts basic! Use any long-grain rice.
- Stir in salt and garlic powder, then steam 10 minutes. Remove the rice from the heat. Quickly uncover and add garlic powder and salt, then cover and let it steam. This allows the seasonings to infuse while the rice steams.
- Stir in chopped cilantro, lime juice and lime zest. Then uncover and stir in the cilantro and lime! Using both juice and zest infuses the entire pot with tangy flavor.
When to Add Cilantro and Lime to Rice
You’ll want to add the cilantro and lime after you have cooked and steamed the rice. This is important because the cilantro is very delicate. If you boiled it along with the rice, it would lose all flavor and become very soggy.
Lime zest and juice also lose flavor if they’re boiled, so it’s best to add them at the end for the most zingy flavor.
White Rice or Brown Rice?
White rice is best flavor-wise for cilantro lime rice, in our personal opinion. But do you prefer brown rice? There are some health advantages of brown rice vs white rice. Use either one here! Here’s what to know:
- Use long grain rice either way. Short grain doesn’t result in the best texture for this style of rice.
- Brown rice works with the same instructions: just cook it for 45 minutes instead of 15!
How to Make It in a Rice Cooker or Instant Pot
You can also make this recipe in a rice cooker or Instant pot! Here’s what to do:
- Rice cooker: Add 1 cup long grain white rice and water to the 1-cup line, then cook on the white rice setting. When it switches to warm, stir in the salt and garlic powder and close the lid for 10 minutes. Then open and fold in the cilantro, coconut oil, lime juice, and zest.
- Instant Pot: Rinse 1 cup long grain white rice and add it to the pot with 1 cup water. Cook on high pressure for 4 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Stir in the salt, garlic powder, cilantro, oil, and lime. Here’s my full method for Instant Pot white rice.
Ways to Serve Cilantro Lime Rice
Here are a few of my top ways to serve this tasty rice:
- Rice bowls, like a Quick Burrito Bowl, Shrimp Bowl or Easy Rice Bowl
- Burritos like this Vegan Burrito or Easy Breakfast Burrito
- Tacos, like Black Bean Tacos, Fish Tacos or Avocado Tacos
- Enchiladas, like Vegetarian Enchiladas or Black Bean Enchiladas
- Fajitas, like Vegetarian Fajitas or Classic Shrimp Fajitas
- Shrimp, like Perfect Sauteed Shrimp or Grilled Shrimp Skewers
- Salmon, like Pistachio Crusted Salmon, Pecan Crusted Salmon or Blackened Salmon
Make Ahead, Storage & Reheating Tips
Cilantro lime rice works to make ahead; refrigerated it for up to 4 days. To reheat it, place it in a pan on the stovetop, add a few tablespoons of water, and heat over medium heat until warmed through. Adding a squeeze of fresh lime juice also helps to revive the flavors.
You can freeze cilantro lime rice for up to 3 months, though the cilantro will turn darker after it’s frozen and thawed. Add fresh cilantro when serving!
Dietary Notes
This cilantro lime rice recipe is vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.
Easy Cilantro Lime Rice
Here’s how to make fluffy cilantro lime rice with lime zest, juice, and fresh herbs. This Chipotle-style side makes every burrito bowl better!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Gluten-Free, Mediterranean Diet, Vegan, Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1 cup* long grain white rice**
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ cup finely chopped cilantro
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
Instructions
- Add the rice to a saucepan with 2 cups water. Bring it to a boil, then cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until the water is absorbed. While the rice cooks, prep the cilantro, lime juice and lime zest.
- Remove from the heat, then uncover and stir in the salt and garlic powder. Return the cover and allow to steam for 10 minutes. Uncover and stir in the cilantro, coconut oil, lime juice and lime zest. Refrigerate leftovers; to reheat, heat on the stovetop or in the microwave with a few tablespoons water until warmed and moist (you may need to add a pinch more salt).
Notes
*This recipe makes 4 modest servings. For larger servings, make 1.5 or 2 times the recipe.
**You can also use this method with brown rice if you like. Follow the same instructions, but simmer for 45 minutes in Step 1.
Love cilantro?
Of course, we know lots of haters. But not us! Here are a few top cilantro recipes to use this tasty herb:
- Whip up some Cilantro Lime Shrimp
- You’ll want to put this Cilantro Lime Dressing or Cilantro Lime Crema on everything
- Try this irresistible Cilantro Pea Dip
- What’s a Best Salsa Recipe without cilantro?
- This Classic Falafel is worth its weight in gold
This recipe is great. I was wondering if you had directions for the rice if you use a rice cooker?
We don’t, sorry!
I know this is a cilantro dish, but my husband is allergic to cilantro, what if anything could I substitute it with?
You could omit, or use some spinach or basil!
I literally love this recipe, it’s delicious and good for just a random little snack. Thank you for the recipe!
I ADORE this recipe! Thank you for sharing, it’s so delicious. I have a few sensory issues with smell so ive found that if you use butter, the coconut smell isn’t such an issue (BTW this is not meant to say that this recipe isn’t good because of the coconut, its just a little note for those who also have smell issues :))
I really like this recipe because I love cilantro, but the nutrition facts do not list sodium. With 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt I believe that’s over 600mg of sodium. I’m on a low sodium diet and I’m sure there are others so I either do not use salt or cut back on the amount suggested. My only suggestion is to include sodium in nutrition facts.
Hi! This sounds delicious but may I ask why you chose coconut oil?
You could use any fat! We like the taste of the coconut oil.
Question, I read your how to make rice like pasta. Sounds good as mine often is sticky. OK, then the cilantro rice recipe says to cook the rice the traditional way.
So which is it? I’d like to make this recipe with your pasta way of cooking rice.
Please advise. Thanx
Hi! Both methods work, use the boiled method if you prefer a more al-dente rice vs sticky.