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Cilantro lime rice is an easy way to turn plain white rice into something brighter and more flavorful. The rice stays fluffy, while fresh lime, cilantro, and garlic give it enough flavor to stand on its own without taking over the rest of your meal.
I use this cilantro and lime rice anywhere I’d normally make white rice, especially with savory, spicy, sweet, or saucy dishes. Serve it with Pan Seared Shrimp, Peruvian Chicken, or use it as the base for Salmon Bowls.
Why Make Cilantro Lime Rice
- More flavor than plain rice: Lime, cilantro, and garlic give you a fresh, flavorful side without needing a sauce or long list of ingredients.
- Easy to use with dinner: It works with chicken, seafood, steak, tacos, bowls, curries, and other saucy mains.
- Fluffy instead of gummy: A few small details, like rinsing the rice and letting it rest, make a noticeable difference in the final texture.
- Useful beyond one meal: Make it for dinner, then use leftovers for bowls, tacos, or meal prep.
Ingredients Needed
- Long-grain white rice: This is my first choice because the grains cook up light and separate. Rinsing it first also removes some of the excess starch on the outside.
- Water or low-sodium chicken broth: Water lets the fresh lime and cilantro stand out most. Chicken broth gives the rice a slightly more savory flavor.
- Olive oil or butter: Either one adds a little richness and flavor to the rice.
- Sea salt: Seasoning the cooking liquid gives you better-flavored rice from the beginning.
- Fresh garlic: Adding it with the finishing ingredients keeps the garlic flavor noticeable.
- Fresh lime: You’ll use both the zest and juice, so zest it before cutting.
- Fresh cilantro: Stir it in after cooking so it keeps more of its fresh flavor and color.
How to Make Cilantro Lime Rice
Rinse the rice
Rinse until the water is mostly clear, then drain well. This removes excess surface starch so the grains cook up less sticky.
Cook until tender
Bring the rice and cooking liquid to a boil, then cover and simmer gently. Keep the lid closed so you don’t lose the steam the rice needs to cook evenly.
Rest before fluffing
Take the cooked rice off the heat and leave it covered. This gives the moisture time to settle and helps the grains stay fluffy.
Add the cilantro and lime
Fluff the rice first, then fold in the garlic, lime, and cilantro. The finished rice should have separate grains with the fresh ingredients evenly mixed throughout.
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Can I Make Cilantro Lime Rice in a Rice Cooker?
Yes. A rice cooker works well for this recipe, especially if you’re already using the stovetop for the rest of dinner.
Use your machine’s directions for cooking long-grain white rice since the amount of liquid can vary by model. Once the rice is cooked and rested, fluff it before adding the garlic, lime zest, lime juice, and cilantro.
I still prefer adding those ingredients at the end. The lime tastes fresher, and the cilantro keeps more of its flavor and color.
Tips for the Best Cilantro Lime Rice
- Drain the rice well: Water left behind after rinsing becomes part of your cooking liquid and can make the rice softer than expected.
- Don’t cook it at a hard boil: Once the pot reaches a boil, lower the heat so the rice has time to absorb the liquid evenly.
- Keep the lid closed: Repeatedly opening the pot releases the steam the rice needs to cook.
- Don’t skip the rest: Letting the rice sit covered before fluffing helps improve the texture without adding another ingredient or step.
- Fluff before mixing: Loosen the grains first so you can fold in the cilantro and lime without mashing the rice.
- Taste before adding more lime: Some limes are much juicier or more tart than others. Adjust the finished rice rather than automatically adding more.
What to Serve With Cilantro Lime Rice
Cilantro lime rice works well anywhere you’d normally serve plain white rice, especially with meals that are savory, spicy, sweet, or saucy.
For taco night, serve it with Shredded Chicken Tacos, Baked Chicken Tacos, Steak Tacos, or Pork Carnitas. If you’re building a taco plate or bowl, Pico de Gallo, Guacamole, or Avocado Cream Sauce can add freshness, creaminess, or another layer of lime flavor.
It’s also an easy base for bowls. Use it with Salmon Bowls, Buffalo Chicken Bowls, grilled chicken, Pan Seared Shrimp, steak, or Peruvian Chicken. From there, add vegetables like my Fajita Veggies and whatever sauce or toppings make sense for the meal.
Don’t limit it to tacos and bowls, though. This rice is especially useful with mains that have plenty of sauce. Try it with Red Curry Shrimp, Air Fryer Teriyaki Chicken Thighs, or Teriyaki Salmon. The rice catches the extra sauce, while the lime and cilantro help keep richer, sweeter, or spicier dishes from feeling too heavy.
Storage & Reheating
- Refrigerate: Let the rice cool, then store it in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: Freeze individual portions in freezer-safe containers for up to 2 months.
- Reheat: Add a small splash of water before reheating so the rice can steam and soften again. Reheat it in the microwave or gently on the stovetop.
- For meal prep: Keep the rice separate from sauces and wet toppings when possible so it holds its texture better.
FAQs
Add them after the rice has cooked and rested. This keeps the lime flavor fresh and prevents the cilantro from spending the entire cooking time wilting in the pot.
Too much liquid, rice that wasn’t drained well after rinsing, or overcooking can all make it softer than expected. Stirring the rice repeatedly while it cooks can also break up the grains and make the texture feel gummy.
I prefer long-grain white rice because it gives you fluffy, separate grains. Jasmine and basmati rice can also work, but they have their own flavor and may need a different amount of cooking liquid.
Yes. Cook and cool the rice, then refrigerate it in an airtight container. Add a small splash of water when reheating to help bring some moisture back into the grains.
Cilantro Lime Rice
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Ingredients
- 1 cup White Rice, long-grain
- 2 cups Water, or low sodium chicken broth for more flavor
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil, or butter
- 1/2 tsp Natural Ancient Sea Salt
- 3 cloves Garlic, finely minced
- 1 Lime, you need the zest and the juice
- 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
Instructions
- Rinse the rice: Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs mostly clear. Drain well.
- Bring to a boil: Add the rice, water or broth, olive oil or butter, and salt to a saucepan. Bring to a boil.
- Cover and simmer: Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 15–18 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.
- Prep the fresh ingredients: While the rice cooks, zest and juice the lime, mince the garlic, and chop the cilantro.
- Rest the rice: Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the rice sit, covered, for 5–10 minutes.
- Fluff and finish: Fluff the rice with a fork. Stir in the garlic, lime zest, lime juice, and cilantro. Taste and add more salt or lime juice, if needed.
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Recipe Notes
- Drain well after rinsing: Extra water left on the rice can make the finished texture softer.
- Keep the lid closed: The trapped steam helps the rice cook evenly and finish cooking while it rests.
- Add the fresh ingredients last: Stirring in the garlic, lime, and cilantro after cooking keeps their flavors noticeable and the cilantro fresh.
- Water vs. broth: Water keeps the lime and cilantro front and center. Low-sodium chicken broth gives the rice a more savory flavor.
- Rice cooker: Add the rinsed rice, water or broth, oil or butter, and salt to your rice cooker. Cook according to the manufacturer’s directions for long-grain white rice. Rest and fluff the rice, then stir in the garlic, lime zest, lime juice, and cilantro.
Nutrition Details
The nutrition facts come from entering the recipe ingredients into a database of food ingredients. They may vary for any recipe based on the exact product used.
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