Craving the recent, zesty taste of Café Rio’s cilantro lime rice? This copycat recipe brings the proper steadiness of fluffy rice, tangy lime, and fragrant cilantro, making it the best facet dish for tacos, burritos, and even only a scrumptious bowl by itself. With a few easy components, you’ll be able to recreate that vibrant, savory style at dwelling.

*It is a sponsored publish because of my partnership with the Utah Dairy Council.
I’ve discovered that after I make Mexican meals recently I actually need rice and beans with it, identical to the eating places do. I didn’t used to care, however I’ve actually grown to love the rice and beans. We particularly love how straightforward this rice is. There’s a contact of butter within the rice too. Let’s not overlook that. Slightly dairy can completely change a dish for the higher. True story.
I’ll embrace a complete part under for recreating a complete Café Rio meal that features this straightforward rice recipe! Mmmm…now I’m craving some Café Rio!

Components for Cilantro Lime Rice
Whether or not you’re planning to eat this rice as a facet dish for some rooster fajitas or as the bottom for burrito bowls, you’re household goes to adore it! Let’s leap additional into the all of the components you have to!
- Rice: Simply common long-grain white rice will work nice. Jasmine rice and basmati rice would additionally work.
- Water: used to prepare dinner the rice
- Unsalted Butter: provides richness and taste
- Rooster Bouillon: Provides taste to the rice because it simmer.
- Garlic: Recent minced garlic provides you with one of the best taste.
- Cilantro: You’ll be able to’t have an excessive amount of recent cilantro in my view, so seize a bundle from the produce part of the grocery retailer and chop it up.
- Lime: Recent lime juice is certainly most well-liked, however in the event you don’t have lime, the bottled lime juice will work.
- Diced Inexperienced Chiles: I like to go away the juice in for added taste. You’ll be able to dial up the spice right here with medium or sizzling canned chiles. We persist with delicate in our home.
The measurements and particulars for every recipe could be discovered within the recipe card on the finish of the publish.


How one can Make Cilantro Lime Rice on the Range High
I nearly at all times prepare dinner rice on the range prime as of late. I was loyal to the rice cooker, however as time has gone on, I’ve discovered myself having fun with being a little bit extra arms on with rice. It takes a tiny bit extra work, however for me, it’s price it. Listed here are the steps for making this cilantro lime rice recipe together with a photograph of every step under.
- Pour: Add all of the components to a big saucepan over medium-high warmth. Begin with the water adopted by the rice. Then add the inexperienced chiles, garlic, butter, bouillon, chopped cilantro, and the recent lime juice.
- Boil: Give every little thing stir to mix and produce it to a boil.
- Simmer: As soon as it’s boiling, cut back the warmth to low, put a lid on it and let it prepare dinner for 20-Half-hour till the rice is tender.
- Fluff: Take away the lid, fluff the rice with a fork and serve!
These directions are additionally contained within the recipe card on the finish of the publish.
















How one can Make Cilantro Lime Rice in a Rice Cooker
Making this recipe on the range prime is straightforward sufficient, however in order for you it even simpler, use a rice cooker! Add all of the components to the rice cooker, give it stir after which set it to prepare dinner. Put the lid on and also you’re accomplished. When it’s accomplished cooking, fluff the rice and serve.
On the lookout for Low Carb??: We have now a low carb model of this recipe as properly. Attempt our cilantro lime cauliflower rice!
What Can You Substitute For Cilantro?
You’ll be able to substitute cilantro with an equal quantity of recent parsley, tarragon, dill or a mixture of the three.


What to Serve with Cilantro Lime Rice
If you happen to’ve by no means been to Café Rio, let me paint you an image. It’s a fast service restaurant and also you stroll down the prepare dinner line and order precisely what you need as you make your approach towards the register watching your whole meal be made proper earlier than your eyes.
It’s much like Chipotle or Costa Vida. You’ll be able to select a salad, tacos, a burrito, a quesadilla, nachos or enchiladas. You then decide the kind of meat you need adopted by all of the toppings. Every little thing is so recent and scrumptious! Listed here are few extra of our Café Rio Copycat Recipes to create your personal meal at dwelling:
My suggestion…put a do-it-yourself flour tortilla down right into a shallow bowl and prime it with a scoop of this cilantro lime rice. Then add a scoop of our favourite Mexican black beans adopted by a pile of the candy pork or shredded rooster. High that with some shredded lettuce, pico de gallo, guacamole, a sprinkle of cotija cheese and drizzle of the tomatillo dressing. There’s no approach you gained’t adore it!


Storing and Reheating
Leftovers must be saved in an hermetic container within the fridge. They’ll preserve for as much as 5 days. They are often reheated on the range prime or within the microwave. I like so as to add a little bit rooster broth or water earlier than reheating it in order that it doesn’t dry out.
Rice additionally freezes properly. Let it cool fully after which place it in a freezer-safe container. It should preserve for as much as 3 months after which let it thaw within the fridge in a single day and reheat as talked about.


Watch How one can Make This Cilantro Lime Rice at Residence…
Discover ways to make scrumptious and flavorful cilantro lime rice identical to the favored facet dish from Café Rio. This copycat recipe is straightforward to comply with and takes lower than Half-hour with solely 5 minutes of precise hands-on work. I’ve a sense this recipe goes to be in your common dinner rotation everytime you make a Mexican fundamental dish.
Extra Mexican Facet Dishes:
Description
This copycat cilantro lime rice is rather like Cafe Rio’s and it makes the proper addition to any Mexican dish or entree for dinner.
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Pour every little thing in a rice cooker and comply with product directions, or in a pot, warmth to a boil after which add the lid and switch all the way down to low for 20-Half-hour or till tender.
2 Cups Rice, 4 Cups Water, 2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, 2 teaspoons Rooster Bouillon, 1 Clove Garlic, 1 Handful Cilantro, 1/2 Lime, 1 Can Diced Inexperienced Chiles
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Take away the lid, stir to mix every little thing and serve instantly.
Rice will preserve within the fridge for 4-7 days
Energy: 205kcal
Really helpful Merchandise









