Cafe Rio’s Cilantro Lime Rice
This Cilantro Lime Rice is made with a little butter, rice, limes, and cilantro. It’s the perfect Mexican side dish and a staple in our Cafe Rio meals.
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CILANTRO LIME RICE
One of our favorite meals to make for company is our copycat Cafe Rio. We live thousands of miles away from the nearest Cafe Rio and so recreating it is as good as it gets.
We like to make their salads with the Sweet Barbacoa Pork, this Cilantro Lime Rice, black beans, lettuce, Pico de Gallo, and then drizzled in this Creamy Tomatillo Dressing.
I make it for Bunko, company, church functions…you name it!
Can you believe that rice used to be my biggest challenge? For the life of me, I could not cook rice without screwing it up. Now, I can make this rice with my eyes closed!
HOW TO MAKE CILANTRO LIME RICE
- In a skillet melt butter with rice.
- Add the chicken broth and the rest of the ingredients.
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
COMMON QUESTIONS
- Can I freeze this? Yes, this freezes well. Just reheat in the oven at 350 degrees until warm. You may need to add some chicken broth to moisten it.
- Can I double this recipe? Double, triple, quadruple it. In fact, I almost always double it since it only makes about 4-6 servings.
- Can I make this ahead of time? Yes. Just make as directed and store in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave or oven at 350 degrees.
OTHER MEXICAN RECIPES
- Sopapilla Cheesecake
- Taco Pizza
- Caramel Apple Taquitos
- Horchata
- Pico De Gallo
- Easy Fried Ice cream
- Carmelitas
- Homemade Guacamole
- Baked Chicken Chimichangas
Cafe Rio’s Cilantro Lime Rice
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- pepper to taste
- 1 ¼ cup uncooked white rice
- juice and zest 1 large or 2 small limes
- 2 ¼ cups chicken broth
- 2 Tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
Instructions
- In a skillet melt butter with rice. Add the chicken broth and the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
Notes
Love this recipe and I’ve made it a handful of times! Do you think it would turn out if I made it in a rice cooker? I would just put everything in and turn it on.
Sure! It should
Use this every time!!
Thank you!
Have you made this in a rice cooker? If so did you change anything?
I haven’t sorry
OMG!! This is delicious. Several years ago I made all of the “Cafe Rio” items for my husbands birthday. Everyone loved it. I make it often. We all love it! Thank you so much for these awesome recipes! 5 stars
Wow! A lot of work but delicious!
I’ve been making this rice for years! It’s a favorite among my family and friends! I agree, it is much better than Cafe Rio’s rice!
Do you, by chance, have nutritional information for this recipe?
I can add it!
Made this rice recently. My 12 year old granddaughter who loves rice said this is now her favorite of all time! It was really good!
So glad you loved it!
Have you made this with dried cilantro?
no but you could!
My taste buds never pick up on the dehydrated cilantro flavor, so I always use fresh….why not, it is one of the cheapest flavorings in your refrigerated section in produce!
This recipe is on repeat, paired with Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas!
Yes! Great combo!
This looks great! Any thoughts on if this would work with brown rice instead of white?
By the way, I described your easy churro recipe to my husband, and I was like “DO NOT let me bring an angel food cake home from the store!!” haha 🙂
Nevermind! I just saw the other person’s question about this! 🙂
Haha yep dangerous to have it be so easy!
Very simple and yummy! Have made this recipe a few times now.
Thank you! We love it.
Can you use brown rice?
Brown rice takes longer to cook but you can use it!
Your recipes are incredible. Tastes just like cafe rio!! I’ve done the lime rice,pork and the tomatillo dressing and oh my gosh!! I’ve also gotten aluminum cake pans threw a burrito sized tortilla and some caso fresco and cheddar cheese and popped in 400 oven for a few min. Absolutely the best thing!!
And now I’m drooling. Thank you!
I actually don’t think this tastes like Cafe Rio rice. It is better. Waaaaaay better.
Hey, I’ll take it!
how low do you turn it down once it boils?
Turn it all the way to low so that it’s just barely simmering.
How many servings is this?
I want to say around 6 servings…
Can’t wait to try all your cafe rio recipes. I grew up in Utah but married a southern boy. Now we live just south of Memphis. Every time we go visit family and friends in Utah we go straight from the airport to Cafe Rio.
@Anonymous,
Use the kind that takes time to cook.
Do you use instant “minute” rice or the kind that takes time to cook?