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Cilantro Lime Rice

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Cilantro lime rice is an easy side dish that will spice up just about any main. I absolutely love jazzing up some rice with the delicious fresh flavors of cilantro and lime for burritos, tacos, or served with cilantro lime chicken. It’s the perfect side dish! 

This cilantro lime rice recipe doesn’t take much more work than making regular rice, but the flavor is so much better. A couple extra steps will bring your rice game to a whole new level. 

An overhead shot of cilantro lime rice surrounded by lime and cilantro.

How To Make It

I like to make my rice on the stovetop. If you have a rice cooker, that works just as well.

I love using white rice when I make cilantro lime rice, but it tastes great with brown rice if you’re looking to keep things on the healthy side. 

To make cilantro lime rice:

  1. Bring water to a boil. 
  2. Add the rice and salt. Cover, and cook for 15-20 minutes or until rice is cooked.
  3. Allow to sit for 5 minutes, then fluff rice with a fork. Stir in butter, lime juice, lime zest, and cilantro. 

Serve cilantro lime rice with your favorite tex mex meals, or alongside a main like Peruvian chicken or short ribs

A knife chopping cilantro on a cutting board with limes and rice on it.

Here’s How Much Rice To Make Per Person

I have found that 1 cup of rice will comfortably serve 2-3 people. If you’re feeding a family of 4, I would suggest doubling this recipe for safety! 

If you’re using the rice in burritos or tacos, 1 cup will definitely be more than enough! 

How Much Water?

Depending on the rice you’re cooking, these amounts will be different. A 2-1 ratio of water to rice is standard, but some types of rice will have a 1.5:1 ratio of water to rice. Remember to double check your rice package before you get cooking! 

Can You Freeze It? 

You bet! Cilantro lime rice freezes well. To freeze it, place the rice in freezer bags for up to 6 months (I like to label the date on them). To reheat, just add 2 tablespoons of water or broth per cup of rice, and reheat in the microwave or in a sauce pan. 

A serving bowl of cilantro lime rice surrounded by lime wedges.

More Delicious Side Dishes

An overhead shot of cilantro lime rice surrounded by limes and cilantro.
5 from 2 ratings

Cilantro Lime Rice

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Bailey
This easy cilantro lime rice recipe takes a classic side dish up a notch with fresh and delicious flavors.
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Ingredients

  • 1 cup white basmati rice
  • salt pinch, to taste
  • 2 cups water or low sodium chicken broth
  • â…“ cup cilantro chopped
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice fresh
  • 1 teaspoon lime zest

Instructions

  • Bring water to a boil. Add rice and salt, cover, and cook for 15-20 minutes or until rice is cooked. Then turn heat off and allow rice to steam for an additional 3-5 minutes.
  • Fluff rice with a fork. Stir in butter, lime juice, lime zest, and cilantro. Top with additional cilantro for garnish.
Tried this recipe?Please leave a rating and review!
Calories: 196kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 34mg | Potassium: 53mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 177IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg

Tried this recipe? Let me know how you liked it below! 

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A bowl of cilantro lime rice with text overlay that reads "the best cilantro lime rice"

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5 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

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