Copycat Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe

Have you ever sat around and wondered how to make cilantro lime rice like Qdoba? Oh… just me? Well anyway, I have you covered with this oh so good cilantro lime rice recipe.

I often double or triple a batch of this flavorful cilantro lime rice to keep in hand in the fridge. This tasty rice is a great addition to so many meals. For example, stuffed burritos, side for fajitas, or the base of a meal prep lunch.

Cilantro lime rice is a flavorful and easy rice side dish recipe. This is most often served as a side dish to a Mexican inspired meal.

How To Make Cilantro Lime Rice

First, and perhaps most important, rinse the basmati rice thoroughly. The rinsing removes the starches from the grain and prevents the rice from getting sticky after cooking. It took me way too long to learn this so you can learn from my mistakes.

Also, make sure that you are cooking the rice in a pot that is much larger than the finished rice.

Next, bring three cups of water to a boil, then add one and a half cups of rice (rinsed well). Lower the heat to a simmer and cook with a lid on for ten minutes.

After ten minutes, remove from heat and let the basmati rice sit for ten additional minutes.

While the rice is “resting”, mix one and a half tablespoon olive oil, one third cup lime juice, one-quarter cup chopped fresh cilantro, and two teaspoons salt.

Next, gently fluff the rice and mix in the lime and cilantro mixture.

There you go, easy cilantro lime rice in under thirty minutes.

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Appliances and Gadgets Used

I use a large dutch oven for a lot of my cooking and this is what I use when I cook my basmati rice. I love the size and heaviness.

To juice fresh lime, I use a citrus squeezer. Simple with minimal cleanup. I also found this squeezer on Amazon with great reviews and a lower price.

Tips and Tricks

• This tip is worth repeating. – Be sure to rinse the rice thoroughly. Rinsing removes the starches on the rice and prevents the rice from getting sticky during cooking.
• This seasoned basmati rice recipe is a perfect base for meal prep. Use the seasoned basmati rice as a base for a chicken fajita bowl, shrimp fajita bowl, or a burrito bowl.

If You Like Cilantro Lime Rice You May Also Like:

• Queso Fundido with Chorizo – A bubbly hot skillet of melted cheese, chorizo, and sauteed onions and peppers.
• Sheet Pan Shrimp Fajita Bowls – These shrimp and veggies with cilantro lime rice are not only an easy and healthy dinner option but are perfect for meal prep.

Cilantro Lime Rice

Yield: 6 Servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Additional Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

This cilantro lime rice recipe is so flavorful and similar to Qdobas and Chipotles. A perfect side dish to tacos, enchiladas, and fajitas.

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Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups Basmati rice
• 3 cup water
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 1/2 TBSP olive oil
• 1/3 c lime juice
• 1 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

1. Rinse basmati rice thoroughly.
2. Bring 3 cups water to a boil in a large pot.
3. Stir in 1 1/2 cups basmati rice, cover and simmer on low heat for ten minutes.
4. Remove from heat and let stand covered for ten additional minutes.
5. Mix 1/3 cup lime juice, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, 1 1/2 cup olive oil and 1 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small bowl.
6. Fluff with fork and stir in the lime and cilantro mixture.
7. Serve warm.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1 cup prepared
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 85Total Fat: 4gCarbohydrates: 12g

All information and tools within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on swingshiftmom.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. The nutritional labels are a product of online calculators. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates.

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