Cilantro Lime Brown Rice

Simple, nutritious and flavorful, this Cilantro Lime Brown Rice is the perfect side for any Mexican dish.

We are a brown rice family. I make it pretty much every week because it is one side dish I know everyone loves and will eat. I try to make a big batch of it ahead of time for meal prep to make it easier to make recipes like this 5 Ingredient Vegetable Fried Brown Rice or to include in these Turkey and Black Bean Burritos. It is my go-to base for when I make stir fry so having it made ahead and ready to go definitely helps on nights when all I have time for is to stir fry. 🙂

I found this recipe for Cilantro Lime Brown Rice on the side of the bag of brown rice I purchased from my grocery store, Publix. (I {heart} Publix so much.) Since I was making rice for burritos, I decided to give it a try because, well, cilantro and lime. Doesn’t cilantro and lime pretty much make everything better?

Speaking of cilantro…that’s not cilantro in the picture. I have not had any luck growing cilantro in my container herb garden over the years so I’ve stuck with it’s close relative, culantro. Culantro is a more potent version of cilantro and works so when I need some I just grab it if I don’t have time to get traditional cilantro from the store. So if you have struggled with growing cilantro too, grab some culantro from the garden center if you see it – it’s pretty indestructible.

The key to making brown rice on the stove top is to give yourself enough time. You can’t disturb it either. I basically bring it to a boil, then back down to a low simmer and cover. Set the timer and don’t touch it! It’s not a quick process (about 45 minutes) but it’s definitely hands off (don’t forget to set the timer!). I’ve used a rice cooker for many years and it is my favorite and easiest way to cook up the rice, but honestly I don’t always feel like messing with it. I’m trying to pare down on cooking appliances and gadgets and I’m on the fence about my rice cooker. I love the result, but it’s pretty big and bulky. Anyone have a smaller rice cooker they love? Or do you typically cook it in on the stove top?

Print Recipe

Cilantro Lime Brown Rice

Yield: 4 servings

Total Time:50 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 cup whole grain brown rice
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 2 limes (for zest and juice)
• 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
• big pinch coarse salt and fresh ground pepper

 

Directions:

1. Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium high heat. Add rice to oil and cook 1-2 minutes, stirring continuously. Add water and bring to a boil. Cover tightly and reduce heat to low simmer (lowest setting) and cook for 45 minutes (set your timer!) or until all liquid has been absorbed.
2. Fluff rice with a fork and season well with salt and pepper. Zest your limes and add to rice. Squeeze lime juice into rice and add chopped cilantro then stir until all is combined. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust if necessary.

Tools to help you make this recipe:

Rice Cooker (if you don't want to make it stove top just follow rice cooker cooking directions, then add lime and cilantro once cooked)

Zester

Lime Squeezer

Recipe from side of Publix Whole Grain Brown Rice bag

Follow Aggie’s Kitchen’s board Healthy Recipes on Pinterest.