Level up your rice game with this Cilantro Lime Rice. This simple, fresh and vibrant rice is perfect for many Asian and Mexican dishes. My fresh and flavorful rice is a perfect side dish to curries or poke bowls, or used a base for burrito's and burrito bowls.

Cilantro lime rice in a bowl topped with lime slices.

Whether you want to cook this recipe in the rice cooker or stove top, I've got you covered with instructions for both!

This delicious side dish is the perfect accompaniment to my Baked Salmon Poke Bowl.

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What You'll Love About This Recipe
Ingredient Notes
How to Make Cilantro Lime Rice in a Rice Cooker
Stove Top Cilantro Lime Rice
Substitutions
Variations
Serving Suggestions
Storage
📖 Recipe
Comments

What You'll Love About This Recipe

With this easy cilantro lime rice recipe, taco Tuesday never looked so good! I absolutely love this versatile side dish and I know you will too.

This simple side dish can be made in a rice cooker or on the stove top.
Made with just 4 ingredients!
Fluffy rice accompanied by fresh lime juice, lime zest and cilantro.
Use this recipe to liven up your leftover rice from last night

Ingredient Notes

This delicious rice cooker cilantro lime rice recipe is made with just 4 simple ingredients, all of which can be found at the grocery store. You will need:

white rice - Jasmine rice is the best kind of rice to use, however you could use other kinds of rice (another long grain rice like basmati rice would work well here).
fresh limes - you will need the both the zest and the juice.
fresh cilantro - also known as coriander.
sea salt

For ingredient quantities and detailed instructions see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

How to Make Cilantro Lime Rice in a Rice Cooker

There are a few tricks to making sure you get the fluffiest rice. Here's how:

STEP 1: Remove excess starch. Place the rice into a large bowl or saucepan. Cover with water and use hands to swish the rice through the water. Carefully strain off the water and repeat this step another two times. Pour the rice into a fine mesh sieve to drain completely. Transfer the rinsed rice to the rice cooker bowl along with two cups of water and the sea salt.

Jasmine rice in a glass bowl covered with water.

STEP 2: Cook. Follow the rice cooker instructions to cook the rice. For example, with the Panasonic rice cooker select the Jasmine rice setting (if using Jasmine rice) and press start.

STEP 3: Rest. Once the rice cooker has finished cooking allow the rice to rest for another 10 minutes. Open the lid of the rice cooker and use a fork to fluff the rice.

Using a fork to fluff rice in the rice cooker.

STEP 4: Season. Add the finely chopped cilantro, lime juice and lime zest to the rice. Use a rice paddle or wooden spoon to mix through. I would recommending tasting the rice at this stage to see if you would like to add more lime juice.

Cilantro, lime juice and lime zest added to rice in the Panasonic rice cooker.

Stove Top Cilantro Lime Rice

Read on for my instructions on cooking stove top if that's the easiest way for you or you don't have a rice cooker. But first, follow step one above to rinse your rice.

STEP 1: Add rice and water to pan. Add your rinsed rice to a medium saucepan along with two cups of water and salt. You could also use the knuckle method to measure your rice, which is a trick I find that never fails.

To use the knuckle method, rest your index finger tip gently on top of the rice (try to make sure that your rice is level by giving it a little shake). Fill the pot with water until the water comes up to the first knuckle of your index finger.

STEP 2. Cook. Place the saucepan, uncovered, onto the stove top. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a medium high heat and rapid simmer for about ten minutes or until most of the water has been absorbed by the rice. Turn off the heat and place the lid onto the rice. Let sit with the lid on for about 5 minutes.

STEP 3. Fluff rice. Use a fork to fluff the rice. Before adding cilantro, lime zest and lime juice.

Substitutions

Cilantro - for the cilantro haters, swap fresh cilantro for finely sliced green onions.
Lime juice - fresh lime juice is best but in a pinch you could use store bought lime juice. You could also use lemon juice instead of lime juice
Jasmine rice - use brown rice for a whole grain version.

Variations

Chilli - add chilli flakes to taste before serving.
Chicken Broth - cook in chicken broth instead of water for a gut health boost.
Garlic - add ½ teaspoon garlic powder to the rice and water before cooking. Alternatively add 1 clove garlic, minced to the rice after cooking.

Serving Suggestions

Burrito bowls - to make your own burrito bowl, top cilantro rice with black beans, paprika seasoned chicken, tomato salsa, guacamole and cashew sour cream.
Poke bowls - use this rice when making my Baked Salmon Poke Bowl.
Thai Green Curry - serve with Chicken Thai Green Curry and extra coriander.

Storage

This recipe can be cooked in advance. Transfer rice to an airtight container (heat safe containers are best) with the lid on and cool to room temperature (around 40 minutes). Once cooled, place rice into the fridge and store for 1-2 days. Reheat thoroughly before eating. Read this article for more details on food safety with rice.

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