Most weeks I make dinner almost every night of the week. We may grab fast food once a week but I am used to making a meal for my family every night.

But I am not used to making lunch for everyone, every day for my family. And now that we have more time in the morning, my daughter loves to make a bigger breakfast.

There have been nights when I said that everyone is on their own for dinner. Some nights I have just skipped dinner and made dessert.

During these crazy times, I have been trying to get creative and use more items from my pantry and use up all my leftovers in the fridge.

So this very easy One-Pot Mexican Rice is a great side item without the meat or you can make it into the main meal for your whole family. Or double it so you have lunch leftovers!

Here are some ways that you can change up this meal:

• Cut up leftover chicken and add it to the tomatoes to heat them up.
• Add ground beef. Cook it with the onion and garlic but drain the grease before you add the rest of the ingredients.
• Add vegetables you have to use up in your fridge like 2 zucchini or bell peppers that you dice up and add with the onions and garlic.
• Add 1 cup of corn (frozen or canned)
• Substitute the petite diced tomatoes with a jar of salsa
• Substitute the petite tomatoes with a can of Rotel
• Top with a dollop of sour cream

This is such a great base recipe to make to use up your leftovers and make it work for what your family likes to eat.

Keep scrolling for the printable recipe.

One-Pot Mexican Rice

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 cup instant white rice (uncooked)
• 1 3/4 cup water
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese or more according to your taste

Instructions:

1. Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Add the garlic and onion (and any other veggies you want to add) and cook them, stirring frequently, for about 2-3 minutes until onions have become translucent.
3. Stir in diced tomatoes, rice, chili powder, cumin, and 1 1/2 cups water. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
4. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes until the rice is cooked.
5. Stir in cheese and heat for 1-2 minutes until cheese is melted.
6. Serve immediately, and top with sour cream if desired!

What variations would you make to this recipe?

Yield: 4

One Pot Mexican Rice + Pantry Options

Print

This is such a great base for so many meal options. You can enjoy it as a side item or add meat and more veggies to turn it into a complete one pot meal.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

• One-Pot Mexican Rice
• Ingredients:
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 cup instant white rice (uncooked)
• 1 3/4 cup water
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese or more according to your taste

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Add the garlic and onion (and any other veggies you want to add) and cook them, stirring frequently, for about 2-3 minutes until onions have become translucent.
3. Stir in diced tomatoes, rice, chili powder, cumin, and 1 1/2 cups water. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
4. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes until the rice is cooked.
5. Stir in cheese and heat for 1-2 minutes until cheese is melted. .
6. Serve immediately, and top with sour cream if desired!

Notes

Here are some ways that you can change up this meal:

• Cut up leftover chicken breasts and add it with the tomatoes to heat them up.
• Add ground beef. Cook it with the onion and garlic but drain the grease before you add the rest of the ingredients.
• Add vegetables you have to use up in your fridge like 2 zucchinis or bell peppers that you dice up and add with the onions and garlic.
• Add 1 cup of corn (frozen or canned)
• Substitute the petite diced tomatoes with a jar of salsa
• Substitute the petite tomatoes with a can of Rotel
• Top with a dollop of sour cream

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

More Easy Dinner Ideas:

More Side Dish Recipes:

• Oven Roasted Potatoes
• Greek Quinoa Salad Recipe
• 35+ Easy Vegetable Side Dishes
• 35+ Taco Side Dish Recipes
• 15 + Green Bean Recipes