Looking for the best boxed Mexican rice because you do not have time for chopping and simmering? I tasted 10 brands and found some seriously delicious and super easy Mexican rice in a box to buy. Read on to find out what I looked for in the best Mexican rice in a box and which brands took the top spots.
When I think of Mexican rice, I think of long grain rice somewhere on the spectrum from yellow to red, thanks to some time spent simmering with tomato. I want at least a healthy amount of garlic and onion, and I personally like peas, corn, and peppers in mine. And all of that applied in my search for the best boxed Mexican rice.
To conduct this taste test, I followed all package instructions, using butter when given the option of butter or oil. I tried them all at room temperature, because I wanted to taste them one after another and, since I didn’t have a professional kitchen or assistants at my disposal, I couldn’t have them all hot and fresh at the same time.
Disclaimer: No part of me is Mexican. When it comes to Mexican food, it would behoove nobody and offend everybody if I claimed I could speak to the authenticity of what I’ve eaten. But this does not stop me from consuming copious amounts of what I know to be Mexican rice.
Here are the best boxed Mexican rice brands I tried.
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- Rice-A-Roni Mexican-Style
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This is delicious, but even I know it’s not Mexican rice. It tastes like it’s made by a sheltered suburban parent who has read about Mexican rice and is trying their best. You could approximate this flavor by adding taco seasoning to rice and pasta. You might think I’m knocking the product, but I maintain that it’s darn tasty. That being said, the texture was a little lacking since the blend of rice and pasta seemed to cook at different rates, and some added vegetables would have been nice for some relief from the late-night-munchiness of it all. Despite all this, it’s easy Mexican rice and, heck yeah, I’d eat it again.
Credit: Merc / Walmart
- Goya Mexican Rice Chicken Flavor
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Maybe I’m biased because eating this boxed Mexican rice hit me with a nostalgia I didn’t expect. This is the rice that I’ve come to know and love from family attempts at taco night, pot lucks, or big parties. It’s not the fanciest, but it’s solidly yummy. It’s got the right amount of chew, big pieces of vegetables, and is a steady, reliable choice. Maybe that doesn’t sound like the sexiest sell, but I’m not lookin’ for sexy. I’m cooking rice. I want something I know is going to be tasty, and I don’t need to reinvent the wheel here. And it’s the best boxed Mexican rice if you want a bit more of that chicken broth flavor.
Credit: Merc / Fresh Direct
- SOMOS Mexican Brown Rice
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My understanding of Mexican rice is that it’s usually made with white rice, but I honestly loved the extra layer of depth that the brown rice brought. The rice itself was some of the most flavorful of the bunch, partially because of the built-in nuttiness of the brown rice. But it is also almost spicy. There is just a tease of a tingle that is appealing to a spice lover such as myself, but wouldn’t turn off people with even a low spice tolerance. The tomato flavor is pronounced, but complemented by bits of sweet bell pepper. Plus, it’s vegan Mexican rice—totally plant-based! This is one of the drier rices I tried, but I liked that it stayed a little fluffier than the other microwave Mexican rice brands, which ended up a little mushy, much like I will after eating all of this Mexican rice. Worth it. If you’re looking for quick Mexican rice, you won’t do better.
Credit: Merc / Somos
- Vigo Authentic Mexican Rice with Corn
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My tasting buddies agreed that this was the best boxed Mexican rice out of all the Mexican rices we tried. Bonus points because it tastes like the real stuff, according to a Mexican tasting pal and rice authenticator. While it had a little more moisture than the SOMOS brown rice, Vigo’s instant Mexican rice is safely out of the realm of sad and squishy. It has a little kick of heat, but it doesn’t overpower the delicious blend of other spices. Despite being Mexican rice in a box, it doesn’t taste processed. And that saffron had us feelin’ fancy. I only wish there were more vegetable pieces, because the bites with corn and pepper pieces were truly next level. But I suppose Vigo knows to keep us wanting more. That’s why it’s the best Mexican rice in a box.
Credit: Merc / Amazon
Best Late Night Nosh
Best Chicken Flavor
Best Microwavable
Best of the Best
More boxed Mexican rice brands we tried: SOMOS Mexican street corn white rice, ROYAL Mexican style rice and street corn, DEL REAL, Knorr, Casa mexicana, Old El Paso
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!