4 Ingredient Cilantro Lime Rice (Rice Cooker Recipe)

By Sophia DeSantis, Reviewed by Anjali Shah on September 25, 2024

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With 4 simple ingredients, my rice cooker cilantro lime rice is an easy recipe to whip up any day of the week. Ideal for anyone looking for a quick, flavorful side dish, it’s a perfect match for so many foods – great as a base for taco bowls, a filling for burritos, or a side for fajitas! Vegan, gluten-free, and ready in about 20 minutes.

Yellow and white checkered towel with a white bowl of cilantro lime rice on it

I love using my rice cooker to make so many variations of rice recipes! It is the best cooking method to ensure tender, perfectly cooked rice every time. I have tried out tons of flavor combinations with rice over the years, but I don’t think anything will ever compare to the deliciousness of cilantro lime rice!

Table of Contents hide

👩🏽‍🍳 Why I Absolutely Love This Recipe

🥘 Ingredients

🔪 How To Make Rice Cooker Cilantro Lime Rice

💭 Expert Tips

📖 Variations

🍽 Serving Suggestions

🧊 Storing And ♨️ Reheating

❓Recipe FAQs

🍚 More Easy Rice Recipes!

The refreshing burst of citrus and cilantro is enhanced with a touch of sea salt for a fragrant side dish that pairs well with nearly anything.

I love making a big batch of this rice and adding it to different meals throughout the week! It is great for Taco Tuesday, as a side for soups or curries (like my Thai peanut curry), and thrown into a veggie burrito bowl.

If you want to try out even more tasty rice dishes, be sure to check out my list of 37 rice cooker recipes!

👩🏽‍🍳 Why I Absolutely Love This Recipe

My easy rice cooker cilantro lime rice requires minimal effort and is a beginner-friendly recipe for those just getting into cooking! I love that I can toss the rice and lime juice into a rice cooker with some water, press a couple buttons, and then focus on other tasks while it quickly cooks.

My entire family enjoys this rice, and my kids always come back for seconds… even thirds! Most kids love plain rice, so adding in a little lime and cilantro is a great way to introduce new flavors to little ones.

Lime and cilantro are both flavors that tend to pair well with a variety of cuisines like Mexican, Tex-Mex, American, and even Thai! The options are endless, making for plenty of fun lunch and dinner ideas to have on rotation. Check out my serving suggestions below for some great inspiration.

Making cilantro rice in the rice cooker is a total game-changer! Get ready for some light, fluffy rice that everyone will love.

🥘 Ingredients

I prefer to keep this rice super simple with minimal ingredients so that the lime and cilantro flavors can really shine. Here is what I use for this rice cooker cilantro lime rice recipe:

Bowls with cilantro, rice, lime juice and salt on a light wooden surface

Rice: I used brown rice, but feel free to use your favorite variety of long-grained rice – whether that’s brown, basmati rice, or jasmine rice. Cook time may vary depending on what you use. White rice will cook faster than brown.

Cilantro: I use ¼ cup of chopped cilantro. It is the perfect amount of cilantro flavor to disperse throughout the rice without being too overpowering.

Lime Juice: Fresh lime juice is the very best for this recipe, but bottled lime juice is fine too. Start with around 3 teaspoons and feel free to add more for an extra citrusy flavor.

Salt: Add salt to taste. I recommend starting at about ¼ teaspoon of sea salt, and you can always add more after tasting a bite.

🔪 How To Make Rice Cooker Cilantro Lime Rice

Making this recipe is as easy as 1, 2, 3! Here’s my instructions on how to make cilantro lime rice in the rice cooker:

Cook Rice: I start by adding 2 cups of white rice, 3-4 teaspoons of lime juice, and 4 cups of water to my rice cooker. I close the lid and start the rice cooker. Each rice cooker may vary, so be sure to read through the instructions for yours. Cook time should be around 20 minutes.

Yellow and white checkered towel with a pot of rice on it.

Fluff Rice: Once the rice is ready, I open the lid to my rice cooker and gently fluff the rice with a fork. Top with chopped cilantro.

Yellow checkered towel with a pot of rice covered in chopped cilantro on top.

Mix In Cilantro & Salt: Now, I gently combine the chopped cilantro and salt with the cooked lime rice. Serve alongside your favorite dishes!

Pot with a spoon and cilantro lime rice inside on a wooden surface.

💭 Expert Tips

My #1 Secret Tip for this for this vegan cilantro lime rice in the rice cooker is to rinse the rice prior to cooking for the best texture!

I want my rice to be perfectly fluffy and light, so rinsing with cold water until the water runs clear is essential. Removing the excess starch helps to prevent the rice from becoming too sticky.

Other Tips To Keep In Mind:

Save Time: Whenever I have some plain cooked rice on hand I will just use that and mix in the other ingredients. I have also used frozen rice to get a head start!
Adjust As You’d Like: I recommend adding the cilantro, lime, and salt to taste, starting out with less. You can always add more, but you can’t take away.
Use Fresh Ingredients: For the best flavor I prefer to use fresh cilantro vs. dried, and freshly squeezed lime juice vs. bottled.
Enhance The Flavor: If you need a little extra boost of flavor, I suggest adding in a bay leaf while the rice cooks or some lime zest.
Stovetop Method: Yes, you can also make this cilantro lime rice on the stove if you do not have a rice cooker! Simply cook the rice following the package instructions. Then, mix in lime juice, chopped cilantro, and salt and enjoy.

📖 Variations

Make It Spicy: Sprinkle in some cayenne, chipotle, or chili powder. I love doing this when serving alongside curries!

Add In Veggies: I add in extra flavor and nutrition to this cilantro rice recipe by mixing in onions, peppers, or garlic.

Coconut Lime Rice: When I am pairing this rice with Thai cuisine I love to swap half of the water for coconut milk!

Picky Eater Friendly: I already consider this rice to be kid-friendly, but for pickier eaters the cilantro might be too much. Some kids prefer for those tiny bits of green to be left out of the rice altogether, while others might be ok with it chopped up very finely. You know you kid best so I recommend modifying this recipe to best suit your family’s needs! You can always try adding a tiny garnish of cilantro to introduce it first, and then incorporate it in later batches.

🍽 Serving Suggestions

As mentioned above, my 4 ingredient rice cooker cilantro lime rice is the perfect side dish, but also works as part of another recipe. Try it with some of my absolute favorites:

Soups, Stews, & Curry: Pair this rice with any of your favorite soups. I love it as a side for Mexican bean soup or vegan black bean soup. It is equally great with some vegan stewed beans or sweet potato chickpea curry.

Bowls: While I love using this rice for burrito bowls like my BBQ jackfruit burrito bowl or vegetarian fajita bowl, it can be used in any savory bowl! Mix the rice into your favorite salad recipe to transform it into a hearty meal – my roasted cauliflower salad is perfect for this!

Burritos & Wraps: When I am short on time I grab some tortillas, add this rice and black beans, and enjoy a simple burrito! Doctor it up from there with other add-ins like veggies, cheese, or sour cream. I’ve also added this rice to my vegan hummus avocado wraps and it is so yummy!!

Sides: We love making a DIY taco or burrito bar, or just eating this rice with a selection of sides! Try it out with chipotle corn salsa, vegan taquitos, vegan refried beans, and much more.

🧊 Storing And ♨️ Reheating

Refrigeration: I store leftover or meal prepped rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Freezer: For longer storage, I seal the rice in a freezer safe airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.

Reheating: To reheat, I add a splash of water to the rice and microwave for 1-2 minutes until heated through. Alternatively, you can add some water to a pan and warm it over the stovetop. If frozen, allow the rice to thaw in the fridge first or reheat from its frozen state!

❓Recipe FAQs

HOW DO I MAKE SURE MY RICE IS FLUFFY?

I have two main recommendations for ensuring that your rice is nice and fluffy. First, as I mentioned earlier, rinse the rice with water until it runs clear to wash away the excess starch on the grains. Additionally, do not overcook or undercook the rice. Undercooked rice will be firmer and unenjoyable. Overcooked rice might be more sticky and too soft. By making cilantro lime rice in your rice cooker, the cooking process is fairly simple and fool-proof!

DO I NEED TO ADD OIL OR BUTTER?

No! While some rice recipes do include oil or butter, it is not necessary and I leave it out to simplify things. It does add a nice flavor and can make it more fluffy, but I find this rice to be perfectly fine without any. Additionally, it can help prevent rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot so consider it if this is a concern for you.

CAN I DOUBLE THE RECIPE IN THE RICE COOKER?

This will depend on your rice cooker! I suggest reading through your rice cooker’s manual to learn what maximum capacity it can cook. You can always make two batches of this rice, if needed!

A close up of a loaded up taco bowl with a fork getting a bite out of it

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