Arroz verde – green rice with cilantro and parsley Recipe
Arroz verde is an aromatic green rice cooked in a herb broth made with cilantro, parsley and chili. In Mexico it’s often served as a side dish to chicken, fish or vegetables instead of plain white rice. The flavor is a bit like herb risotto, but the texture is fluffy and light.
Arroz verde is rice that tastes like a full-fledged dish in its own right, not just a backdrop – saturated with herbs, gently spicy and refreshing thanks to lime. Blending cilantro, parsley, chili, onion and garlic with stock creates an intensely green, aromatic liquid that soaks into every grain. The result is as light as classic fluffy rice, but in flavor it’s closer to an herb risotto with a Mexican twist.
Chef's tips
Thoroughly rinsing the rice is essential – do it until the water is almost clear so the cooked rice turns out fluffy rather than clumpy. After pouring in the green stock, don’t stir the rice while it cooks, otherwise the starch will be released and the grains will start to stick together. After cooking, be sure to let it “rest” covered – the steam will finish the cooking and the rice will become lighter and easier to fluff with a fork.
How to serve
I most often serve arroz verde alongside roast chicken with lime or grilled fish – it then replaces both the rice and an herb salad. It’s great with grilled dishes at summer garden gatherings, especially vegetable skewers and grilled halloumi. If you have a portion left for the next day, you can fry the rice in a pan with an egg and a few vegetables – it makes an instant lunch.
Ingredients
- long-grain rice e.g. basmati or jasmine - 250 g
- vegetable stock hot - 500 ml
- fresh cilantro without very thick stems - 1 bunch
- flat-leaf parsley - 0.5 bunch
- green chili pepper mild or medium hot - 1 piece
- onion small - 0.5 piece
- garlic - 2 cloves
- vegetable oil - 2 tablespoons
- lime juice optional - 1 tablespoon
- salt to taste, if the stock is not very salty
Preparation
- Put the rice into a bowl, cover with cold water, stir with your hand, then pour off the cloudy water. Repeat rinsing 2–3 times until the water is almost clear. Drain the rice in a sieve and leave for a few minutes to drip off.
- Rinse and dry the cilantro and parsley. Slice the chili pepper, remove the seeds (if you want a milder version) and cut into pieces.
- Peel the onion and cut into smaller pieces, peel the garlic.
- Put the cilantro, parsley, chili, onion, garlic and about 150 ml of stock into a blender. Blend into the smoothest green liquid you can.
- Heat the oil in a medium pot with a thick bottom over medium heat. Add the dry, drained rice and fry for 3–4 minutes, stirring often, until the grains become slightly translucent and start to smell lightly nutty.
- Pour the green liquid from the blender and the remaining stock into the pot. Gently stir so the rice spreads out evenly.
- Bring everything to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot with a lid and cook for 15–18 minutes without stirring.
- After this time, turn off the heat but do not remove the lid. Leave the rice to stand for 5–10 minutes to finish steaming.
- Open the pot, drizzle the rice with lime juice (if using) and gently fluff the grains with a fork to separate them.
- Taste and, if needed, season with salt. Serve immediately as a side to main dishes.
Storage
Cool leftover rice quickly, store it covered in the fridge and eat within 1–2 days. Reheat thoroughly in a pan or microwave, adding a splash of water or stock if needed so it doesn’t dry out.
