Butter Tex-Mex Rice | Food from the Border

Butter Tex-Mex Rice

This Tex-Mex butter veggie rice is colorful, comforting, and easy to make at home. Made with simple ingredients like rice, butter, bell peppers, and green onions, this recipe is perfect for weeknight dinners or as a side dish for your favorite Tex-Mex meals. If you’re looking for an easy, flavorful rice recipe that’s fluffy and delicious, this one delivers every time.

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Inspired by border-style cooking and my Tía Adriana’s veggie rice recipe, this buttery rice is beginner-friendly, full of flavor, and very adjustable. For simplicity, I only used one bell pepper in this recipe. But, I like to add more bell peppers in different colors—just not green—since green bell peppers tend to take longer to cook and can throw off the overall cooking time.

This recipe makes enough for about 4 people

Ingredients

• 1 cup rice

• 2 tablespoons of butter

• 1 red bell pepper, diced

• 3 green onions (scallions), chopped

• 1½ teaspoons salt

• 2 cups water

Step 1: Cook the Vegetables

Set the heat to medium and melt the butter in a pan. Add the diced red bell pepper and green onions. Sauté for 8–10 minutes until the vegetables are soft and fragrant. This step builds the foundation of flavor.

Step 2: Toast the rice

Add the rice directly into the pan with the vegetables. Stir well so every grain is coated in the butter and vegetable mixture. Toasting the rice helps it absorb flavor and cook evenly. For this recipe, don’t rinse the rice—the bit of the surface starch helps the rice puff up and stay fluffy rather than mushy at the end.

Step 3: Season and cook

Pour in the water, add the salt, and give it a good stir. Bring it to a gentle simmer, cover, and let the rice cook over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes.

 Step 4: Rest and fluff

Turn off the heat, let the rice rest for a few minutes, then fluff it gently with a fork and serve warm.

Notes & Tips

• Toasting the rice prevents a mushy texture and adds flavor.

• Avoid lifting the lid while the rice cooks.

• For extra color, reserve a small amount of green onion for garnish.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you make fluffy Tex-Mex rice?

Fluffy Tex-Mex rice starts by not rinsing the rice, then toasting it before adding water. Keeping a bit of the surface starch helps the rice puff up and stay fluffy, while toasting the grains helps them absorb flavor and cook evenly.

Can I make Tex-Mex rice without butter?

Yes, you can use oil—like canola—to toast the rice. I use butter here for the flavor, but here's a more traditional rice recipe if you’d like to try it that way.

Why does my rice turn out mushy?

Mushy rice is often caused by rinsing the rice, skipping the toasting step, using too much water, or stirring while the rice cooks. To avoid this, follow these simple steps:

1. Don't rinse the rice.

2. Toast the rice in oil or butter to build flavor.

3. Add the water.

4. Cover and let the rice cook undisturbed for about 20 minutes.

What rice works best for Tex-Mex rice?

Long-grain white rice is best for Tex-Mex rice because it stays fluffy and cooks evenly.