I blended a lightning fast spicy green sauce that turns plain rice into a Green Rice Recipe you wouldn’t expect from something so simple.

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I never thought a quick sauce could Flavor-boost your rice dishes with this super-simple but super-flavorful spicy green rice sauce. Blends up in just minutes.

Bright cilantro and a jalapeño give it an in-your-face green heat that makes plain rice exciting again. I throw it on leftover rice when I want something fast and a little rebellious, and people keep asking if its that Green Rice Recipe they saw online.

If you like Herb Rice Recipes Simple you’ll get why this one sticks in the brain. Warning, it’s addictive and probably messier than you expect.

Ingredients

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Bright herb, lots of vitamin K and antioxidants, adds fresh, citrusy green flavor.
Adds heat plus vitamin C; seeds boost spiciness, flavor sharpens the rice.
Simple carbs for energy, light texture so green sauce clings well.
Bright acidic tang, adds freshness, helps balance richness and bring flavors alive.
Healthy monounsaturated fats, silky mouthfeel, carries flavors and makes sauce smoother.
Optional, creamy texture and potassium rich healthy fats mellow heat nicely.
Garlic and cumin add depth and warm savory notes, keep it homey.

Ingredient Quantities

3 cups cooked long grain white rice (about 1 cup uncooked)

2 packed cups fresh cilantro leaves (stems mostly removed)

1/4 cup packed fresh flat leaf parsley (optional)

1 small jalapeño or 1 serrano, stem removed (use more if you want it hotter)

1/4 cup chopped white onion

2 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil or neutral oil

2 to 4 tablespoons water or low sodium chicken or vegetable broth

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon honey or sugar (optional, helps balance acidity)

1 ripe avocado (optional, for a creamier sauce)

How to Make this

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1. Warm and fluff 3 cups cooked long grain white rice (about 1 cup uncooked). If the rice is cold microwave for 1 minute so the sauce coats it better, then set aside.

2. Prep herbs and chile: pack 2 cups fresh cilantro leaves (remove most stems), measure 1/4 cup packed flat leaf parsley if using, chop 1 small jalapeño or 1 serrano and remove stem (keep seeds for more heat or remove for milder).

3. In a blender or food processor add the cilantro, parsley, 1/4 cup chopped white onion, 2 cloves garlic, the chopped chile, 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (or neutral oil), 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and 1 tablespoon honey or sugar if you want it balanced. Add 2 tablespoons water or low sodium broth to start. If you want it extra creamy add 1 ripe avocado now.

4. Pulse a few times to break everything up, then blend until mostly smooth, scraping down the sides. Add up to 2 more tablespoons water or broth to reach a pourable, saucy consistency. If you left the avocado out and prefer creaminess you can mash one and stir it in after blending.

5. Taste and adjust: more salt, more lime, more honey, or another small chile piece if it needs kick. If it tastes too sharp add a little more oil or a pinch more honey to mellow it, dont overdo it.

6. Reserve a few cilantro leaves or parsley bits for garnish, transfer the rest of the green sauce to a bowl.

7. Add the sauce to the warm rice gradually, folding gently with a spatula or fork until the rice is evenly colored and coated, you might not need every drop depending on how saucy you like it.

8. Serve right away. Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, reheat gently and add a splash of water or broth if it gets dry.

Equipment Needed

1. Blender or food processor (for the green sauce)
2. Measuring cups and spoons — 1 cup, 1/4 cup, tbsp, tsp
3. Chef’s knife, slightly dull or sharp whatever you got
4. Cutting board
5. Small bowl to hold the sauce and reserve herbs
6. Rubber spatula or large spoon for folding the rice
7. Microwave or small skillet to warm rice if it’s cold
8. Airtight container for leftovers plus a serving bowl and forks

FAQ

Q: Can I make this ahead and store it?
A: Yes. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. If you want longer keep the sauce separate from the rice and freeze the sauce up to a month, or freeze the mixed rice up to a month but the texture will be a bit softer once thawed. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently with a splash of water or broth.

Q: How do I control the heat level?
A: Remove the seeds and membranes from the jalapeño to tame the heat, keep them in for more kick, or swap to serrano for hotter. Start with less, blend, taste, then add more if you want it hotter.

Q: Can I use brown rice or frozen rice instead of white?
A: Sure. Use fully cooked brown rice but it may need a little extra sauce since it absorbs more. Frozen rice should be thawed and fluffed before mixing so it doesn’t clump.

Q: Do I need a blender or food processor?
A: Either works. A blender gives a smoother sauce, a food processor leaves it chunkier. Pulse a few times instead of running it full blast so you dont get overly thin sauce. If you want extra creaminess toss in the avocado while pulsing.

Q: My sauce turned watery or lost its bright color what went wrong?
A: Usually too much liquid or wet herbs. Pat cilantro and parsley dry before blending, use only a little water or broth and add more only as needed, and add lime juice at the end to keep that bright fresh flavor.

Q: Any quick serving hacks or flavor boosters?
A: Warm the rice so the sauce coats it better, stir in a tablespoon of honey or sugar if it tastes too sharp, save a spoon of olive oil to drizzle on top, and serve with grilled chicken beans or tortillas for a fast meal.

Spicy Green Rice Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Cilantro: swap with flat leaf parsley or fresh basil for a bright herb note. If you hate cilantro use baby spinach for the color though it wont have that citrusy kick.
Jalapeño or serrano: use a roasted poblano for mild heat, or a few pinches of red pepper flakes or canned green chiles if you need convenience.
Cooked long grain white rice: try cooked brown rice or quinoa for more chew and nuttiness, or cauliflower rice for a low carb version but texture will be different.
Extra virgin olive oil: use avocado oil or grapeseed oil for a more neutral taste and higher smoke point. For a creamier sauce swap some oil for plain Greek yogurt or mash in the optional avocado.

Pro Tips

– Warm the rice first, dont dump the whole sauce in at once. Add it spoonful by spoonful and fold gently so the grains stay separate and you can stop when it looks right, not when the bowl is empty.

– Dry your cilantro really well, even pat it with paper towels. Wet herbs water down the sauce, and a few tender stems actually give extra flavor so dont over-strip them.

– Control the heat by starting with half the jalapeño seeds, then taste. If you want a smoky note, char the chile briefly on a hot skillet or under the broiler before blending, it makes a big difference.

– For silky texture, blend slowly and add the liquid in small amounts, or toss in the avocado near the end. If it tastes too sharp add a touch more oil or a pinch of sugar, but adjust salt and lime last, they change everything. Store sauce separate from rice, and reheat rice with a splash of broth so it doesnt dry out.

Spicy Green Rice Recipe

Recipe by Nikoli Athen

0.0 from 0 votes

I blended a lightning fast spicy green sauce that turns plain rice into a Green Rice Recipe you wouldn't expect from something so simple.

Servings

servings

Calories

241

kcal

Equipment: 1. Blender or food processor (for the green sauce)
2. Measuring cups and spoons — 1 cup, 1/4 cup, tbsp, tsp
3. Chef’s knife, slightly dull or sharp whatever you got
4. Cutting board
5. Small bowl to hold the sauce and reserve herbs
6. Rubber spatula or large spoon for folding the rice
7. Microwave or small skillet to warm rice if it’s cold
8. Airtight container for leftovers plus a serving bowl and forks

Ingredients

3 cups cooked long grain white rice (about 1 cup uncooked)
2 packed cups fresh cilantro leaves (stems mostly removed)
1/4 cup packed fresh flat leaf parsley (optional)
1 small jalapeño or 1 serrano, stem removed (use more if you want it hotter)
1/4 cup chopped white onion
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil or neutral oil
2 to 4 tablespoons water or low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon honey or sugar (optional, helps balance acidity)
1 ripe avocado (optional, for a creamier sauce)

Directions

Warm and fluff 3 cups cooked long grain white rice (about 1 cup uncooked). If the rice is cold microwave for 1 minute so the sauce coats it better, then set aside.
Prep herbs and chile: pack 2 cups fresh cilantro leaves (remove most stems), measure 1/4 cup packed flat leaf parsley if using, chop 1 small jalapeño or 1 serrano and remove stem (keep seeds for more heat or remove for milder).
In a blender or food processor add the cilantro, parsley, 1/4 cup chopped white onion, 2 cloves garlic, the chopped chile, 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (or neutral oil), 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and 1 tablespoon honey or sugar if you want it balanced. Add 2 tablespoons water or low sodium broth to start. If you want it extra creamy add 1 ripe avocado now.
Pulse a few times to break everything up, then blend until mostly smooth, scraping down the sides. Add up to 2 more tablespoons water or broth to reach a pourable, saucy consistency. If you left the avocado out and prefer creaminess you can mash one and stir it in after blending.
Taste and adjust: more salt, more lime, more honey, or another small chile piece if it needs kick. If it tastes too sharp add a little more oil or a pinch more honey to mellow it, dont overdo it.
Reserve a few cilantro leaves or parsley bits for garnish, transfer the rest of the green sauce to a bowl.
Add the sauce to the warm rice gradually, folding gently with a spatula or fork until the rice is evenly colored and coated, you might not need every drop depending on how saucy you like it.
Serve right away. Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, reheat gently and add a splash of water or broth if it gets dry.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.