Vegan Cilantro Lime Rice

Easy, flavorful, and simple, this Vegan Cilantro Lime Rice makes the perfect addition to your dinner line up. Made with six ingredients and ready in under 30 minutes, this homemade cilantro lime rice is the plant-based side dish your meals need!

Dairy-free cilantro lime rice in a black bowl with a gold spoon on a white counter with additional cilantro and lime around.

My first experience with cilantro lime rice happened mere hours after my wisdom teeth were removed and I thought I could handle a massive Chipotle burrito.

Stuffed with cilantro lime rice, chicken, guacamole and more it was love at first bite. Little did I know I wouldn’t be able to eat solids again for another week because I over did it with the burrito…

Many years later and I still can’t get enough of the fresh and flavorful rice. This simple vegan recipe for cilantro lime rice is made with six ingredients and comes together in under 30 minutes for the perfect addition to just about any meal!

Why We Love Cilantro Lime Rice

There are som many reasons we love to whip up this fluffy and flavorful cilantro lime rice recipe.

  • Easy to make. It comes together in under 30 minutes with minimal hands on steps.
  • Flavorful. From the fresh squeezed lime juice to the chopped cilantro, this dish bursts with bright and flavorful bites!
  • Great for meal prep! You can easily whip up a batch of this rice to be used in burrito bowls, served with tacos, or even paired with enchiladas or fajitas!
A white bowl filled to the top with vegan cilantro lime rice and a gold spoon on the right side of the counter.

Vegan Changes to Cilantro Lime Rice

This recipe is entirely plant-based thanks to one simple ingredient swap.

  • Plant Butter– I used a tablespoon of plant butter during the initial cooking process for the long-grain rice.

How to Make Vegan Cilantro Lime Rice

Ingredients You’ll Need

  • Water– Room temperature/ tap water works fine to cook the rice to a fluffy finish.
  • Rice– I use a standard long-grain rice for this recipe.
  • Salt– Adds a little flavor to the long-grain rice.
  • Plant Butter- Used to boost the flavor of the plain rice.
  • Cilantro– Fresh and chopped into bite sized pieces.
  • Lime– Fresh squeezed lime gives the best flavor to this rice dish.
Ingredients for cilantro lime rice on a marble counter.

Step-by-Step Directions

  • Boil water: Bring 2 cups of water to boil.
  • Add rice: Once boiling, stir in rice, salt, and plant butter.
  • Return to boil: Bring the sauce pan back to a boil.
  • Reduce heat: Once boiling, stir twice and reduce the heat to low.
  • Cover and cook for 15 minutes.
  • Remove from heat: After 15 minutes, turn off the heat but leave the sauce pan covered for 5 minutes.
  • Transfer: After 5 minutes, transfer the rice to a large bowl.
  • Add fresh chopped cilantro and lime juice.
  • Stir to combine and serve.

Helpful Kitchen Tools

When you are ready to make this vegan cilantro lime rice on your own, here are a few kitchen tools you might find helpful.

  • Sauce pan– A simple sauce pan with a lid to cook the long-grain rice.
  • Lime juicer– Used to squeeze the lime juice out.
  • Serving bowl– A large bowl perfect for serving the cilantro lime rice.

Serving Vegan Cilantro Lime Rice

Vegan Options to Serve with your Cilantro Lime Rice

Non-Vegan Options to Serve with this Cilantro Lime Rice

Fluffy cilantro lime rice in a black bowl on top of a gold spoon.

Storing, Freezing, and Reheating Cilantro Lime Rice

One of my favorite things about this recipe is how simple it is to store for future use, making it perfect for meal prep! Here are my tips for the best storage of this cilantro lime rice.

  • Storing– Allow the rice to cool, then place in an air-tight, refrigerator-safe container for up to 5 days.
  • Freezing– Allow the rice to cool completely and pour into a freezer-safe zip top bag. Press the rice into a flat layer and lay flat on a baking sheet to freeze in a more stackable shape.
  • Thawing/reheating– Remove the rice from the freezer, break off the amount you want to use and re-heat in the microwave.

More Vegan Rice Recipes

If you tried this vegan cilantro lime rice recipe please let me know in the comments below!

You can also share a picture of it with me on Instagram by tagging @mylifeafterdairy so I can see all of your life after dairy adventures!

Looking for more delicious dairy-free recipes and tips? Sign up for my newsletter below to get the most helpful recipes, tips, and products for your life after dairy.

A large black bowl of cilantro lime rice with a gold spoon on the bottom right of the bowl and a lime wedge in the top left.

Vegan Cilantro Lime Rice

Simple, flavorful, and ready in less than 30 minutes, this homemade vegan cilantro lime rice is the perfect addition to your dinner line up!

Course Side Dish
Cuisine Tex-Mex
Keyword Cilantro, Easy Rice, Vegan
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Resting TIme 5 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 4 cups

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Water
  • 1 cup Rice Long-grain
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 1 Tablespoon Plant Butter
  • ¼ cup Cilantro chopped
  • 2 Tablespoons Lime fresh squeezed

Instructions

  1. Bring 2 cups of water to boil.

  2. Once boiling, stir in 1 cup rice, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 Tablespoon plant butter. Bring the sauce pan back to a boil.

  3. Once boiling, stir twice and reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 15 minutes.

  4. After 15 minutes, turn off the heat but leave the sauce pan covered for 5 minutes.

  5. After 5 minutes, transfer the rice to a large bowl.

  6. Add ¼ cup fresh chopped cilantro and 2 Tablespoons lime juice. Stir to combine and serve.

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