Calling all Trader Joe’s lovers! Hi. Hello. Welcome.
We are gathered here today to appreciate our beloved Joe, Trader Joe, that is, and more specifically, Trader Joe’s Chimichurri Rice.
I feel like Trader Joe’s Chimichurri Rice is one of the less common TJ’s finds, but I’m a huge fan of this rice. If you’ve never tried it, please run to your nearest Trader Joe’s freezer section and grab a bag as soon as you can. Or don’t. You can just make this version at home for less money and with, dare I say, more flavor. No but really, I don’t lose anything by recommending the rice to you. Go ahead and try it and let me know how my version compares!
If you don’t live near a Trader Joe’s or are on a budget, then my copycat recipe has got you covered. It’s the perfect, healthy-ish budget recipe. It’s made with simple, cheap ingredients such as: brown rice, canned diced tomatoes, frozen peas, and an easy homemade chimichurri sauce
I love using chimichurri rice as a base for my nourish bowls. It’s got so much flavor, making it easy to pair with a simple protein plus your favorite vegetable for an easy weeknight dinner.
Click here for my chimichurri recipe.
Here’s a quick video on how to make Trader Joe’s copycat Chimichurri Rice:
Drooling yet?
Recipe is below! If you try this recipe, please be sure to tag me in a picture on Instagram (@jaclynnish). I’d love to see and show some love!
Just a few notes for this recipe:
Since we are using leftover (pre-cooked) rice, be careful not to over-mix the rice while cooking. Keep the heat low to medium-low so the rice won’t stick to the pot. Fold the rice instead of mixing. We want to keep the grains intact.
When adding chimichurri sauce to the rice, I try to scoop a higher ratio of herbs and shallots to oil/liquid. The herbs are where the flavor comes from. You also don’t want a super oily rice.
Chimichurri Rice (Trader Joe’s Copycat Recipe)
Ingredients
- 1/2 yellow onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 TBSP olive oil
- 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 TBSP chicken bouillon
- 3/4 cup frozen peas
- 4 TBSP chimichurri sauce keep 1 TBSP separated
- 1/4 cup sour cream or creme fraiche
- 1/2 lime juice of
- 3 cups cooked brown rice
Instructions
- In a medium sized pot or deep sauté pan, heat olive oil on medium-low heat.
- Add diced onions and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Then add minced garlic and cook until fragrant.
- In a small bowl, dissolve chicken bouillon into 1 to 2 TBSP of hot water.
- Add diced tomatoes to pot. Add a splash of water to the can, swirl it around to pick up all of the residual sauce, and pour into pot (no wasting here!).
- Add dissolved chicken bouillon to pot.
- Mix in cooked brown rice, frozen peas, and 1 TBSP of chimichurri sauce.
- Let the rice cook on medium-low heat, uncovered, until most of the liquid is gone, folding every now and then. Try to fold the rice instead of mixing to keep the rice grains whole. Avoid over-mixing.
- Turn the heat off.
- Right before serving, fold in the remaining chimichurri sauce, sour cream, and lime juice.