This is our Best Spanish Rice! Its a one pot wonder of a side dish that has a ton of flavor! You can adjust the seasoning to your liking, adding a bit more spice or reducing it to make it more family friendly.
One cooks Spanish Rice is another cooks Mexican Rice.
Whatever you call it, it’s a great side dish that cooks up easy and will kick up that boring old chicken you are about to bake..again! Every time I make this dish I wonder why I waited so long to revist it!
If you are familiar with this recipe on our site, you will notice some changes! This recipe was in need of an up-do. New pictures, and an updated recipe that’s even better than our original and easier to make! Win win!
What we really love about this dish is that you add the uncooked rice right to the skillet. No need to pre-cook it. One pan and who doesn’t love less dishes to wash?
Here’s my new favorite blue skillet again! Get used to seeing it, I am totally in love with this beauty!
After the rice is added and tossed around a bit you combine tomatoes, broth and spices.
Now put the lid on and try not to peek! I’m a pot stirrer so I allow myself one little stir about half way through. Just to check nothing is sticking to the bottom of the skillet.
Some tips to make the Best Spanish Rice!
- I have made this with long and short grain rice and they both cook the same.
- You can use broth or water but broth adds more flavor. Stick with the low sodium stuff if you can.
- MOST IMPORTANT: Spices vary in intensity. I kept the spice low on this recipe because it’s a lot easier to add some in than take it out.
- Don’t cook this soooo long that there is no liquid left. You want about a half cup that hasn’t cooked into the rice. It will continue to absorb as the rice cools a bit.
- Nice additions would be corn or black beans. Toss them in after the dish is cooked to warm through so they don’t get to soft.
You can also have your Spanish Rice with Chicken! See that recipe here!
Or this 30 Minute Spanish Chorizo Soup and White Bean Soup!
To big flavors that everyone will love!
Clink!
Kathi
What do you think about this recipe? Have questions? Comment below! Don’t forget to like us on Facebook, and connect with us on Instagram and tag your @Laughingspatula recipes with #laughingspatula, while you’re at it…We love to see your pics!
While you’re at it- check out our video of this Best Spanish Rice to see how great it turns out!
This one skillet big flavored rice dish cooks up in about 30 minutes. Even the rice goes in uncooked!
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup peppers, chopped - green, red or a combination of both
- 1 cup yellow onion - chopped
- 1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped (optional) seeds removed and deveined
- 2 cloves garlic - chopped
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup white rice, uncooked short rice works best but any will do
- 1 15.4 oz can roasted diced tomatoes undrained
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup grated cheese for topping optional
- In large skillet heat olive oil over medium-high heat.
Saute peppers, onion and garlic until just tender.
Add tomato paste and cook for one minute.
Add rice, broth, canned tomatoes , spices, salt and pepper. Stir well. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low.
Put lid on skillet. Simmer for 10 minutes then give a little stir to be sure rice isn't sticking. Return lid to pan and cook for another 10-12 minutes or until the rice is tender but about 1/2 cup liquid still remains in the pan. (Remaining liquid will be absorbed as the dish cools a bit.)
Taste for seasoning! More cumin, chili powder, salt or pepper?
Top with cheese if desired and serve with grilled chicken, taco's or your favorite Mexican main dish!
Be sure to check for seasoning. Chili powder and cumin can vary in intensity.
This was the the best Spanish rice I’ve ever had. I’m a vegetarian so I substituted homemade vegetable broth for the chicken broth and used up some very ripe tomatoes from my garden in place of the canned tomatoes, but it came out perfect. I love the flavor combination, and how simple it was to prepare.
I can’t wait to try more of your recipes.
Thank you for the nice note Mary! I can’t wait to see what you think of some of our other recipes. Check out this popular vegetarian recipe: https://laughingspatula.com/cauliflower-rice-with-mushrooms-and-feta/
Made this rice yesterday, everyone loved it. Substituted salsa with cilantro instead of tomatoes. Thank you!
Excellent I changed a few things I left out the tomato sauce and I used the Muier Glen brand diced fire roasted tomatoes. Also added cooked smoked turkey sausage after the first stirring. Thank you so much for sharing I received many complements .
We are so glad you loved it Bev! I love that addition of the smoked turkey sausage, almost like a jambalaya! Thanks for the nice note.
Is there anyway I can get the original recipe? This is my absolute favorite rice recipe ever and the poblano pepper was my favorite part. I always go to my Pinterest to access it and now it’s different 🙁
Hi Nikkole – you can add chopped poblano instead of the green pepper. We were getting quite a bit of feed back that the rice was mushy so we felt it was time for an update. We really like this new version and I think you will too!
Delicious and tasty. after years of using my family recipe i️ was searching for something new. This did not disappoint.
I want to make this recipe to serve about 20 people, so I want to increase the amount of rice to 4 cups. Do I increase all the ingredients by 4 times? If not, by how much?
Hi Donald! If you hover over where it says ‘6 servings’ a slider will pop up. You can adjust the recipe to serve as many as you like and it will automatically change the ingredient amounts!
Thank you for your help! I think I will have to adjust some of the spices as I think it would be too much. I’ll
Keep the liquid items at the amounts you stated and hopefully everything will turn out Okayama! Thanks against n.
Made this with brown rice in my rice cooker and it was so amazing! The spices really came together well and complimented my chickwn fajita dinner. My husband and 3boys enjoyed this so it’s a keeper.
Wow Brittany! Way to make this recipe your own! Rice cooker and brown rice…yay! Thank you so much for the nice note!
Thank you so much for the nice note Eileen! I am so glad you loved it!
By far, this was THE BEST “Spanish Rice” recipe which I’ve ever tried! All of the ingredients worked well together, and made this dish incredibly tasty. I liked the addition of chicken broth, since it gave the rice (yet) another layer of flavor. This recipe is a definite keeper! I served it as a ‘side dish’, to accompany dinner…. which consisted of Meatloaf, Italian Green Beans, and a Tossed Salad. Thanks Kathi, your recipes are terrific! .
Thanks for the rave review Angela! I am so glad you liked it!
I want to make this with short grain brown rice instead of white. Do u know how long would I cook the recipe using the brown rice? Thanks..
Hi Diane – I really don’t have an exact number for you as I haven’t tried it, but brown rice takes more liquid a a lot longer! Wondering if it wouldn’t be better to cook the rice in advance then add tomatoe’s and spices…
Kathi
I made this for dinner tonight and added ground beef to make it a full meal deal. It was tasty.
Great idea! I’m so glad you liked it!
Found this to be too “soupy”. With the canned tomatoes & small can of tomato sauce the rice ended up a deep red. If I was to make this again I would leave out the tomato sauce & reduce the amount of broth.
I didn’t have everything I needed to make it exactly like your recipe, but what I did have tasted awesome! I didn’t have any chili powder or fresh peppers, diced roasted tomatoes, or tomato sauce. I left out the chili and peppers, then substituted a can of Rotel to add a little bit of zip and a can of tomato paste mixed with 1 cup water. It tasted great!
Thanks for this recipe. This will show up frequently on our dinner table and at some family functions coming up later in the year.
I think the use of Rotel is brilliant! So glad you liked it!
Kathi
Should the rice be uncooked when I put it in?
Correct Amy. Uncooked. Thanks’
Kathi
Too spicy. Instead of 2 table spoons of spice try using at the most 2 tea spoons of the spice. This will improve the quality of the dish.
Hi John,
I think it depends on your chili powder and how spicy you like your food. I get my spice from the Pike Place Market, so fresh! And it tends to be on the sweeter side – but I think you have good advice. If you don’t like to much heat then cut back.
Thanks for the note!
Kathi
I agree,John. Absolutely too spicy. I used double the rice, no tomato sauce and only 1 can of tomatoes. Still too spicy and too much liquid.
I have not made Spanish Rice/Mexican Rice in a long time and this sounds very good. I checked out your rub recipe which also looks good. Thanks, Kathi…:)
I LOVE mexican rice! It’s one of my favorite parts of going to mexican restaurants. Can’t wait to make it at home : )
Natalie, will you please explain to me how you can give this a five star, if you’ve never made this? What are you judging on?
Patricia, get off your high horse
Great recipe Kathi and I love anything that makes leftovers too! Great in a tortilla with some sliced avocado the next day – I’m hungry 🙂