If your looking for an easy one pot side dish this Spanish Rice recipe pairs perfectly with chicken, fish, steak and tacos. Big flavors and done in less than 30 minutes.
What makes this Spanish Rice recipe the best?
- We use fresh veggies for texture. Chicken stock instead of water to boost the flavor and bold spices for that authentic Spanish Rice that you have grown to love at your local Mexican restaurant.
What you need to make this dish:
- bell peppers – red, green or a combination of both. A jalapeno if you like the heat!
- onion
- chicken stock
- uncooked rice – short grain is best for this dish
- tomato paste
- diced tomatoes
- chili powder and cumin
How to make Spanish Rice –
Saute the chopped vegetables in a little bit of olive oil and toss in the rice.
Add a can of undrained diced tomatoes along with the spices. Then in goes the chicken stock.
Reduce the heat to medium low until its just simmering. Put the lid on and let it simmer for about 5 minutes. Give it a stir to be sure the rice is not sticking to the pot. Continue to simmer with the lid on for about 15 minutes.
Tips to make the Best Spanish Rice!
- Short grain makes the best rice but I have used long grain as well with equal results.
- 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. Start with the amounts in the recipe and add more if you want a bigger flavor.
- Turn off the heat when there is about 1/2 cup of liquid left. Put the lid on and let it absorb into the rice. This makes for a nice tender rice without drying it out.
- 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.
What can I serve this rice dish with?
LET’S EAT!
Kathi & Rachel
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Best Spanish Rice
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup bell pepper - chopped - any color
- 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 oz can diced tomatoes undrained
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- 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.
- Add lid to skillet. Simmer for 5 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 leaving about 1/2 cup liquid in the pan. Turn off heat and let sit for an additional 5 minutes. Fluff and serve.
- Taste for seasoning! More cumin, chili powder, salt or pepper?
Notes
Nutrition
Beverly Hatcher says
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 .
LaughingSpatula.com says
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.
Nikkole says
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 🙁
LaughingSpatula.com says
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!
Teresa J says
Delicious and tasty. after years of using my family recipe i️ was searching for something new. This did not disappoint.
Donald says
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?
Kathi @ LaughingSpatula.com says
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!
Donald says
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.
Brittany says
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.
Kathi @ LaughingSpatula.com says
Wow Brittany! Way to make this recipe your own! Rice cooker and brown rice…yay! Thank you so much for the nice note!
Kathi @ LaughingSpatula.com says
Thank you so much for the nice note Eileen! I am so glad you loved it!
Angela says
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! .
Kathi Kirk says
Thanks for the rave review Angela! I am so glad you liked it!
Diane says
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..
Kathi Kirk says
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
Sarai @ Confessions of an ex-ballerina says
I made this for dinner tonight and added ground beef to make it a full meal deal. It was tasty.
Kathi Kirk says
Great idea! I’m so glad you liked it!
Andrea says
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.
Chia says
The recipe uses Tomato Paste, not Tomato Sauce. Have switched those myself before, it is what made it soupy.
Kathi & Rachel says
Thanks Chia! I should have caught that and responded!
Kathy says
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.
Kathi Kirk says
I think the use of Rotel is brilliant! So glad you liked it!
Kathi
Amy says
Should the rice be uncooked when I put it in?
Kathi Kirk says
Correct Amy. Uncooked. Thanks’
Kathi
john says
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.
Kathi Kirk says
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
Lynda McDevitt says
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.
Pat says
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…:)
Natalie @ Tastes Lovely says
I LOVE mexican rice! It’s one of my favorite parts of going to mexican restaurants. Can’t wait to make it at home : )
Patricia says
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?
Amanda says
Patricia, get off your high horse
Anne|Craving Something Healthy says
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 🙂