Flavorful Spanish Rice

This flavorful spanish rice is a perfect side dish to serve along with tacos, burritos or enchiladas! Start to finish, it’s ready to go in less than 30 minutes!

I used to struggle with making homemade rice, but lately I’ve mastered a few recipes like my better than takeout fried rice, my cilantro lime rice & my rice pilaf. It’s a great side dish for a lot of different dishes!

Spanish rice with fresh cilantro in a skillet on the stove

Better Than Boxed

I’ve been wanting to share this recipe with you all for weeks now! It’s quickly become a family favorite and goes perfectly with the Mexican-inspired dishes I’ve been whipping up lately.

I haven’t always been the best at making seasoned rice, somehow it always turns out bland or mushy, but not this time! It cooks up beautifully and tastes absolutely amazing!

I guess I’m a bit of a perfectionist and I don’t like giving up, but that’s a good thing right? I finally feel comfortable making my own rice instead of using a box 🙂

Ingredient Tips

Chicken broth: If you want to try and make this vegetarian you can use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.

More spice: Use more cumin or chili powder. Add a splash of hot sauce or use spicy salsa instead of tomato sauce. Add in some diced jalapeno

Rice: We like using long grain white rice as opposed to short grain rice, this way the rice is light and fluffy, rather than sticky. You can use instant rice, but the cook time will be for about ½ the time. You can also use brown rice, but be aware that you will have to double the cook time on the rice.

Can you use salsa instead of tomato sauce? If you want to add more flavor and spice to your spanish rice you can substitute the tomato sauce for salsa.

Can you add beans? You can add in a can of beans to add more protein to the dish, but you can also just serve beans on the side. We love Mexican Black Beans and No Soak Instant Pot Pinto Beans.

Cilantro Lime Rice | lifemadesimplebakes.com

How to Make Spanish Rice

This Spanish rice is incredibly easy to make and is ready to go in less than 30 minutes. All you need is a few simple ingredients and a large skillet to make this bold & flavorful side dish.

RINSE. Add rice to a large colander, rinse under cold water for 1 minute.

SAUTE. In large pan set over medium high heat, add olive oil. When the oil is hot, add rice and sauté along with the onion and garlic for 2-3 minutes or until fragrant.

SIMMER. When the onion is tender and the garlic is translucent, add the bullion, cumin, chili powder, paprika, black pepper, fire roasted tomatoes with chilies, tomato sauce and chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then cover and reduce heat to low.

COOK. Cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is cooked throughout. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

  • Keep warm? Most rice cookers have a warm function. This should suffice for up to 2 hours. If you made the rice on the stovetop put it in the crockpot to keep it warm. Set it on low or even warm and add an extra ¼ cup of water.

To make in the Instant Pot: Put your instant pot on saute and mix together all your spices, tomato sauce, and bouillon. Then pour in your rice and cook on high pressure for 3 minutes.

To make in the crockpot: Pour everything into a crockpot, sprayed with nonstick spray, and cook on low for 5 hours or on low for 2.5 hours.

A spoonful of homemade Spanish rice

Storage Tips

Keep leftover Spanish rice STORED in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. REHEAT in the microwave until warmed through. If you want to add some moisture back into it you can add a splash of water.

You can FREEZE this rice really easily. Place the rice in freezer safe and air-tight bags for 4-6 months. Microwave from frozen stirring occasionally until warmed through

For more Mexican side dishes, try:

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Flavorful Spanish Rice

Easy Spanish Rice Recipe

This flavorful spanish rice is a perfect side dish to serve along with tacos, burritos or enchiladas! Start to finish, it's ready to go in less than 30 minutes!
4.62 from 21 votes
Pin Rate
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 165kcal
Author: Andrea
Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 cup white rice - uncooked
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 yellow onion
  • 3 cloves garlic - minced
  • 2 tsp chicken boullion
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1/4 tsp paprika
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 (14.5 oz) can fire roasted tomatoes with green chiles - (Muir Glen brand is what I used)
  • 1/2 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
  • 1 (14.5 oz) can low sodium chicken broth

Instructions

  • Add rice to a large colander, rinse under cold water for 1 minute.
  • In large pan set over medium high heat, add olive oil. When the oil is hot, add rice and sauté along with the onion and garlic for 2-3 minutes or until fragrant.
  • When the onion is tender and the garlic is translucent, add the bullion, cumin, chili powder, paprika, black pepper, fire roasted tomatoes with chilies, tomato sauce and chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is cooked throughout.
  • Remove from heat and serve immediately.

VIDEO

NOTES

-If you like your rice to have less tomato flavoring, just add 2 tablespoons of tomato sauce.
-I garnished mine with a bit of chopped cilantro, this is totally optional, but adds a bit of additional flavor.

Nutrition

Serving: 6serving | Calories: 165kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 170mg | Potassium: 70mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 181IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg

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About the Author

Andrea

Hi I'm Andrea!

Hotelier turned Food Blogger to help make your life simple, one recipe at a time.

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