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My family is crazy about rice, any kind, but Spanish Rice is our FAVORITE. I make it at least once, sometimes twice, a week! I have literally made this recipe hundreds of times!
This recipe is fantastic and so simple it’s no wonder it is one of my most requested recipes!
I love having this Spanish Rice as a side to many of our favorite Mexican dishes, and it is awesome in bean and cheese burritos.
It can be frozen and also stays fresh in the fridge for 3-4 days. We usually eat it as a side with one meal (like Mexican Casserole or Fajitas) during the week and then use the leftovers in Bean and Cheese Burrito’s a couple days later.
Depending on the situation, I sometimes make this rice in the oven. When I make Chicken Chimichangas or another meal that requires a little extra effort or multiple burners on the stove top, I like to do the rice in the oven because I can just throw it in and forget about it.
The directions for baking it in the oven are slightly different then the stove top instructions. I started trying to put both directions on this recipe and it was hard and a little confusing, so I have decided to write up two separate posts to help keep it simple and more clarified.
Here are the stove top instructions.
- 2½ cups rice
- 4¾ cups chicken broth (I use 4¾ cups water and 5 tsp chicken bullion.)
- ½ cup tomato sauce (that is half of an 8 ounce can, I freeze the extra and use it in the next batch I make.)
- ¼ cup finely chopped onion
- 1 large clove of garlic, finely chopped or crushed
- ⅓ cup canola oil or butter (I usually use oil or a mixture of both. ex: ¼ cup butter and 1-2 tbsp oil or vice versa)
- ⅛ tsp chili powder (optional)
- ⅛ tsp Cumin (optional)
- Put oil and or butter in the bottom of a 2 quart sauce pan
- Turn on heat and add rice, onion and garlic
- Heat on high while stirring until many pieces of rice are turning white and onion and garlic are aromatic
- Add chicken broth (water and bullion) and tomato sauce
- If you choose to add chili powder and cumin, add them at this time
- Bring to a boil
- Reduce heat to low, so rice is at a very low simmer.
- Cover with a lid and cook for 20 minutes
- Remove from heat, but leave rice covered until ready to serve.
You are going to love this rice! Don’t forget you can also check out the directions for Oven Baked Spanish Rice. They are the same recipe, just different cooking methods.
Keep it Real!
jess
March 25, 2014 at 1:23 pmDo you use white minute rice?
Maria
March 25, 2014 at 3:52 pmJess,
No, do not use minute rice in this recipe. Use regular rice.
Maria
Cece
April 29, 2014 at 1:53 pmIf I double the recipe, is the cook time the same?
Maria
April 29, 2014 at 9:10 pmHi Cece,
The cooking time should be the same. When I double this recipe I just use two 9×13 pans and do one recipe worth in each pan. That way the depth of the water and rice remains the same and the cooking time is not affected. Does that make sense?
Maria
Cece
April 30, 2014 at 2:57 pmYes, thanks!
Courtney
May 2, 2014 at 12:14 pmHow much does this recipe make? Also when you add the carrots, can you taste them?
Maria
May 3, 2014 at 5:09 pmHi Courtney,
It makes about 8 cups and you can taste the carrot just a tiny bit.
Maria
Viviana
June 16, 2014 at 10:25 pmHi, should I was the rice?
Maria
June 17, 2014 at 12:16 amYou don’t need to, but you can if you want…it will just make it harder to make sure the water amount is correct.
Shelly
October 6, 2014 at 6:51 pmI add some frozen peas and carrots for a little extra veg and color 🙂
Stacie
May 19, 2016 at 3:19 pmCan I use this recipe in a rice cooker
Maria
May 21, 2016 at 10:44 amYes, i have and it turns out great. I’ve been meaning to make a post about it. 🙂
Kathy
June 28, 2016 at 7:54 pmHubby and I are camping this weekend! I’m thinking about making this ahead of time Friday and then just heating it up on the stove top in our RV Sunday night for taco night! Do you think it’ll still be yummy for our crowd of people?!
Maria
June 28, 2016 at 11:58 pmYes, we eat it warmed up the next day all the time. It will still be yummy!
Veronica Phillips
October 21, 2016 at 1:08 amHow much will I need for 15 people?
Maria
October 21, 2016 at 3:16 pmDepends on how big of eaters they are. I would think 1 1/2 or 2 batches would be plenty.