Rice is a staple in Spanish food recipes and this Spanish rice recipe combines the flavors of garlic, cumin, tomato, chicken broth and more for a delicious Spanish rice side dish, which can be served alongside Mexican casserole or with tacos or fajitas for example. This traditional recipe also makes a nice lunchtime snack.
The secret to fluffy Spanish rice is to use long grain white rice and make sure the water is hot when you add it. Leave the rice for 10 minutes before serving it, for maximum fluffiness! Fluffy rice is best with authentic Spanish rice recipes.
In addition, a good quality chicken broth really makes the difference in this recipe. It is always better to use homemade chicken broth if you have some. A lot of home cooks like to freeze chicken broth in small portions, or even use an ice cube tray to make tablespoon-size portions, and then thaw them when needed.
Spanish Rice: Time Saving Tips
If you are in a rush though, you can always use a bouillon cube to make instant chicken broth. The flavor will not be as fresh but if you do not mind sacrificing a little of the flavor to save some time, that would be a viable substitution.
In the recipe you need either the chicken broth or a tablespoon of bouillon powder, to add some nice chicken flavor to the dish.
The garlic, onion, tomato and spices go beautifully with the rice and this is an incredibly easy dish to cook because you just brown some of the ingredients, then add the rest and leave it to cook. You can eat this cold the following day or heat it back up if there is any left over.
Authentic Spanish rice recipes like this one go well with nearly any Spanish or Mexican main dish or you can serve it at a buffet, either hot or chilled. Add more chili to the recipe if you want it to be spicier.
PrintSpanish Rice Recipe with Fresh Tomatoes
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stove
- Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients
- 1 cup (210g) uncooked rice
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 1 cup (250ml) cold water
- ½ yellow onion
- 1 cup (250ml) homemade chicken broth or 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon powder dissolved in 1 cup hot water
- ¼ cup (60ml) tomato sauce
- 1 Roma tomato, chopped into 8 pieces
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder (or seeds crushed into powder)
- 1 chili pepper, sliced lengthwise
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Put the oil into a pan and heat it to a medium temperature.
- Add the rice and brown it in the oil while stirring.
- Add the garlic when the rice is nearly browned.
- Add the water, then the rest of the ingredients. Mix well.
- Cover, with a small air escape, and turn the heat down to medium low.
- Cook the rice for 20 to 30 minutes but check after 20 to see if it is ready.
- You do not need to stir the rice or lift the lid while it cooks. It is ready when the rice is fluffy, all the water is gone, and the grains are split open (because of the browning).
- If it is still sauce-like rather than dry, cook a few minutes more. Adjust the spices and serve hot.
Notes
- This works well as a side dish with your favorite Spanish style protein. It’s also good as a side dish for Mexican meals including tacos, enchiladas, or burritos. You can also eat it by itself as a snack.
Keywords: spanish rice, mexican rice, risotto, rice recipe, rice side dish, spanish rice recipe with fresh tomatoes
