This recipe makes me think of one of my favorite Mexican restaurants in my home town – the type of place that serves huge combo plates of rice, refried beans and carnitas, all covered in cheese.
Mexian-Inspired Rice Ingredients
We’re moving next week, which means this week we’re starting to pack everything we own into boxes, and we’re eating everything that’s not part of our most basic food storage. All I have left to cook with is basic, shelf-safe staples, (along with my weekly produce) and the most essential cookware. Luckily, this recipe only requires 5 or 6 basic ingredients, and a pot.
This recipe is a version of the popular side dish served in Mexican restaurants in the United States.
I cheated a little in calling this 5 ingredient rice, because I added diced green chiles to mine, but the chiles are totally optional. The great thing about this recipe is that once you have the recipe and process down, you can make however you’d like depending on your tastes or what you have in the pantry. Sometimes I like to add fresh peppers and onions, change up the spices, or substitute salsa for tomato sauce.
This recipe was also perfect for a moving week because it’s so simple and quick to prepare. It literally takes 5 minutes to get everything ready, then it cooks for 20 minutes, and it’s done.
One step I really don’t recommend that you skip when making Spanish Rice is lightly toasting the rice before you cook it. The first few times I made Spanish Rice, the recipes I worked from didn’t say to toast the rice, and I was always disappointed by the texture; it turned out too clumpy and mushy for my taste.
Tonight I’m serving this rice in tacos with my Best Ever Mexican Black Beans, but I also love adding it to burritos and enchiladas with my favorite Crock-Pot Cilantro Lime Shredded Chicken, or just serving it as a side dish with a variety of main courses.
Spanish Rice in a Plate
5-Ingredient Spanish Rice (Arroz Rojo)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 cup white rice
- 1-2 cups chicken broth*
- 1 cup 8 ounces tomato sauce
- 1 4 oz can diced green chilies optional
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons taco seasoning
Instructions
- Heat vegetable oil in a medium sauce pan over medium heat.
- Add the rice and stir to coat completely in oil. Cook, stirring occasionally for 2-3 minutes, until rice is lightly toasted.
- Add chicken broth*, tomato sauce, diced green chilies, and taco seasoning and stir to combine.
- Turn the heat up to high, and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Once the mixture is boiling, put the lid on the sauce pan and reduce heat to low. Cook for about 20 minutes*, or until liquid is absorbed and rice is fully cooked.
- Once rice is done cooking, remove from heat and allow it to rest for about 5 minutes.
- Using a fork, fluff the rice and incorporate any tomato sauce that has come to the top.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
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You can substitute the chicken broth with vegetable broth and easily make it vegan!
That’s a great idea, Holly!
What kind of rice do we use? I have 5 minute rice
Regular, long grain white rice. Unfortunately Minute Rice doesn’t really work with this recipe.
If it helps this is the type I currently have in my kitchen: http://www.target.com/p/white-rice-1-lb-market-pantry/-/A-13274155
Way too much taco seasoning.
As a Mexican-American, I know that my cultural cuisine will be edited to creative chefs making delicious meals at home to their loved ones. But please understand that it is an insult when you title Mexican rice as “Spanish rice”. Spanish is a language or it is a term used for people who are from Spain. You are intending to make Mexican rice, not a rice from the Spanish cuisine. Please fix your title.
– Love, Mexican-Americans
Thanks for writing! We would never want to insult Mexico, its people, culture or amazing cuisine! Of course we understand the differences between Mexico, Spain and the Spanish language. We’ve changed the title to make it more clear that the dish is from Mexico and not Spain.
I am Mexican, and like my Mexican-American friend said. This recipe and the title is incredibly insulting. Not only is this recipe making homage to our colonizers, but the fact that you call this Mexican is inaccurate as this is your interpretation of Mexican rice . The best way to refer to it would be “Mexican inspired”
Hi Deni,
Thank you for your comment and my deep apologies for the mislabeling of this recipe. I have updated the title and appreciate you bringing it to my attention.
Great and quick recipe. I was worried when someone posted that there was too much taco seasoning, but I didn’t find that to be the case at all.
Thanks, Jamie! We love this easy recipe with tons of flavor!
Any chance you’ve tried this with brown rice? Do you have any idea if that would work? Looks delicious, looking forward to trying it.
Yes, I have thought about brown rice! I like brown rice more than white. Unfortunately it doesn’t work well with this recipe/cooking method. I wish it did!
What a wonderful & simple recipe! I make this Mexican rice 3 times a month for my PICKY eaters! This weekend, I’m going to introduce 20 more people to it because my 8 year old turns 9 Sunday and has specifically asked for “that red rice you make on Taco Tuesday, Mama”. My only complaint is that we never have leftovers. I plan to, at least triple the recipe. Any suggestions?
My entire family loves this recipe, including the most picky of all, my 8 year old! So I make it at least 3 times a month. This weekend, she’s requested “mom’s red rice” as part of her 9th birthday meal. Any suggestions or changes for tripling the recipe?
I love this, Shannon! And all you have to do to make a larger batch is triple all of the ingredients and use a big pot. Enjoy!