When I was growing up in Southern California a lot of the girls brought this rice to school for lunch in a container. We called it Mexican rice (more on this below in the FAQ) and it was the envy of all of us with mere PB&Js for lunch. Kosher Spanish rice is mildly flavored by the tomatoes, onions and chicken broth and tastes addictingly good. It is a perfect side dish for your tacos, burritos, enchiladas, lamb stew, chicken marsala, or eaten straight out of the pan with a spoon. Take your Taco Tuesday to the next level with this Spanish rice recipe.
Ingredients
The great thing about this recipe, aside from how easy it is, is that you probably already have all the ingredients in your kitchen.
- long grain white rice
- oil
- onions
- garlic
- red peppers (optional)
- tomato sauce
- chicken stock
- salt
How to make
Making Spanish rice from scratch is quick and easy.
- First you brown the rice which takes rice to the next level. It smells so good as it's toasting, almost like popcorn.
- Then you add in the onions and peppers and saute to soften. All the while the rice is continuing to toast to be sure to keep everything moving around in the pan.
- Next add in the garlic which will smell ah-mazing but don't let it go for more than a minute or two or it will burn and turn bitter.
- After the garlic, you put in the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine.
- Finally, bring it to a boil then cover and reduce to a simmer to 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How do you make Spanish rice not mushy?
There is nothing worse than mushy rice and the wrong rice consistency can ruin this dish. The best way to make sure that your rice is firm and not mushy is to brown the rice in a pan before adding it to the rest of the ingredients. This gives the rice some texture and makes it harder to break down so quickly when combined with the wet ingredients.
Is Spanish rice and Mexican rice the same thing?
Spanish rice is a recipe that has a firmer texture while Mexican rice is usually softer. There can be other minor differences in the seasonings but the basic ingredients are the same.
Why is my Spanish rice crunchy?
Rice gets crunchy when it is burnt or too dry. If your rice is burnt you will probably know it as there will be a strong smell and the rice will be discolored. Dry rice is caused by taking the lid off of your rice too soon or overcooking it. If you burn the rice, throw it out because you cannot save it. If the rice dries out you can add up to ½ cup of water or stock to make it soft again.
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Equipment
- 12 inch skillet with tight fitting lid
Ingredients
- 2 cups white rice long grain
- ¼ cup oil
- ½ onion cut into 1-inch pieces
- ½ red bell pepper (optional) cut into 1- inch pieces
- 3 cloves garlic minced or 3 teaspoon granulated garlic
- ¾ cup tomato sauce not ketchup
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon chicken soup powder
- 2 ¾ cups chicken stock
Instructions
- Heat oil over medium-high heat in a in 12- inch skillet.
- Add rice and saute for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Stir frequently. Watch that it does not burn.
- Add onions and peppers and saute another 5-10 minutes stirring frequently Rice should be a lovely brown color but not burnt. .
- Add garlic and saute 3 more minutes until garlic smells delicious but do not overcook.
- Add rest of ingredients, stir and turn heat up to high. Stirring constantly bring to boil and boil for 2 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low. Cover and allow to simmer for 20 minutes or until all water is absorbed.
Notes
Nutrition
When you make this recipe make sure to tag us on Instagram @yaykosher and hashtag it #yaykosher