My mom’s signature Spanish rice recipe, a delicious accompaniment to steak, chicken, and Mexican appetizers like tacos or enchiladas
My Mom’s Spanish Rice (aka Mexican Rice) is a mandatory accompaniment to every Mexican dish we serve at our house, whether it’s with enchiladas or tostadas or with steak and black beans.
This rice is our family’s comfort food. My mom always makes a big batch when she makes it because we can’t get enough!
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How to make spanish rice
Spanish rice is essentially a rice pilaf, but with southwestern flavors. To do this, first brown the raw rice with onions and garlic and then cook the rice in chicken broth with added tomatoes.
The browning is essential for the nutty, almost toasty taste of the rice. And while bouillon can be substituted for the chicken broth, nothing beats homemade chicken broth, the rich flavor of which is absorbed by the rice as it cooks.
Mom has perfected the art of making rice quickly. She heats the tomato broth in a separate saucepan while the rice browns, then combines the two to cook while she prepares the rest of the meal. You could easily make it a pot if you wanted.
Spanish rice
My mom browns the rice in a different pan than the pot she uses to heat the broth. This is only to save time. You can lightly sauté the rice and onions, add cold broth and tomatoes, bring to a boil, cover and cook, all in one saucepan.
If you have homemade broth, use it! That will take this Spanish rice from good to great. Check the instructions on the rice package for the liquid to rice ratio. They can range from 1:1 to 2:1. If your rice calls for 2 cups of water for every cup of rice, use 4 cups of broth for 2 cups of rice for this recipe.
ingredients
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2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (can use up to 1/4 cup)
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1 onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
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1 garlic clove, chopped (about 1 teaspoon)
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2 cups medium or long grain white rice
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3 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth for the veggie version)
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1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste or 1 cup diced fresh or cooked tomatoes, strained
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Pinch of dried oregano
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1 teaspoon of salt
method
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Fry the rice:
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium/high heat. Add the rice and stir so that the rice is lightly coated in the oil. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until most of the rice is browned.
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Add onion, garlic:
Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, for a further 3 minutes until the onions start to soften. Add the garlic and cook until the onions are translucent and soft, about a minute longer.
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Combine broth, tomato, oregano, salt, and browned rice and onions:
To save time, you can bring the broth to a boil in a separate saucepan along with the tomato, oregano, and salt.
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Combine the rice and broth mixture:
Add the brown rice to the simmering broth (or broth to rice, depending on which pan has a lid). Or you can skip the cooking step and just add the broth and tomatoes to the rice.
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Simmer, cover, cook until the rice has absorbed the broth:
Bring to a simmer, cover and reduce heat to just barely maintain a simmer.
Cook for 15-25 minutes depending on the type of rice and the directions on the rice package.
Remove from the stove and let rest for 5 minutes.
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Surcharge:
To serve, fluff with a fork or spoon.
