Easy Spanish Rice (aka Mexican Rice)

What Makes My Spanish Rice Special

There’s something about a simple side of Spanish rice that just makes my chicken enchiladas recipe feel complete. It’s warm, comforting, and somehow always the first thing to disappear from the table.

• Light, fluffy rice with just the right texture, no mushy rice here!
• This rice is also very easy to prepare, much easier than many people assume.
• Made with simple pantry staples you probably already have on hand.
• The whole process will take about 40 minutes and most of it is just letting rice cook.
• Easy to make in one pot.
• That classic, Mexican restaurant-style flavor that pairs perfect with Mexican style recipes. It truly is a perfect compliment to enchiladas with tomato sauce, fajitas, carne asada tacos, and so much more.

It’s one of those recipes you’ll come back to again and again, because it’s easy, reliable, and always hits the spot.

Key Ingredient Notes

You need and short and simple list of ingredients to make this fluffy and tasty Spanish rice:

• Long Grain Rice – long grain rice is important to use because it tends to cook fluffy and as separate grains. (Medium grain rice also cooks as separate grain but more moist and tender. Short grain rice tends to clump together.) Long grain rice includes American long-grain rice, Basmati, and Jasmine rice. (Medium grain rice includes Arborio rice and short grain rice includes sushi rice.)
• Tomato sauce – make sure to use tomato sauce not tomato paste.
• Garlic – for the best flavor and aroma, it’s always best to use fresh garlic.
• Chicken stock (broth) and water – make sure to heat up water and stock before adding it to the pot.

See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and quantities.

How To Cook Spanish Rice (Mexican Rice): Visual and Steps

1. As always, before starting, prepare all of your ingredients first, before starting to cook.
2. Preheat the cooking pan and the oil first, then add rice and mix it to coat all the grains with oil. Sauté rice over medium heat until it starts turning brown. Make sure to stir from time to time.
3. When rice starts turning brown, add onion, tomato, and garlic. Stir and cook for a couple more minutes. 
4. Raise the heat to medium-high and add water, chicken broth, tomato sauce, cumin, and salt. Slowly stir to mix and TASTE! Tasting is important so you know you’ve added enough salt and spice for your own personal taste.
5. Bring the mixture to simmer as gentle but steady bubble, not a roaring boil. 
6. As soon as it starts to simmer, cover the pan with a lid and turn down the heat to low. 
7. Let rice cook. Do not stir or open the lid until all liquid has been absorbed by the rice. This will take about 20 minutes. 
8. Once rice has absorbed the liquid, take the pan off the heat and take the lid off. Fluff rice with a fork and add cilantro.

Ways to Customize Spanish Rice

One of the best things about this Spanish rice is how easy it is to adjust based on what you have on hand, or what you’re craving that day.

• Swap the tomato base: You can use salsa instead of tomato sauce for a slightly chunkier texture and an extra boost of flavor.
• Make it with brown rice: Brown rice works too, just note that it will need more liquid and a longer cooking time (almost double).
• Add vegetables: Stir in peas, carrots, corn, or even diced bell peppers to make it a little heartier.
• Use what broth you have: Chicken broth adds classic flavor, but vegetable broth works great for a vegetarian version.
• Adjust the seasoning: Like it spicier? Add a some chili powder or a diced jalapeño. Prefer it milder? Keep it simple with garlic, onion, and salt.

Storing and Reheating Instructions

The worst part about having leftover rice in the fridge is that it becomes dry because it looses a lot of moisture. So when reheating the rice, it’s important to add some of the moisture back. 

• Store leftover Mexican rice in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
• Reheating rice in the microwave: You can easily and quickly reheat the rice in the microwave. Add a couple of tablespoons of chicken broth or water to the portion of rice you are reheating.
  • Cover the bowl either with a microwave lid or you can place another bowl upside down on top of the rice bowl. Reheat it for about a minute.
• Reheating rice in a pan: You can also reheat rice in a sauce pot or a small cooking pan. Add a little oil to the pan if needed (you probably won’t need any oil if using a non-stick pan).
  • Add leftover rice and a couple of tablespoons of water or broth and mix. Cover the pan with a lid and let it heat through over medium-low heat. 
• Freezing: cool it completely, then store it in airtight, freezer-safe bags or containers for up to 2-3 months. Remember, you can freeze in portions. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

Recipe FAQs

Tips and Troubleshooting Common Mistakes

If your Spanish rice hasn’t turned out quite right in the past, don’t worry, you’re definitely not alone. A few small things to remember  can make all the difference:

• Rice turned out mushy or sticky? This usually happens when there’s too much liquid or the rice wasn’t toasted first. Make sure to sauté the rice until it’s lightly golden before adding liquid, and stick to the right rice-to-liquid ratio. Also, avoid stirring too much while it cooks.
• Rice came out bland? Remember that salt is usually responsible for not enough flavor. Salt a little more first and then try. Also, try using broth instead of water, don’t be shy with seasoning, and taste, taste, taste.
• Rice burned on the bottom? The heat was likely too high. Once the liquid is added, keep it at a gentle simmer and avoid lifting the lid too often.
• Not getting that restaurant-style texture? The key is toasting the rice and letting it cook undisturbed. When it’s done, fluff it gently with a fork to keep the grains light and separate.

Ways to Serve Spanish Rice

Spanish Rice goes with so many things, try it with my beef enchiladas or pork carnitas, as well as: 

• Also, cheesy vegetable enchiladas or shrimp enchiladas
• With a crock pot salsa chicken
• In the burrito bowl or a taco salad
• In or on a side of pulled pork tacos, or shrimp tacos, or shredded chicken tacos

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Originally published on Will Cook For Smiles on September 15, 2011.