Spanish Rice

1 May 2010 · 22 comments

Spanish Rice

My favorite rice is Spanish rice. Not any and all Spanish rice sides, but my Mom’s rice. Most Mexican restaurants’ rice don’t come close to the texture, flavors and fresh vegetables that make up the rice I now serve at home too. My Mom even makes it with brown rice now! It turns out delicious and even better for you because it’s brown rice. I haven’t mastered that yet (truth is, I haven’t tried), but I do enjoy and crave my own rice. Is that vain? Maybe.

I’ve made some slight changes to my version of Spanish rice over the years. So what’s the secret? Maybe it’s the fresh vegetables, the chicken broth, the variety of rice or just knowing when to turn the stove’s heat off to let the rice fluff and arise to the delicate texture it becomes.

I use Calrose rice (a medium-grain) almost exclusively, whether I’m making plain white or Spanish rice. The rice variety is my own preference due to its shape, texture and its retention of flavors.

This is one of those dishes that I don’t usually measure, and if you make it enough times and add your own changes to it, you won’t need to either. It’s quick, it’s easy and best of all…it’s fresh (well, as fresh as your vegetables are). You control how much salt substances are used and once you’ve successfully served your beautiful, fresh ingredients Spanish rice, you probably will never go back to any other way.

Teenie Notes

When using chicken broth for the rice, I’ll either use low-sodium or homemade broth (this usually works out well if I’m making a soup or chicken enchiladas to serve with the rice as I’ll have homemade broth on-hand).
You can substitute the vegetables in the rice for your favorites. My mom used to use peas. If I have a variety of sweet peppers on hand, I’ll use them for color, as well as for their flavors.
Adding sweet corn kernels is a tasty addition.

Spanish Rice

source Cristina from TeenieCakes.com

Ingredients

2-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (olive oil, canola or vegetable can be substituted)

3 cups Calrose rice (or your variety preference)

1-2 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
4 Roma tomatoes, diced
1/4 – 1/2 cup brown onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 – 3/4 cup sweet corn kernels (optional)

4 1/2 cups chicken broth (about 2 1/2 (14-ounce) cans of low-sodium chicken broth)
Salt and black pepper, to taste

Spanish Rice Vegetables

Directions

In a 4 1/2 quart pan or larger that has a lid, add olive oil and warm on medium heat. Add rice and allow to brown (if you are using garlic, add to the oil with the rice). Avoid uneven browning by stirring occasionally and coating the rice with the olive oil, about 5-7 minutes. Take care not to over-brown.

Spanish Rice - Browning

Add the tomatoes, onion and bell pepper to the rice and gently distribute the vegetables with the rice. Cook until vegetables are softened (not mushy) about 8 – 10 minutes. Adjust stove’s burner temperature to low. Add enough chicken broth to the pan so that the liquid is about 1 1/4-inch above the rice/vegetable contents. Add the corn, salt and pepper.

Spanish Rice Prep

Bring the stove’s burner heat up to medium and gently stirring occasionally. When the rice and vegetables are viewable due to the broth/liquid’s evaporation (see image below), cover the pan and turn off the burner.

Spanish Rice - Boil