This post may contain affiliate links, please see my disclosure policy to learn more.
Spanish rice is traditionally made by sautéing uncooked rice in a skillet until it is a golden brown color. It is then cooked with tomatoes, onions, garlic, etc. To save time and make things easier in the kitchen, I like to adjust recipes to use pre-cooked rice. I make large batches of rice in my rice cooker and use pre-cooked rice in many recipes. Cooked rice freezes really well and reheats nicely. Just freeze rice in air-tight containers or freezer bags and add a little water when reheating.
This recipe is made with pre-cooked or leftover rice so it is quick and easy. It makes a wonderful side dish for any Mexican meal, but add a can of black beans or a pound of cooked ground beef and you have a main dish.
If you end up with any leftover Spanish rice you can use it to make Rice and Bean Patties. Or mix the leftover rice with scrambled eggs and cheese to make a breakfast burrito or a breakfast bowl.
Spanish Rice
Ingredients
- 2 Tbs butter
- ½ cup diced onion
- 1 cup chopped bell pepper (any colors)
- 1 stalk celery, chopped
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 14.5 oz can Mexican-style diced tomatoes
- 3 cups cooked white rice
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 2 tsp powdered beef bouillon
- salt and pepper to taste
- water if needed
Instructions
- Heat butter in a frying pan over medium heat, add onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic. Cook until slightly tender, 5 to 10 minutes.
- Add tomatoes with juice, rice, chili powder, beef bouillon powder, salt, and pepper to the onion mixture. Simmer, stirring occasionally. If the mixture starts to look dry add a little water. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes until heated through.
Nutrition
To make with uncooked rice – Saute 1 ½ cups of uncooked rice with the vegetables in step 1. In step 2 add 2 cups water, cover with a lid, and simmer for 30 minutes or until rice is tender.
