This Spanish Rice recipe is quick, easy, and tastes just like it came from your favorite restaurant. It's perfectly fluffy, uses just a few simple ingredients, and is jam-packed with so much flavor.
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Easy Restaurant Style Spanish Rice Recipe
Whether you call it Spanish Rice or Mexican Rice, it is essentially a rice pilaf with Mexican flavors. It’s a common side dish in northern Mexico, as well as the Southwest United States, and isn’t actually made in Spain at all! The rumor is that when the Spanish invaded Mexico, they brought with them rice, which is not native to Mexico.
Spanish Rice is incredibly simple to make and is one of my family’s favorite things to order at a Mexican restaurant. This recipe tastes just like it came from your favorite restaurant. There is so much flavor in every single bite, and the texture is spot on.
Homemade Spanish Rice with Salsa
Some recipes for Spanish Rice call for using tomato sauce or tomato broth, but we prefer to use salsa. It adds a bit more flavor, and you can increase the heat very easily by choosing a hot or medium variety.
What To Serve With Spanish Rice
This side dish goes great with any of your favorite Mexican dishes, such as:
But don’t feel like you need to limit yourself to just Mexican flavors because this is also the perfect side dish to serve with a wide variety of entrees:
Ingredients in Spanish Rice
- Oil - you can use olive oil, avocado oil, or really any cooking oil that you have on hand.
- Onion - a yellow or white onion is most common, but you could use a red onion if you’d like.
- Rice - we recommend plain long grain white rice for this particular recipe.
- Salt - we like to use sea salt for seasoning.
- Chicken Broth - chicken broth adds a great flavor, but you can also substitute vegetable broth if you want to make this vegetarian.
- Salsa - use your favorite brand, and level of spice.
- Lime - you can cut this into wedges to squeeze over the rice just before serving. Either give one per person, or else arrange the sliced limes wedges in a bowl on the side.
- Optional Seasoning Ideas: garlic powder, chili powder and/or cumin would all taste great.
How To Make Spanish Rice On the Stovetop
- In a large frying pan on medium heat, add the oil and the rice. Stirring occasionally, cook the rice until golden brown, or about 3-5 minutes.
- Add the diced onion and salt and cook for another 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the chicken broth and salsa and stir. Bring the mixture up to a boil, then cover with a lid and reduce heat to low. Keep the rice at a low simmer for 20 minutes, without removing the lid if possible.
- After 20 minutes, lift the lid and check your rice but do not stir. You may need to cook for up to 5 more minutes, or until all of the liquid has absorbed and the rice is cooked.
- Once cooked completely, turn the heat off and let it sit for 10 minutes, then lightly fluff rice with a fork and squeeze the fresh lime juice on the rice before serving. Enjoy!
Instructions for Instant Pot
- Set your Instant Pot on “Saute” and add in your oil and rice and cook for about 3 minutes, or just until the rice begins to brown.
- Add in your onion and salt, and cook for another 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until they have begun to soften.
- Add your broth and salsa and put on the lid. Switch to “Seal” and choose “Manual.” Cook on High for 3 minutes.
- Allow it to do a “Natural Release” which will take about 15 minutes.
- Once the pressure has released, carefully remove the lid and fluff with a fork. Serve with a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Enjoy!
What’s the Best Rice To Use For Spanish Rice?
We prefer any long-grain white rice for this recipe because it says nice and fluffy after it’s cooked. Instant rice and short-grained rices get sticky, and for this dish you want each grain to be separate.
You can substitute brown rice if you’d like, but you’ll need to adjust your cooking time, as well as increase the amount of broth that you use. Check the package to see their recommended rice to liquid ratio.
What Can I Add To the Cooked Rice?
Really, whatever you love most! Some ideas are sliced green onions, chopped cilantro, green peas, diced peppers or diced tomatoes.
Spanish Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil can substitute any cooking oil
- 2 cups Long Grain White Rice
- 1/2 small Yellow Onion or 1/4 cup diced, can substitute white
- 1 tsp Salt
- 3 cups Chicken Broth can substitute vegetable broth
- 1 cup Salsa your favorite brand
- 1 large Lime cut into segments
Instructions
- In a large frying pan on medium heat, add the oil and the rice. Stirring occasionally, cook the rice until golden brown, or about 3-5 minutes.
- Add the diced onion and salt and cook for another 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the chicken broth and salsa and stir. Bring the mixture up to a boil, then cover with a lid and reduce heat to low. Keep the rice at a low simmer for 20 minutes, without removing the lid if possible. After 20 minutes, lift the lid and check your rice but do not stir. You may need to cook for up to 5 more minutes, or until all of the liquid has absorbed and the rice is cooked.
- Once cooked completely, turn the heat off and let it sit for 10 minutes, then lightly fluff with a fork and squeeze the fresh lime juice on the rice before serving. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Here are some other simple side dishes that we love!!
- Cheesy Green Chili Rice Casserole
- Homemade Cheesy Breadsticks
- Steakhouse Style Baked Potatoes
- Garlic Parmesan Orzo
- Copycat Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice
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This Spanish Rice recipe is quick, easy and has so much flavor packed into every single bite. It's perfectly fluffy, uses just a few simple ingredients and tastes just like it came from your favorite restaurant.
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