Name: Spanish Rice Made Easy in the Rice Cooker
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 Cup White Rice; 8 oz Tomato Sauce; 1/2 Medium Onion; 3 Cloves Garlic; 2 Cups Chicken Broth; 1/2 Tsp Chili Powder; 1 Tbsp Vegetable oil

Easy Spanish Rice

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

Delicious and easy Spanish rice made right in your rice cooker! I once though Spanish rice was out of my league or had to come from a box. Then I was helping a friend make dinner who learned from her mom how to properly make this rice.

It was actually so easy to get the flavors to mix and it came out restaurant perfect. One attempt on my own with what I learned that day and I was done with boxed rice! Now that I cook more complex dishes and need more burner space, I have turned to the rice cooker for help.

To be honest, the rice cooker is a great versatile piece of equipment. My favorite is the perfectly cooked rice every time and that I don’t have to have a pan on the stove just sitting in my way cooking rice. I have done nearly every variation of rice recipe that I normally use in my rice cooker, and they all turn out fantastic!

The Secret to Making Spanish Rice

Shh…Its a secret!

Begin making this dish by dicing up a small to medium sized onion and crush a couple cloves of garlic. Add about a tablespoon of vegetable oil to a skilled and saute these 2 items. Add your 1 cup of rice to this pan and mix in about a quarter to a third of an 8 ounce can of tomato sauce (this is the small one). Let this simmer to brown the rice a little bit.

Pour the rest of the tomato sauce into your measuring cup and add enough water to cook the rice. In other words, fill the cup up to the 2 1/4 cup mark for one cup of rice. Add in 1/2 tsp chili powder and 1/2 tsp chicken base and pour into your rice cooker.

Once your rice is lightly browned and your onions are translucent you can add them to the rice cooker. Give it a good stir and set it to the “white rice” setting. Allow it to cook, then simply stir and serve! Super Easy!

Safely Keeping and Using Leftovers

In general, most leftovers can be kept in the fridge for 3 to 4 days in an airtight container. They may also be stored in the freezer, technically forever, but they will taste best if used in 3 to 4 months.

You will want to thaw frozen leftovers before re-heating for best results. Always reheat stored food to a safe temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. This reduces any bacteria to safe levels for consumption and keeps you from getting sick.

This Spanish rice goes great with some Huevos rancheros or in some tacos for lunch the next day. I also enjoy it with just some fried eggs and a tortilla. Since it’s so easy to make, I’ve figured out how to not waste the leftovers.