This is my Cuban mother's authentic Spanish Rice with green peas. In 30 minutes, you can have a pot of piping hot real Cuban Spanish Rice. which goes well with almost any entrée. My mom only uses Uncle Ben's rice to make her Spanish Rice. I've tried this recipe with every other type of white rice and Uncle Ben's is the clear winner every time. It's fluffy and the grains are separate. You're going to love it!
Try this recipe for restaurant-style Spanish rice. It cooks quickly, and the tastes better than what you'll get in any restaurant. You can serve the rice with roasted chicken, fajitas, and black beans. According to my mom, the key is to use Uncle Ben's Rice.
This recipe is gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian. See below for Kaufmann Phase 2 Diet recommendations under How to Make Brown Spanish Rice.
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What You Need
What Kind of Rice Goes into Spanish Rice?
I've tried to make this recipe with every other type of rice and Uncle Ben's Converted Rice makes the best Spanish Rice!
The star of my mom's Spanish Rice recipe is Uncle Ben's Converted White Rice. Converted rice is parboiled and pressure cooked, making it slightly darker than white rice. Also, it is less sticky, and cleaning the pot after your meal is a breeze!
Over the years, I've tried this recipe with Uncle Ben's white rice, Jasmine rice, short grain rice, long grain rice, basmati rice, and so many others. Uncle Ben's rice is the winner every time.
For the Tomato Sauce
Tomato Sauce, not to be confused with marinara sauce you put on your pasta, is found near the canned tomatoes in your grocery store. Look for a brand such as Pomi, from Italy, that contains only tomatoes. Most of the other brands contain preservatives, such as citric acid.
It is available in The Florida Keys at Publix.
If you cannot find Pomi, you can get an 8 oz. can of Del Monte or Hunt's tomato sauce.
In a pinch, you can use marinara sauce! I've tried it and it works too!
Do I Have to Defrost the Peas?
The peas do not have to be defrosted. Frozen peas are one of the few things I keep in my freezer besides meat. Try to get organic peas. Frozen peas are labeled in many different ways:
- Petite Peas
- Green Peas or Spring Peas
- Steam in the bag peas
All of these peas will work. They should be uncooked and sodium free.
How To Make Spanish Rice with Peas
- In a 3-quart saucepan, or small pot, over medium high-heat, add oil. Let it heat for a minutes.
- Add onions and peppers and season with a little salt and pepper. Sauté for a few minutes until soft.
- Add minced garlic. Cook for about 30 seconds.
- Add remaining ingredients, mix.
- Add water, stir.
- Raise heat to high; bring to a boil. Give it a stir and lower heat to the lowest setting on your stove.
- Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid. Set a timer for 20 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Stir it all up and serve hot.
What Goes with Uncle Ben's Spanish Rice?
According to my mom, everything goes with Spanish Rice! Try Seared Chicken Breasts, or Fried Yellowtail. The rice makes a great side for burgers!
Can I freeze the leftovers?
Of course, you can freeze the leftovers! I must say, I've eaten many bowls of this rice the next day and it will be good in the fridge for up to 4 days, if it lasts that long.
To freeze, place in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to a month. Put a date on the bag and place it in the back of the freezer where it's not exposed to warm air when you open the door.
Can I Double this Recipe?
Yes, you can easily double this recipe. Just use twice as much as each ingredient and use a 4-quart pot. The cooking time will still be 20 minutes.
How to Make Brown Spanish Rice
This Spanish Rice recipe is gluten-free. For the Kaufmann Phase Two Diet, you may eat brown rice. I made this recipe with Uncle Ben's Whole Grain brown rice and it works great. The directions are the same; just adjust the cooking time to 30 minutes if you're using Uncle Ben's brown rice and leave out the ketchup. If you have a different brand or variety of brown rice, follow the cooking time on the box.
Spanish Rice
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion peeled and diced
- 1 green bell pepper seeded and diced
- 2 garlic cloves pressed or minced
- 8 oz tomato sauce *see note below
- 1 ¼ cups water
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- ½ cup frozen peas
- 1 cup Uncle Ben's converted rice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a 3-quart saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Add onions and peppers and season with a little salt and pepper. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, about 4 minutes.
- Add garlic, and cook about 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Add tomato sauce, water, ketchup, peas, rice, one teaspoon of salt, a few grinds of pepper and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir and lower heat to low. Cover and cook for 20 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Mix and serve hot.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and it comes from online calculators. Although we try to attempt to provide accurate information, these figures are estimates only.