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    Home » Recipes » Side Dishes

    Spanish Rice Recipe

    September 22, 2021 by Felice Kaufman

    uncle bens spanish rice in a bowl

    This is my Cuban mother's Spanish Rice recipe. In 30 minutes, you can have a pot of piping hot authentic Spanish Rice which goes well with almost any entrée. My mom only uses Uncle Ben's rice to make her authentic Spanish Rice. I've tried this recipe with every other type of 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!

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    spanish_rice

    What You Need

    spanish_rice_ingredients

    What Kind of Rice Goes into Spanish Rice?

    Uncle Besn Spanish Rice recipe

    I've tried to make this recipe with every other type of rice and Uncle Ben's Converted Rice wins every time!

    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!

    For the Tomato Sauce

    pomi_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!

    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.

    How To Make Spanish Rice

    how_to_make_spanish_rice
    Spanish Rice on stovetop
    1. First, heat a little oil over medium-high heat in a 3-quart saucepan (or a small pot). This is the pot the rice will cook in. Add onions and peppers and season with a little salt and pepper. Sauté for a few minutes until soft.
    2. Add garlic. Cook for about 30 seconds.
    3. Add remaining ingredients, mix.
    4. Add water, stir.
    5. Raise heat to high; bring to a boil. Give it a stir and lower heat to the lowest setting on your stove.
    6. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid. Set a timer for 20 minutes.
    7. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir it all up and enjoy!
    Cuban Spanish Rice

    What Goes with Uncle Ben's Spanish Rice?

    According to my mom, everything goes with Spanish Rice! Try Seared Chicken Breasts, Roasted Chicken, grilled fish and the rice makes a great side for burgers!

    If You are on a Restrictive Diet...

    This Spanish Rice recipe is gluten-free. For the Kaufmann Phase Two Diet, you may eat brown rice. I made this recipe with long-grain brown rice and it works great. The directions are the same; just adjust the cooking time to 45 minutes. Send me an email if you have questions at hello[at]cookinginthekeys.com.

    cuban spanish rice

    Spanish Rice

    Cooking in The Keys
    This is my Cuban mother's Spanish Rice recipe. In 30 minutes you can have a pot of piping hot authentic Spanish Rice which goes well with almost any entree. It is fluffy and the grains are separate. You are going to love it!
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 20 mins
    Total Time 30 mins
    Course Sides
    Cuisine Cuban
    Servings 6 servings
    Calories 179.2 kcal

    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

    1 - Over the years I have tried this recipe with every type of rice. Uncle Ben's converted rice is the clear winner. 
    2- When you are cooking the rice, make sure you have the stove on its very lowest setting and do not lift the cover while it is steaming.
    3 - Tomato sauce comes in an 8 oz. can or carton. It can be found in the canned vegetable aisle at the grocery store. If you purchase low sodium tomato sauce, you will need a little more salt in the final dish, but it will still work.
    4- For the Kaufmann Phase Two Diet you may eat brown rice. I made this recipe with long-grain brown rice and it works great. The directions are the same; just adjust the cooking time to 45 minutes and leave out the ketchup. Send me an email if you have questions at [email protected]
     
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 179.2kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 3.3gTotal Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 0.7gSodium: 417.3mgPotassium: 139mgFiber: 1.7gSugar: 2.5gNet Carbohydrates: 28.3g

    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.

    Tried this recipe? Please share it!Mention @cookinginthekeys or tag #cookinginthekeys

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    Hi! I'm Felice Kaufman. Join me on my culinary adventure in Key Largo, Florida, where I eat, cook, shop, and travel for fresh fish, fruit, vegetables, and more!

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