Spanish rice, or Mexican rice, is a delicious tomato-based rice pilaf with garlic, onions and savory spices. This recipe is super simple, just add the ingredients to your rice cooker and stir, then hit the start button—you’ll have a delicious side dish on the table with minimal effort! Serve it with my ground beef turkey tacos or Instant Pot shredded beef tacos.
My husband grew up in Arizona and enjoyed Spanish rice at church potlucks and family gatherings, so he often has cravings for this dish. With the convenience of a rice cooker, this dish can be made in no time! The flavors of Spanish rice are bold, but not overpowering, and pair perfectly with most Mexican main dishes. It’s also mild enough that my whole family can enjoy, including the kiddos!
Ingredients & notes
Rice – Use long grain rice like jasmine rice.
Chicken Broth – This boosts the flavor and provides a savory, rich taste. You may use low sodium chicken broth, or water if you prefer to keep this dish on the lighter side.
Canned Diced Tomatoes – I like the chunky tomato texture you get when using diced tomatoes with some of the tomato juice. If you don’t want the chunks, just use tomato sauce.
Aromatics – Garlic and onion
Butter – for a savory flavor.
Seasoning – Chili powder, cumin, oregano. Add more chili powder if you like it on the spicy side.
Equipment
Rice Cooker– I use a Tiger JBV- S series. It’s great for our family of four and cooks up to 3 cups of rice for large parties.
Instructions
1). Wash the rice and drain well in a strainer.
2). Add the rice to the pot, along with the chicken broth, diced tomato with some of the canned juice (do not drain), garlic, onion, butter and seasoning. Stir the ingredients together.
3). Press the “cook” button and walk away!
4). When the rice is done cooking (about 50 min for me), fluff the rice with a fork.
Serve with your favorite Mexican dish like tacos, grilled seafood, taquitos, enchiladas, and more!
Pro Tips
- For Jasmine rice: 1 cup rice to 1 cup broth and 1 cup diced tomatoes and sauce
- For Basmati rice: 1 cup rice to ¾ cup chicken broth and ¾ cup diced tomatoes with sauce
- After you rinse the rice, make sure to drain the water very well—give it a few hard shakes in the strainer to take out as much water as possible. Too much residual water may make the dish mushy.
- For a spicier kick, add additional chili powder.
- Stir up all the ingredients well in the pot to ensure even distribution of flavors.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
Frequently asked questions
Technically, Spanish Rice is made with saffron, and Mexican rice is traditionally made with tomatoes, cumin and oregano. However, for many living in the Southwest and Texas, Spanish Rice and Mexican rice are interchangeable and refer to the same dish.
Long grain rice, this includes jasmine and basmati rice. Any long grain rice will work, just make sure to check what the rice to liquid ratio is, to prevent your dish from being too mushy, instead of light and fluffy.
Rice becomes mushy when there is too much water in the pot. To prevent this, make sure to drain the rice really well after you rinse it, and measure the correct amount of liquid to the rice.
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Rice Cooker Spanish Rice
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup Jasmine rice or long grain rice
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup canned diced tomatoes with sauce
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Rinse rice in a mesh strainer. Make sure to shake out excess water well.
- Add the rice to the pot, along with the chicken broth, diced tomato sauce (do not drain the sauce), garlic, onion, butter and seasoning. Stir the ingredients together.
- Set rice cooker to cook or start (depending on the cooker functions) and walk away!
- When done, fluff with a fork and serve.
Notes
- For Jasmine rice: 1 cup rice to 1 cup broth and 1 cup diced tomatoes and sauce
- For Basmati rice: 1 cup rice to ¾ cup chicken broth and ¾ cup diced tomatoes with sauce
- After you rinse the rice, make sure to drain the water very well—give it a few hard shakes in the strainer to take out as much water as possible. Too much residual water may make the dish mushy.
- For a spicier kick, add additional chili powder.
- Stir up all the ingredients well in the pot to ensure even distribution of flavors.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
- Cooking time will vary, depending on your rice cooker.