Spanish Rice or Quinoa

I was tasked with providing a Latin side dish for dinner with friends a few weeks ago. I was having a hankering for Spanish rice, so I tried a new recipe! Risky, but it paid off! I researched about a dozen different recipes and smashed them together with my fingers crossed.

Savory, spicy, sassy success.

I have added a few more spices since that first attempt and am now ready to share the recipe in its perfected-to-my-personal-tastes state!

Now, before I unveil this masterpiece, I must also encourage you to eat the leftovers with breakfast. Yes, breakfast. I made two over-easy runny eggs and served them with half cup of rice. Yum. Yum. I tried it without realizing that this is actually a common dish! My natural culinary brilliance knows no cultural barriers. Cough, cough... I'm kidding.
Ingredients:
2 Tbs butter
1 medium onion, diced
2 tsp minced garlic cloves
3 cups uncooked white rice***
2 cans chicken broth (14.5 ounces each)
1 cup water
1 10-ounce can of Rotel tomatoes with diced chiles
1 cup picante sauce (I prefer mild)
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 and 1/2 tsp salt

Directions:
Melt butter in bottom of pot. Saute onions and garlic until soft. Mix in uncooked rice, stirring often. When rice begins to brown, add broth, water, tomatoes, picante sauce, chili powder, cumin, and salt.

Stir well, cover, and simmer on low until rice is soft, approximately 40 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure the bottom doesn't stick and burn. Remove from heat and leave covered for 5 more minutes.

Makes roughly 12 cups of rice. That is 24 half-cup servings, 90 calories each.

***I now prefer to make this dish with quinoa!  So healthy and so delicious!  Instead of 3 cups of uncooked white rice, I use 2.5 cups of dry (but rinsed!) quinoa!

Comments

Cindy said…
I've been looking for a good spanish rice recipe that didn't start with 1/2 cup of butter or oil. Love the flavors in this. Can't wait to serve it with enchiladas. Thanks.
Petra said…
I love your blog. thanks for all the yummy recipes...a secret ingredient that we put in our spanish rice is BACON. Ok, it's not really a secret, but it sure tastes good. A whole pound of it, cut up into the rice. YUM! That would also go well with your left overs for breakfast.

(I'm Kerrin's sister)
Megan B ♥ said…
Mmmmmmmmm...... Bacon! Never thought of that but yum! Bacon is magic!

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