How to Make Spanish Rice

If you want to know How to Make Spanish Rice, you’re in the right place! Soft, fluffy, flavorful Spanish Rice is a traditional Mexican dish, or side-dish if you prefer. Our Spanish Rice Recipe checks all the boxes of authenticity; we simmer our Vegan Spanish Rice in a mixture of tomatoes, onions, garlic, and spices. This is a very simple and Easy Spanish Rice recipe that takes only 30 minutes to make. We hope you enjoy!

Vegan Spanish Rice

Spanish Rice goes with any Mexican dish so, if you’re a fan Mexican food, you’ll want to learn this one. When you’re done making this recipe, you should be left with a light, fluffy rice with hints of tomato, garlic, and onion. This rice shouldn’t clump together but separate when brought out of the pot and onto a plate. The texture of the rice should be slightly chewy but not mushy. The onions should be noticed as a flavor but not so much as a texture; they definitely shouldn’t be crunchy but thoroughly cooked through and translucent. If you’ve cooked them right, you’ll have to stare hard to even see them in the rice.

Spanish Rice Recipe

• Long grain rice
• Vegetable broth
• Tomato sauce
• Tomatoes
• Onion
• Olive oil
• Garlic
• Garlic salt
• Onion powder

How to Make Vegan Spanish Rice

1. Oil. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Brown the rice. Add in the rice and cook over low heat for roughly 5 minutes until light-golden brown, stirring frequently.
3. Add onions and garlic. Stir in the onions and garlic, cook an additional 2 minutes.
4. Pour in sauce, tomatoes, and spices. Add in the tomato sauce, tomatoes, garlic powder, and onion powder. Stir to combine.
5. Add broth. Pour in the vegetable broth, stir to combine.
6. Simmer. Place a lid on the pot and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
7. Cool. Remove the pot from the heat and let the rice set with the lid on for roughly 10 minutes.

Recipe Variations

• For a little spice, add a tablespoon of diced jalapeno in when you sauté the onions and garlic with the rice.
• Add in more vegetables like pees, carrots, and corn. Again, you can include these when you sauté your other ingredients.
• Experiment by adding traditional Mexican spices like oregano, chili powder, and cumin.
• Add some Vegan butter either directly to the recipe or when reheating. This should be used sparingly but, if done right, should enhance the flavor with a rich creaminess. Butter works well with almost anything. Think about warm buttered tortillas and you’ll catch our drift!
• Use salsa instead of chopped tomatoes! Try our Serrano Salsa for this; it includes Serrano peppers so it should add some spice!

Tips

After you have cooked your rice, you’re going to remove it from the heat and let it sit with the lid on the pot for roughly 10 minutes before serving. This is important because it allows the rice to cool and firm slightly; it also allows any remaining liquids to evaporate. Again, you want your rice to be soft, but not mushy.

What Can I Serve Spanish Rice With?

This rice is so tasty that it can be eaten by itself, however it frequently (as you’re probably aware) accompanies classic Mexican Dishes as a side. Here are a few Vegan Mexican Food dishes that serve well with this rice. Don’t forget to add some refried beans!

• Tacos
• Chimichangas
• Enchiladas
• Burrito Bowl
• Burritos
• Tamales

You can also use our rice recipe to make an awesome Chipotle Sofritas Bowl!

Can You Freeze Spanish Rice?

Yes, you can freeze this rice! It will keep for up to a month when frozen. Just make sure you let it cool before you place it in a freezer bag. However, if you want to just enjoy this recipe for a week you’re fine; it will keep in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days in an air-tight container. When reheating, just add a little oil or Vegan butter to a pan and stir frequently over low heat.

Is Spanish Rice Healthy?

We use vegetable broth in this recipe which adds nutrients and vitamins typically absent from non-Vegan versions. However, there are several other ingredients in this recipe which make it a standout for the health-conscious. Let’s cover just a few here:

• Roma tomatoes: tomatoes contain an antioxidant called lycopene which may lower bad cholesterol. (1)
• Garlic: studies revealed garlic to be instrumental in reducing common colds by over 60%. (2)
• Olive oil: one study showed that olive oil contains antioxidants which can reduce inflammation. (3)

If you enjoyed this Vegan Plate recipe, here are other Vegan Mexican recipes you might enjoy!

Vegan Mexican Food

• Lentil Tacos
• Salsa Taquera
• Serrano Salsa
• Fire Roasted Salsa
• Vegan Chimichangas
• Avocado Sauce
• Vegan Tortilla Soup
• Taco Salad
• Fajita Veggies
• Healthy Vegan Nachos
• Homemade Tortilla Chips