Flavor packed and make ahead easy for those busy weeknights; Spanish Brown Rice (Mexican Brown Rice) for a good mouth party! This delicious side dish is cooked on the stovetop in just 17 minutes with pre-cooked brown rice. It’s perfectly spiced with cumin, chili powder and adobo sauce with hearty and toothsome brown rice texture.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Reader Review: “This recipe is absolutely delicious and has quickly become my “go-to” Mexican side dish! I have tried some many Spanish rice recipes, but they were all lacking. The robustness of this flavor is fantastic!” ~ Kate
Growing up on Spanish Rice
Spanish rice, also known as Mexican rice, has been a staple in my kitchen for so long, I can hardly recall when the creation of this recipe started. It’s a recipe that’s taken on many forms over the years.
A side of Spanish rice is a must with all things Mexican food, and a recipe I make often since we’re a homemade Mexican food lovin’ family. It pairs deliciously with Tofu Tacos, Cauliflower Tinga Tacos, Slow Cooker Pinto Beans and so much more.
This Recipe Is
- ideal for meal prep
- not *too* spicy
- hearty with a toothsome texture
If you love homemade Mexican inspired recipes, you’ll enjoy this reader favorite side dish!
_______________________
How to Make Spanish Brown Rice
step by step
Mexican Brown Rice Recipe Development
Most Spanish rice recipes call for white rice and I’ve used white basmati for years. But, I love the texture of brown rice anyway, so why not?
I first tried simply subbing white rice for brown. I tried this again and again tweaking the recipe here and there, but for some reason, the rice never absorbed the liquids or cooked through. It was if the spices (or something) were impeding the ability of the rice to absorb the water.
I ended up with a mess of undercooked seasoned rice several times before I decided to cook the rice first, chill it overnight, then add the veggies and spices. Mexican seasoned rice success!
The key to this Mexican brown rice recipe, is to pre-cook the brown rice and chill it so that the rice is cooked through, and, it’s fluffy and separated. No sticky rice here!
Traci’s Tips
- Meal Prep: Prep and chill your brown rice one day prior to making this recipe. This helps create fluffy and separated Mexican brown rice.
- Adobo Sauce: Look for chipotle chilis in adobo sauce on the Mexican food isle of the grocery store. The leftovers freeze ease!
Spanish Brown Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Vegetable Oil, I use avocado, coconut or olive oil
- 1/2 cup (110 grams) Purple Onion, small dice
- 2 teaspoons Adobo Sauce**, from a can of chipotle chili peppers or 1 tsp of minced pickled jalapeños, adjust to taste – look for gluten free if needed.
- 1 teaspoon Cumin, ground
- 1 teaspoon Chili Powder, ground
- 1/4 teaspoon Smoky Paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon Garlic Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
- 2/3 cup (200 grams) Fire Roasted Tomatoes, from a can, diced, freeze the leftovers
- 1 tablespoon Tomato Paste
- 2 1/2 cups (350 grams) Cooked and Chilled Long Grain Brown Rice*, see note for cooking instructions if needed
Serve With (optional):
- Lime Wedges, Cilantro, Salsa, Jalapeños
Instructions
- In a large saute pan, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onions and cook on medium-low for about 8 minutes or until softened.
- Add the adobo sauce, cumin, chili powder, paprika, garlic and salt. Stir until the onions are coated and the spices release their fragrance. About one minute.
- Stir in the tomatoes and tomato paste. Stir for another minute or until all the ingredients are incorporated.
- Stir in the cold rice and mix until all the ingredients are evenly distributed. Squeeze lime juice over the rice, and stir. Warm on low for about five minutes or until heated through. Adjust salt to taste.
- Serve with additional limes, cilantro, salsa and/or jalapeños.
- Store in a lidded container in the refrigerator for up to three days or freeze for up to two weeks.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.
Made it? Leave a comment below!
The most helpful comment may include recipe rating, feedback, any modifications or helping other commentors.
Excellent! I hadn’t found a good Spanish rice recipe until this one. I however did not have time to let the brown rice have its time in the fridge and it was still great.
Hi Babs! Thank you for your note and giving the Spanish brown rice a go! SO glad it worked well for you without time in the fridge. A time saver!
Really paying close attention to my diet and trying to eat only whole grains and no refined carbs and went looking for exactly this recipe! It was a hit even with the junk food loving members of the household. I don’t even care for rice but I was craving huevos rancheros and had some great beans – just missing healthier rice. You saved the day!
Hi Brook! So excited everyone enjoyed the rice. With huevos rancheros… that sounds soooo good!
Great recipe! I’ve made it twice now for get-togethers with friends and it’s a big hit! Delicious and extremely easy!
Love hearing this Diane! Thank you for your note and review!
Wow! My picky-eaters LOVED this. I had to make my own adobo sauce using a recipe found on another site. (Literally pantry items). I also used organic sweet onions and added canned organic black beans (rinsed) and frozen sweet corn! Saving this recipe, so delicious thanks!
Hi Shayla! Thank you for your note, your tips (beans and corn – yum!) and sharing that your picky-eaters loved the Spanish rice!
Traci. Thank you for your research into this. Having a better option for a great dish is much appreciated. Flavors are great.
Another hit recipe from vanilla and Bean! The adobo, spices and lime is a great flavor combination. This recipe is definitely going into my menu rotation! Thank you Traci!
Hooray! Thank you for your note, Tiffany! SO excited you’re enjoying the Spanish rice!
This is so good and my husband couldn’t tell it was brown rice. Rice was a tad crunchy but that’s bc I am at high altitude I think but that’s how husband likes it 😂
Hi Mary! I lol! So happy to read your note. Thank you for giving the recipe a go and your five star rating!
I noticed alot of your recipes use Fire-Roasted Tomatoes, what can I use instead? The Fire-Roasted tomatoes have Citric Acid in them and I’m allergic to all Citrus Products.
Hi Laura! Feel free to use regular diced tomatoes in any recipe that calls for fire roasted. You may add a little extra sprinkle of smoked paprika instead to enjoy that smoky flavor the fire roasting imparts. I hope this helps!
The reason why the brown rice, in your previous attempts, did not cook through was due to the oil. I have found that ANY whole grain, when cooked with even a little oil, will not absorb the liquid and seasonings properly, no matter how long you cook it. The oil forms a water-repellent barrier on the grain. I’ve had rice, barley, millet, wheat berries, etc., all remain hard or unevenly cooked if there is oil present with the broth/water and seasonings. I don’t add oil when cooking beans from scratch either. Also, dry toasting the whole grains in your cooking pot before adding the liquid contributes a lot of flavor. Thanks for all your lovely and tested recipes.
Hi Ginny! Thank you so much for your note and sharing this mystery that’s stymied me for so long! Now, that makes complete sense. No wonder I can never get them to cook when oil has been introduced to the matrix! Agreed about toasting grains bringing out so much flavor!