This simple Spanish rice recipe is super versatile. It can be served with tacos, in burritos, alongside fajitas, stuffed into peppers, or eaten on its own in a big bowl. When I know I'm going to have a crazy week, I make a huge amount of this stuff and eat it for dinner until it runs out. It's healthy, easy, cheap, and delicious. I'll buy that for a dollar!
Course Entree
Cuisine Mexican
Prep Time 5minutes
Cook Time 20minutes
Total Time 25minutes
Servings 6
Calories 578kcal
Author Stephanie Stiavetti
Ingredients
1tablespoonolive oil
2cupsuncooked white rice
3cupshot water
1/2teaspoonsalt
1 1/2poundslean ground beef
2cupstomato sauce
2tablespoonstomato paste
1tablespoonchili powder(more to taste)
Instructions
Add olive oil to a pot over medium flame and heat until it shimmers. Add rice and fry for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add hot water and salt, stirring well. Cook rice according to the timing on the package, roughly 20 minutes, checking occasionally to make sure it does not burn. Remove from heat, cover, and let sit until ready to use.
While the rice is cooking, fry the ground beef in a large frying pan, cooking until well browned. Drain off and discard most of the fat, leaving just a little in the bottom of the pan for flavor.
Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, chili powder, and cooked rice to the pan. Set over medium-low flame and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally but making sure to not smash the rice. Taste and add more chili powder, salt, and freshly-ground black pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
Notes
You can use white or brown rice in this recipe, though you will have to adjust the rice cooking time for brown rice. If cooking with short-grain brown rice, add 25% more rice. Swap out the beef for ground turkey, or whatever you prefer. For an even heartier meal, toss with chopped avocados and sprinkle with shredded cheese. YES!! It also goes very well with black beans for a salad or taco night. This recipe freezes well, or keeps in the refrigerator up to four days.