Spanish Rice with Smoked Paprika and Tomato Paste
By Pauline Ortiz
10 min
Prep
30 min
Cook
40 min
Total
6
Servings
Easy
Level
Long-grain white rice is the variety I use to make Spanish rice. I rinse the uncooked rice until the rinse water is clear. The cooked Spanish rice has a smoky, paprika taste and strong tomato taste, but less moisture than if you use tomato sauce in the recipe, tomato paste does the heavy lifting.
I sauté olive oil and onions in a large skillet for 3 to 4 minutes, add garlic and cook for 1 minute, and add rice. Sauté the rice in the oil for 2 to 3 minutes to brown and flavor it, then add tomato paste and smoked paprika and cumin and cook for 1 minute before adding broth.
After boiling the broth, I turn the heat to the lowest setting and cover the pot tightly. I cook the rice in the broth for 18 to 20 minutes and then turn off the heat. I cover the pot and let the rice sit for 10 minutes. After fluffing the rice with a fork at the end of the 10 minutes, the grains are not broken.
I like to eat this with tacos and enchiladas. I also recommend it as a side dish with grilled meats for dinner. For a burrito bowl, I use rice as the base, followed by beans, a protein, and other toppings. Other dishes I recommend pairing with this include Boursin chicken and grilled fish dishes. Other meal options are cilantro lime salmon and Crockpot Marry Me Chicken.
What makes this special
- omato paste provides tomato flavor to the cooked rice without adding additional liquid to the pan.
- Smoked paprika provides color and smoky flavor. Cumin provides flavor but in smaller amounts.
- One cup of rice provides six side servings to go with a full meal.
- The onion is cooked longer than the garlic, which is cooked for one minute before rice is added.
- Low-sodium broth can help control the amount of salt added to a dish.
Ingredients
- •2 tbsp olive oil
- •1 cup long-grain white rice (rinsed until water runs clear)
- •1 small yellow onion (finely chopped)
- •2 cloves garlic (minced)
- •2 tbsp tomato paste
- •2 cups chicken or vegetable broth (low sodium)
- •1 tsp smoked paprika
- •½ tsp ground cumin
- •½ tsp salt (or to taste)
Instructions
- 1
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet with a tight-fitting lid over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until softened.
- 2
Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
- 3
Stir in the rinsed rice and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the grains are lightly golden.
- 4
Add the tomato paste, smoked paprika, and cumin. Stir constantly for 1 minute.
- 5
Pour in the broth and add the salt. Stir, then bring the mixture to a rolling boil.
- 6
Reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover with the lid, and simmer for 18 to 20 minutes without lifting the lid.
- 7
Remove the skillet from the heat and let the rice rest, still covered, for 10 minutes.
- 8
Remove the lid and gently fluff the rice with a fork before serving.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
250
Reviews
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