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This easy Spanish Rice Recipe is made in the rice cooker, coming together with just a few simple ingredients. All you have to do is dump everything into the rice cooker, set it, and forget it! A flavorful side dish to complement any Mexican-inspired meal and on the table in about 30 minutes.
⏰ While traditional stovetop Spanish rice can take up to an hour with constant attention, this rice cooker version delivers restaurant-quality results in half the time. Perfect for busy weeknights when you need a flavorful side dish fast.
My 2 Best Tips For Making Spanish Rice in the Rice Cooker
Spice It Up: The spice level is mild to medium depending on how much chili powder you use. Start with 1 tablespoon for mild, use 2 tablespoons for medium heat, or if you like it spicy, add in a couple pinches of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes.
Resting Time: If I’m not in a huge rush to get this dish on the table, then I let it rest after the rice cooker switches to “warm” mode. Even 10 minutes is good enough to allow the flavors to develop even more. It just helps every grain become perfectly tender and evenly seasoned.
🩷 Melissa
I don’t think I’ve ever said no to Mexican food. There are so many bright flavors and ways to serve it, like this easy Spanish rice. All you do is throw the ingredients into the rice cooker, and you have rich, flavorful rice with almost zero effort.
This rice is so delish and goes great in burritos and enchiladas, or as a side for any of your favorite Mexican or Tex-Mex meals like empanadas!
Spanish Rice in the Rice Cooker
Ingredients
- 2 cups white rice
- 1 can diced tomatoes, with juice (14-ounce )
- 3 1/2 cups water
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 bouillon cubes , or 3 teaspoons Better than Bouillon
- 1-3 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cumin , or smoked cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Place the rice in the bottom of the rice cooker and then add the diced tomatoes, water, and bouillon. Add the onion and spices and stir a little to dissolve the spices in the water.
- Cook according to manufacturer’s instructions.
- When the rice is cooked, test for salt and add more if needed.
- Serve as a side dish or inside your favorite burritos and tacos.
Video
Notes
- I prefer a medium or long grain white rice, such as jasmine or basmati.
- I use brown rice often and increase my water by one cup. The Spanish rice in the pictures was made with brown rice and I bet you didn’t even notice. Your family won’t either.
- Store leftover rice in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 6 days.
- It freezes really well, too! Once it’s cooled, place extras in a zipper-topped freezer bag, label, and freeze. It should keep in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- To thaw it out, place the bag in a bowl of warm water before heating through to serve.
Nutrition
Recipe FAQs
You sure can! I do and prefer it. Just make sure to increase the liquid by one cup, and you’ll be solid.
You can! Just follow the instructions for the rice cooker function on your Instant Pot.
The differences between Spanish Rice and Mexican Rice are very subtle. Spanish Rice is more firm and heartier while Mexican Rice tends to be softer in texture. The color also varies – Spanish rice tends to be more yellow in color because of the saffron, while Mexican Rice is more of a reddish color due to the cumin. This Mexican Rice isn’t the most authentic dish but is sure tastes delicious.
More Rice Recipes to Consider
Dinner Ideas
One-Pot Sausage, Rice, and Peas Dinner
Soups, Stews & Chowders
Chicken Wild Rice Soup
Rice Recipes
Mango Sticky Rice
From Scratch Recipes
Mushroom Risotto
Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐️ review and share it on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest!
We make this at least once a month. Don’t change a thing, it’s a perfect recipe! Our go to all the time, and we get a ton of requests for it too!
First attempt at Spanish rice. My family loved this! I will print and bookmark this recipe for future! Thanks!
Do you drain the tomatoes?
Nope, leave the juice in!
Amazingly simple and delicious. Only thing g is that it’s too spicy after adding the 2Tbs. Is there anything I can do to tone it down other than adding cheese?
Yep, just add less next time! You can half the chili powder for sure and adjust it to taste.
I made this last night to go along with some enchiladas and black beans, and it was delicious. I have recently discovered my rice cooker, and love it. It smelled heavenly while it was cooking. Flavors were really good. What setting do you use to cook it at, mine turned out really mushy. I had used the brown rice setting, and I am thinking that was way too long. Still good though.
Thank you so much for this version. I am Mexican and all my family cook good rice the traditional way and so did I until about 5 years ago that I became cursed with under or over cooked rice. When I succeeded using your recipe I almost cried. My husband is also indebted to you 🙂
Oh! I love hearing that, happy to help break the curse, I’m terrible at stove top rice too for some reason…
thanks
Stupid question, my rice cooker has a little “cup”, it is not a standard cup measurement. There are lines in the pot that are numbered, if you fill it to “2” you are supposed to put 2 “cups” of rice also. I’m not sure I have the water correct. Sorry, I’m just a dumb dude trying to be Chef Ramsey??
That little cup always threw me off too… I just measured with a measuring cup for this recipe!
That cup shouldn’t throw you off, its how you properly measure the rice for a rice cooker. It matches up with the notches inside. 2 of those smaller cups of rice get placed in the cooker and then you fill the water to the “2” line and its perfect every time.
You’ll find that many people who use rice cookers, make errors when someone says 2 cups of rice and use actual cup measures. Their rice has way too much water and ends up soggy. You may want to edit the original 🙂
Thanks for the recipe!
Correct, I edited that for easier understanding
???
So 4 and 1/2 cups of water to 2 cups brown rice (and the tomatoes also?)
Yes!