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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!
Only brown rice I have is minute rice, can I use that in my rice cooker? I have basmati rice and Jasmin rice. I’d like to make it soon. Thank you
Oh boy, I hope you didn’t use minute rice, if you did I’m sure you now know why not to. Minute rice has already been cooked, then the water is dried out. This way it only takes a few minutes to reconstitute it following the packets directions. Quick rice will never absorb all of the tomato juice or the broth. You’ll end up with a very sloppy mess.
Use regular non-instant rice. I made this and it rocks!
Recipe looks great. Are the cups of rice using the rice cooker measuring cup (about 3/4 actual cup) or an actual 1 measuring cup?
It’s an actual cup of rice, I didn’t want to assume everyone was using a rice cooker measuring cup.
I have been making this for 3 years now and figure it’s time to finally leave a review! We love it! It’s so easy and so good! Maybe the people who have a problem with the consistency have the wrong type of rice? Thank for posting this!!
Thanks for leaving a review Cecily! I appreciate it.
Tastes great, and it’s a fantastic and easy way to use up leftover canned tomato. I forgot the onion (oh well, I’ll make it again some time), and we don’t have chili powder as such in Australia, so I winged it with some smoked paprika and extra cumin, garlic powder and cayenne. I also added a bit of MSG.
I made it in a microwave, and usually use a “to my first knuckle measure” so I also didn’t use the water measurement, but I did have to add a fair bit more water towards the end than I would cooking plain rice as it was still a bit crunchy. But it makes sense that crushed tomato isn’t equal to water.
The ingredients make for solidly delicious rice, and it’s clearly pretty tolerant of changes, I love it.
A 1:2 ratio for stove top rice is normal…
Tried this tonight and used brown rice, it was very nice.I only used a little chilli to taste.have loads to freeze for another time.thank you for sharing.
What size rice cooker is used here?
Super simple and tasty. I made it for a potluck taco bar. Even the kids at the party liked it.
Recipes for me are a general idea of how to get the end result. We are trying to reduce sodium in our diet so I subbed no sodium chicken broth for the water and the bullion (?) turned out perfect for us!
There are big differences between the ” spanish” rice that is really Mexican and the different recipes to make rice from Spain that uses more saffron and pimento.
Is sauted first.
Both from Mexico, Spain South American rice styles are delicious.