Our 3 Favorite Spanish Rice Recipes Using a Rice Cooker
Why cook rice in a rice cooker?
We eat a lot of rice in our home, but unfortunately, I cannot cook it in a traditional pot. That is where my most beloved kitchen gadget (the Rice Cooker) comes in to help me cook perfect rice day after day. If you are like me, purchase a rice cooker or even borrow one (to test out) because you will not regret it. We bought our rice cooker on clearance at Target, so even if you are on a tight budget, just be on the lookout for great deals!
Every rice cooker’s basic instruction is that for every rice cooker cup added, fill up the inner cooking pan to the equivalent number line (about 1.5 cups of water per 1 cup of rice). After adding the rice and water, just simply close the lid. Then four steps will occur: sitting in the water, boiling, absorbing (steaming), and resting. When done, the rice cooker will either switch to a warm setting or turn off.
Three things to remember for the rice cooker to make the perfect fluffy rice for you:
Tips for the perfect rice
- RINSE your rice - use a fine-mesh strainer and run it under tap water. It will remove surface starch from rice, making it less sticky and helps it to absorb the water.
- Let the rice REST in the rice cooker for about 10 minutes to allow the remaining steam to make the rice even fluffier.
- Don’t open the lid while cooking!
We are always perfecting our favorite rice dishes by only using the rice cooker. Hopefully, this list of recipes will grow as we try new rice recipes in the rice cooker.
FYI - All recipes include two cups of rice, but you can multiply any recipe if you need more servings.
Arroz Amarillo (Spanish Yellow Rice) in Rice Cooker
6-Cup Rice Cooker
2 Rice Cooker Cups of Uncooked White Rice
about 3 cups Water (Fill to #2 line labeled on the inner pan)
1 tbsp Olive Oil
3 tbsp Homemade Sofrito
1 packet Sazon
1 tsp Adobo
¼ tsp Oregano
¼ tsp Cumin
Directions
Measure 2 rice cooker cups of uncooked rice and rinse in a mesh strainer. Put rice into the inner pot and add water up to the #2 line mark on the inner pot. Add olive oil, sofrito, sazon, adobo, oregano, and cumin into the pot. Stir. Place the inner pot into the rice cooker and cover with a glass lid. Plugin and switch the rice cooker on by pushing down the lever. Make sure the cook light is illuminated. Once the switch pops up to keep warm, the rice has finished cooking. Let it sit for 5-10 mins while it steams, then stir. Now, it is ready to serve.
*This recipe will serve about 2-4 people.
Moros y Cristianos - Black Beans and Rice in Rice Cooker
6-Cup Rice Cooker
½ White Onion
¼ Green Bell Pepper
3 Garlic cloves chopped
2 Rice Cooker Cups of Uncooked White Rice
about 4 Cups Water (Fill to #3 line labeled on the inner pan)
1 can Black Beans (Rinsed)
1 tbsp Coconut oil
1 tsp Adobo
¼ tsp Oregano
¼ tsp Cumin
¼ tsp Black pepper
1 tbs Cilantro
Directions
Finely chop up the onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Saute in a small pan and set aside. Measure 2 rice cooker cups of uncooked rice and rinse in a mesh strainer, then place in the inner pan with rinsed black beans. Add coconut oil, adobo, oregano, cumin, and black pepper. Stir. Place the inner pot into the rice cooker and cover with a glass lid. Plugin and switch the rice cooker on by pushing down the lever. Make sure the cook light is illuminated. Once the switch pops up to keep warm, the rice has finished cooking. After rice sits for 5 mins, add cilantro and stir. Ready to serve.
*This recipe will serve about 2-4 people
Cilantro Lime Rice
6-Cup Rice Cooker
2 Rice Cooker Cups of Uncooked White Rice
about 3 cups Water (#2 line labeled on the inner pan)
1 tsp Adobo
1 tsp Olive Oil
2 Limes
1 cup of Finely Chopped Fresh Cilantro
Measure 2 rice cooker cups of uncooked rice and rinse in a mesh strainer. Put rice into the inner pot and add water up to the #2 line mark on the inner pot. Add adobo and olive oil to the rice. Place the inner pot into a rice cooker and cover with a glass lid. Plugin and switch the rice cooker on by pushing down the lever. Make sure the cook light is illuminated. Once the switch pops up to keep warm, the rice has finished cooking. Let it sit for 5 mins while it steams, then add the cilantro plus the zest and juice from the limes. Now, it is ready to serve.
*This recipe will serve about 2-4 people.
If you love the rice cooker as much as I do, stay tuned for more rice cooker recipes.