How to Make Authentic Spanish (Mexican) Rice in a Rice Cooker

The Secret to Restaurant-Style Rice

Authentic Mexican rice (often called Spanish rice in the US) has a distinct texture: the grains are separate, slightly firm, and deeply flavored, not sticky or mushy.

Traditionally, this texture is achieved by toasting the dry rice in oil in a skillet before adding the liquids. We are going to replicate that flavor profile, but let the rice cooker do all the heavy lifting for the actual cooking.

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups Long-grain white rice (Do not use short-grain or jasmine)
• 1 Tablespoon neutral cooking oil (canola, vegetable)
• 1.5 cups Chicken broth
• 1/2 cup Tomato sauce (or 2 tablespoons tomato paste mixed with water)
• 1/2 teaspoon Garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt

For more on this topic, see our guide on How to Make Sticky Rice (Glutinous Rice) in a Rice Cooker.

The “Toasting” Hack

If you want the absolute best flavor, toast the rice in a skillet with the oil for 5 minutes over medium heat until it turns golden brown, then transfer it to the rice cooker.

For more on this topic, see our guide on How to Make Couscous in a Rice Cooker.

If you want a true one-pot, dump-and-go recipe, skip the skillet and follow the instructions below.

Instructions

1. Rinse the rice: Rinse the long-grain rice thoroughly until the water runs clear. This removes surface starch and is crucial to prevent the rice from becoming a sticky, mushy clump. Drain well.
2. Coat the grains: Place the rinsed rice in the inner pot of the rice cooker. Add the 1 tablespoon of oil and stir until all the grains are lightly coated. This helps keep them separate.
3. Add liquids and spices: Pour in the chicken broth, tomato sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and salt. Stir gently to combine.
4. Cook: Close the lid and select the standard White Rice setting.
5. The crucial rest: When the cooker clicks to “Keep Warm,” do not open the lid. Let it rest for 10 minutes.
6. Fluff: Open the lid and fluff the rice with a fork (not a spoon) to separate the grains and distribute any tomato sauce that may have settled on top.

Troubleshooting

• Rice is too mushy: You used too much liquid or didn’t rinse the rice enough. Tomato sauce is thick, so you need slightly less total liquid than if you were just using water. Next time, reduce the broth by 1/4 cup.
• Bottom is slightly burnt/browned: Because of the sugars in the tomato sauce, it is normal for the bottom layer of the rice to get slightly caramelized or browned. If it tastes burnt, mix the spices and tomato sauce into the broth before pouring it over the rice to prevent the thick tomato puree from sinking to the bottom.