Delicious Spanish Hamburger Rice (in under 1 hour!)
My family loves rice. If there was one thing that we could eat day in and day out with no complaints, it would be rice. In fact, I think my husband would almost prefer that. He could have rice in his lunches for work, for dinner every night, for breakfast with eggs and hot sauce, and he’d never grow tired of it!
Needless to say, when my sister-in-law came to Easter dinner with this amazing Spanish hamburger rice dish, I had to have the recipe. Since then, I’ve tweaked it and added some things that we love, and now you get to experience the final, well-loved version!
This Spanish hamburger rice is easy to make and ready in under an hour! You can serve it in a tortilla, like my family usually does, or alongside another meat and vegetable. You can also make it as a standalone meal! I like to serve it with my Puerto Rican Pot Roast.
Equipment & Tools
Medium Pot with Lid: A pot with a lid is absolutely essential for cooking the rice, as it keeps all of the liquid that the rice needs inside the pot.
Knife: You will need a knife to chop your onion, pepper, and garlic.
Ingredients Needed
Ground Beef: The beef in this recipe is what takes the rice from a side dish to an entire meal. For a leaner version, you can substitute with ground turkey.
Onion
Green Bell Pepper
Garlic
Sazón: Sazón is a spice blend that is very popular in Puerto Rican cooking. It typically contains coriander, cumin, achiote, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and pepper. You can mix up your own Sazón, if you desire, or simply buy the small packets available from the store.
Tomato Paste
Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilis: I find that the Rotel tomatoes really bring more flavor to this than merely diced tomatoes. However, if your family is not a fan of a little spice, you can use a can of regular diced tomatoes, instead.
Beef Broth: If you are using ground turkey, you can substitute chicken broth, instead.
Frozen Corn: Corn brings a wonderful pop of sweetness to this rice. Be sure to keep it frozen, though. If it is thawed, it will overcook and become mushy by the time the rice is done.
White Rice: Long-grain, uncooked white rice is what I use in this recipe. You could use other rice, such as short-grain or brown rice, but you will have to experiment with the ratios of liquid to rice, as well as the cooking times. You want to be sure to rinse your rice to get the excess starch off of it.
Cilantro: This is completely optional, but a garnish of cilantro brings a fresh pop of color to your rice!
How to Make Spanish Hamburger Rice
Cook the Beef: Cook the ground beef in a medium pot over MEDIUM heat until browned.
Add Vegetables: Add the chopped onion, chopped green bell pepper, and minced garlic. Continue cooking for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is translucent.
Add the Other Ingredients: Add the salt, pepper, Sazón, and tomato paste. Mix it well. Then, add the diced tomatoes, beef broth, frozen corn, and rinsed rice. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to LOW and cover.
Cook: Let the rice simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the rice is cooked. I know it can be tempting to pop open the lid to take a look at the rice, but don’t give in! Just trust the process. Opening the lid and letting some of the steam escape can mess up the cooking of the rice.
Let Rest: Remove from heat, and let rest for 10 minutes to allow the rice to absorb any remaining liquid.
Serve: Garnish with chopped cilantro, if desired. Serve and enjoy!
Complimenting Dishes
FAQ’s
Spanish Hamburger Rice
*Note: Calories and cost is estimated, if provided.
Equipment & Tools
- Medium Saucepan
- Wooden Spoon
- Knife
Ingredients
- 1 lb Beef, ground
- 1 cup Onion , diced
- 1 Green bell pepper , diced
- 6 cloves Garlic , minced
- 1 packet Sazón
- 6 oz Tomato paste
- 14½ oz Diced tomatoes with green chilis
- 2 cups Broth, beef
- ½ cup Corn, frozen
- 1 cup Rice, white , uncooked and rinsed
Garnish (optional)
- Cilantro , chopped
Instructions
- Place a medium-sized pot over MEDIUM heat then add the 1 lb Beef, ground and cook until browned.
- Add the 1 cup Onion, diced, 1 Green bell pepper, and 6 cloves Garlic. Continue cooking for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is translucent.
- Add the salt, pepper, 1 packet Sazón, and 6 oz Tomato paste. Mix it well.
- Add the 14½ oz Diced tomatoes with green chilis, 2 cups Broth, beef, ½ cup Corn, frozen, and 1 cup Rice, white. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to LOW and cover.
- Let the rice simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the rice is cooked.
- Remove from heat, and let rest for 10 minutes to allow the rice to absorb any remaining liquid.
- Garnish with chopped Cilantro, if desired. Serve and enjoy!
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