A knock-off on this classic baked brown rice, I wanted a Spanish-style rice to compliment dishes such as this one. Taking a note from several recipes I’ve seen lately, I used rotel tomatoes to help with the heat and flavor. We loved the result! Tender brown rice, lightly spiced with a bit of warmth from the tomatoes and seasonings, bakes to perfection in the oven and proves to be a simple, no-fuss side dish for many a Mexican- or Spanish-inspired meal.
Although it was a lovely accompaniment to the chili verde, the most glorious way we ate this rice was as leftovers the next day, heated up and smothered in pepper jack cheese. The melty, spicy cheese offers the perfect creaminess to an already delicious rice dish. Yes, it also manages to make it laden with extra calories, but I’m telling you, it was seriously divine.
One Year Ago: Thanksgiving Dinner: The Turkey
Two Years Ago: Coconut Chicken Curry
Baked Brown Spanish Rice
Printable Version
Printable Version with Picture
*Note: this rice will be as spicy as the type of rotel tomatoes you buy. If you want it mild…well…buy mild rotel. If you like more heat, look for spicy rotel tomatoes.
*Serves 4-6
2 1/4 cups brown rice
3 3/4 cups chicken broth
1 can rotel tomatoes with chiles, drained
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a 2-quart oven-safe baking dish. Stir well. Cover with foil and bake for 80 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.
Let sit for 10 minutes out of the oven. Salt and pepper to taste. Fluff with a fork and serve!
Recipe Source: My Kitchen Cafe
{ 25 comments… read them below or add one }
One of my favorite foods is rice, although it took me an entire month to perfect long-grain white rice (my poor kids). I attempted brown rice and just cannot adjust my taste buds to it. This recipe looks very good though (and easy). I am going to have to give this one a try.
I love baked brown rice! I clicked on your link to your classic baked brown rice, and it is very much like my recipe. I add a Tbsp. of butter or olive oil to the mixture to prevent the rice from being sticky. I love your additions to make this a spanish/southwest rice. I can’t wait to try your recipe at my next Mexican/Southwest themed party!
Baked rice? Sign me up! I’m a huge fan of rice and am always looking for new ways of fixing it…
I love brown rice and this recipe sounds delicious. I think I will try it today since I have all the ingredients.
Brilliant! We love the baked brown rice so I know this will be a hit at my house.
What could be easier? Looks delicious.
Alton Brown bakes his brown rice too. I think it’s genius! Love your Spanish version!
I love Spanish rice, but hate that it always requires white rice. Thanks so much for a brown rice version!
I’ve been searching for a recipe like this! thanks for sharing. Question, what type of brown rice works best?
I LOVE your baked brown rice recipe; it’s the only one I use anymore. Thanks for this variation. We’ll be sure to try it soon!
Looks like another winner but I thought we agreed on chocolate & raisins for the next few posts?
Yup, raisins are yucky and chocolate doesn’t do anything for me.
~ingrid
Perfect for a weeknight. Do you add the salt and pepper after cooking so that you don’t have to add as much? If so, probably a good idea for healthy-eating.
Lisa Z – I always just use long grain brown rice but I know other people swear by short grain. So, I think either should work out ok!
I am always looking for new brown rice recipes, I can’t wait to try this!
I was surprised that my very picky eaters ate this one up and told me they LOVED it! I really enjoyed it, too. Served it with creamy chicken enchiladas. YUM! Thanks for another winner. Brown rice is always challenging to get just right, so I love the idea of baking it to perfection. It was awesome!
Alicia – oh, heavenly when picky eaters love what’s for dinner. So glad!
Hi Mel!
Would you mind sharing the brand of brown rice you use? I’ve found that the flavor of brown rice is so strong, it doesn’t matter what spices I pair it with. Thanks!
A brown rice I adore is the organic short grain brown rice from Costco. Could this ever work in a rice cooker?
BriAnn – yes, I think it probably would work in a rice cooker. I’ve never tried it but I don’t see why it wouldn’t. Let me know if you try it!
I made this tonight to go along with the creamy green chili enchiladas. I used the rice cooker and it came out perfect- plus it’s much faster than waiting 80 minutes for it to cook in the oven! I’m technically supposed to be on bedrest but when I found your site during one of my many hours of web surfing I knew I’d end up cheating to make a few things and the enchiladas and rice were well worth it!
I can’t wait to make this. I love your baked brown rice. It is soooo delicious and nutritious. Thanks for healthy recipes and a great blog.
Looks yummy!! How many does this serve? Give or take…
Whippin’ some up tonight. Making vegan tacos, so swapping chicken with veggie broth
Hi Crystal – for our family it easily serves 4-6 as a side dish. Hope you liked it!
I made this last night and served it with black beans, fresh jalapenos & cilantro, and avocado on the side. It was great!
You might also try Spicy V-8 juice instead of the Rotel. It gives the flavor without the heat.
{ 1 trackback }