Nana’s Spanish (Red) Rice

Nana’s Spanish Rice recipe – a super easy, one pan / one pot side dish that takes only minutes to throw together. No need to pre-cook the rice! Naturally vegan and gluten-free.

Before I became a foodie, I had a really hard time eating out at restaurants – especially other cuisines.

I was afraid to try new things in case I didn’t like them. So once I was familiar with a menu and found something I liked, I would order that every single time.

(Extreme example: I would order cereal at Cracker Barrel. Every. Time. I was young and stubborn!)

Mexican food is my mother’s favorite so, before I learned what else I could enjoy, I stuck to basic sides like beans and rice.

Spanish rice (or more correctly, “red rice” since Spanish rice from Spain is actually yellow) turned into a Mexican food staple for me.

My grandma would also make a version of it that was really good! And I just learned that she got it from her mom, my Nana.

(You’ve seen other recipes by my Nana, like Easter bread and Potica, and Grandma’s recipes like Ziti and Swiss Cheese Sliders.)

But the best part is? This is a one-pan or one-pot recipe!

Here’s what you need:

• Chopped onion
• Chopped celery
• Chopped bell pepper (any color, I happened to only have yellow)
• Diced tomatoes
• Long-grain white rice
• a little bit of oil and a dash of sugar

All you have to do is mix all the ingredients together in a casserole pan, cover and bake for about 45 minutes – 1 hour!

Covering is important so it doesn’t get too dry.

PRO TIP: If you feel like adding an extra step, you could saute the onion, celery and bell pepper for a few minutes before mixing it in to add some flavor.

But we’re keeping it easy today.

 

This would go great with an enchilada casserole and some bollilo rolls!