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Smoky sofrito mixed in aromatic jasmine rice boiled with saffron, sweet corn, and red beans tossed into the rice with some spices to complete the dish! I made some taco-seasoned chicken thighs a while back, so I decided to have it with the rice. However, this rice is the perfect sidekick to any Taco Tuesday night!

This rice kind of reminded me of a dirty rice concept after I made it, except without the ground beef, sausage, and celery, but replaced with sofrito and red beans since I had some in my pantry to use. You want to start off this rice by soaking saffron in hot water to allow the color and flavor to open up. Plus, watching the color seep into the water is very satisfying. The aroma is also pleasing. It’s just my favorite thing to do now. That being said, you want to add the juices from the canned tomatoes into that water. The saffron water and the tomato juices are a part of the liquid you will be using for cooking the rice. It brings so much flavor to your typical boring rice.

Make the sofrito next before you start the rice. “Why?” you may ask. The pot you use to make the sofrito will be the same pot you use for the rice. You know, sometimes you don’t always scrape out the juices of the veggies, there’s always some lingering. You know what I’m talking about. The rice will pick all of the leftover sofrito right up! Toast it first, then boil it.

Why do you toast rice first?

Just like toasting spices and nuts, toasting grains before cooking can enhance the nutty aromas of the grains, lending an extra layer of flavor to a final dish. Rice can be toasted in a dry pan, or sautéed with butter and a little flavoring before the liquid is added to cook (as with risotto). Toast for just a few minutes, until the rice starts to look slightly toasted on the tips and smells fragrant and nutty. I love toasting rice before cooking it for this reason.

What is Sofrito?

Before I answer this, let me start off by saying No, it is not the fried tofu you would get at Chipotle. Those are Sofritas. There’s a difference. And there are countless copycat recipes of that.

Sofritos mainly center itself around garlic, onions, bell peppers of all color varieties, tomatoes, annatto seeds (or achiote seeds), cilantro, Mexican oregano, or parsley. This comes in many colors and flavors. Sofritos are essential in Hispanic cooking. From Cuba to the Dominican Republic, Spain to Puerto Rico, the residing families all use sofritos in their cooking. It is an aromatic blend of vegetables, herbs, and spices used to flavor beans, fish, meats, rice, and stews. It can act as a sauce, a stew, or a base for the recipe which is built upon that. The color of the sofrito will range based on the region where it is made and the food preferences of the cuisine that it is being made in. The color includes vibrant reds, sunburnt oranges, and deep greens. The flavors of the sofrito will range from mild to pungent.

It’s the base of an infinite number of dishes, from Spanish paella to Arroz con Pollo, to soups, empanadas, egg dishes, and stews. You can cook with it, marinate meats in it, dip your chips in it, make rice with it, use it on arepas, and even roast vegetables and potatoes with it. While preparation techniques vary, especially region to region, a sofrito will typically contain aromatic ingredients that are chopped up finely and then braised or sautéed in cooking oil, most frequently a high-quality olive oil.

Want the recipe? Click print below! Let me know how it came out for you by tagging me on Instagram (@missravenskitchen) and using #missravenskitchen! Let me know if I need to tweak anything.

Yield

6

Author

Dani Marcus

Prep time

10 Min

Cook time

45 Min

Inactive time

5 Min

Total time

1 Hour

Print

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Red Beans and Sofrito Saffron Rice

Smoky sofrito mixed in aromatic jasmine rice boiled with saffron, sweet corn, and red beans tossed into the rice with some spices to complete the dish. A perfect accompaniment to any Taco Tuesday night you have.

Ingredients

For the Sofrito

• 1 medium yellow onion. finely chopped
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 (14-ounce) cans ROTEL Original Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies, liquid separated, or 5 to 6 large diced ripe tomatoes, (*1)
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

For the Rice

• 1/2 teaspoon saffron
• 1/2 cup hot water
• 1 1/2 cups jasmine rice
• 1 1/2 cup water
• 2 bay leaves
• 8 oz frozen sweet corn
• 1 (14 oz) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp chile powder
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro, or 2 tsp dried cilantro

Instructions

For the Sofrito

1. Drain the liquid from the tomato can into a separate bowl and set it aside to use as some of the liquid for the rice.
2. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Make sure the olive oil coats the bottom of the pan.
3. Add the onions into the pan and sauté them until transparent, reducing the heat if you need to so you avoid over-browning, about 3 minutes.
4. Add the green pepper and continue to cook for 5 minutes, adding more olive oil, if necessary. Be sure to stir often, so the vegetables do not burn.
5. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 more minute.
6. Add the ROTEL tomatoes and paprika to the pan and mix well.
7. Continue to cook for about 10 to 15 minutes, until the liquid released from the tomatoes is evaporated and the consistency of the sofrito is a somewhat thick sauce. Set the sofrito aside in a bowl for the rice, and set the pan aside. You’re going to be using it for toasting the rice!

For the Rice

1. Sprinkle the saffron into the hot water and set it aside for 5 minutes to soak, allowing the color and aromatics to come out.
2. Add the reserved tomato liquid to the saffron water. Add 1 1/2 cups of water to the tomato-saffron water. This should bring the total measurement to 2 1/4 liquid. Set aside.
3. In the same frying pan you used for sofrito, drizzle olive oil and heat to medium heat, then add the rice and toast for 3 minutes, or until a nutty aroma emerges and rice is slightly toasted. Stir to pick up the lingering sofrito. Transfer the rice to a medium saucepot, or a saucepot big enough to fit the rice, and add the reserved 2 1/4 cups of liquid (*2) and the bay leaves to the rice and simmer on medium-low heat for 10 minutes. Add the red kidney beans and corn, and simmer for 5 minutes more for a total of 15 minutes, or until rice is cooked through and the corn is defrosted. (*3)
4. Discard the bay leaves, pour the rice into a mixing bowl and fluff the rice. Add the salt, pepper, ground cumin, chile powder, garlic powder, and cilantro. Mix to combine into the rice. Add the sofrito to the rice and toss to combine. Serve immediately. 

Notes:

(*1) If you are chopping fresh tomatoes, add 1/4 cup more water to the saffron water.

(*2) If this liquid does not cook the rice fully (it fully cooked for me with this amount), feel free to add 1/4 cup more of liquid at a time until the rice is cooked through.

(*3) If you are cooking according to package directions, add the kidney beans and corn during the last 5 minutes of cooking.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

225.72

Fat (grams)

4.18

Sat. Fat (grams)

0.59

Carbs (grams)

42.19

Fiber (grams)

7.12

Net carbs

35.07

Sugar (grams)

11.12

Protein (grams)

8.76

Sodium (milligrams)

156.37

Cholesterol (grams)

0.00

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https://missravenskitchen.wordpress.com/2021/10/22/red-beans-and-sofrito-saffron-rice

Sofrito, Red Beans and Rice, Side Dish, Saffron

Dinner, Side Dish, Rice

American, Hispanic

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