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A flavorful Mexican-inspired dish perfect for any taco night! Rice that has been boiled with saffron for color and aroma, complete with colorful veggies and spices. Serve with taco beef, sour cream, and salsa for the perfect burrito bowl or taco!
For this one-pot rice, I recommend using aromatic rice such as jasmine or basmati. These types of rice pick up the aroma of the saffron better than regular long-grain rice. This rice tastes much better with fresh veggies as compared to canned ones. It’s ok to use canned black beans. It takes a while to cook fresh ones.
Instead of diced tomatoes with green chilies that are canned, I used fresh tomatoes and jalapeno peppers. Sometimes, cooking the canned tomatoes takes a while to cook out the “canned” taste, meaning that some of the nutrition is taken out of the tomatoes in the canning process. In addition, there is a lot of salt added to the cans. This gives canned tomatoes a kind of “not fresh” taste. Though, if you choose to use canned tomatoes, always get whole peeled tomatoes and chop them yourself. Stay away from crushed, diced, stewed, or any other more processed forms (unless specifically called for in the recipe). These are typically made from lesser quality tomatoes and have a more cooked, tomato-paste-like flavor. All canned tomatoes come peeled, though you may find bits of peel in lesser quality brands.
How to make Fiesta Rice:
This colorful Fiesta Rice is done within 30 minutes and all cooked in one pot.
- Rice: I recommend using Jasmine or Basmati since both types of rice are aromatic and do well in picking up flavor.
- Saffron: It’s best to allow the saffron to soak in hot water. This will change the color of the water, as well as the rice. Quick Tip: If the saffron immediately starts leaking its color, it’s not good quality. If it leaks slowly into the water, then you have a good quality saffron. Saffron like that is no less than $10. The most I’ve spent is $16.
- Red Bell Pepper
- Fresh Tomato
- Jalapeno Peppers: Depending on how spicy you want it, adjust the amount of peppers accordingly. For my rice, I used 1 jalapeno.
- Yellow Onion: You can switch this out for a white onion, but there will be a difference in taste. The yellow onion tends to be sweeter when cooked, while white onions are more pungent and have a sharper taste. Both work well with this dish.
- Garlic
- Ground Cumin, Chili Powder, Smoked Paprika, and other spices
- Black Beans: You can switch this out for pinto beans.
- Yellow Corn: You can switch this out for white corn, which tends to be on the sweeter side. In fact, you can use white onions and white corn for a combination made in heaven!
- Scallions: For topping the rice.
In a measuring cup, measure out 1/2 cup of hot water and add the saffron to it. Measure 1 1/2 cups of water or chicken broth in a separate measuring cup. Let the colors seep into the water. In a saucepot, heat some olive oil and saute the red bell pepper, jalapeno peppers, tomato, and onions for about 8 minutes to allow the veggies to be soft. Add the garlic and saute for a minute more. Add the rice and mix to incorporate the veggies, then toast the rice for 5 minutes. Add the broth or water to the pot and boil for 20 minutes, or according to package directions. Once the water is fully absorbed, turn off the heat and let it sit for 5 minutes to steam out for fluffy rice. Add the spices, black beans, and corn, then top with chopped scallions.
Tips and FAQs
- What type of rice should I use? When it comes to the rice, I think a dish like this is best with a long grain white rice, however, if you want a bit more flavor, try making this with Jasmine or Basmati rice.
- Can I use different veggies? You can! The cooking time might vary depending on the veggies you use, or not use.
- Cooking time for brown rice: Brown rice usually takes about 40-45 minutes to cook. If you are using brown rice, saute the veggies first, set them aside in a separate bowl, then toast and cook the rice in that same pot. It’ll still be a one pot recipe! Once the rice has 20 minutes left of cooking, add the veggies in. Continue the recipe as normal.
- How to serve Fiesta Rice: There’s many ways! Wrap it in a burrito with other fillings, serve it on the side, fill it in some tacos, or serve it under some fajitas! Drizzle some lime juice on top for a zesty taste!
Want the recipe? Click print below! Let me know how it came out for you by tagging me on Instagram (@missravenskitchen) and using #missravenskitchen! Follow my Facebook page for updates as well! Let me know if I need to tweak anything.
Fiesta Rice
Ingredients
- 1/4 tsp saffron
- 2 cups hot water, 1/2 separated (*1)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 tomato, diced
- 1 jalapeno pepper, finely diced (*2)
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, smashed then chopped
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 (14 oz) can no-salt black beans, rinsed and drained
- 8 oz frozen corn, thawed
- 1/3 cup scallions, sliced on a bias
Instructions
- In a measuring cup, measure 1/2 cup of hot water and add the saffron. Allow the color to seep into the water. In a separate measuring cup, measure 1 1/2 cups of hot water.
- In a medium or large saucepot, heat the olive oil on medium-high heat. Saute the red bell pepper, tomato, jalapeno, and onion for about 8 minutes or until the veggies are soft. Add the garlic and saute for a minute more.
- Add the rice and toss to combine into the veggies. Allow the rice to toast for 5 minutes, or until some grains start getting some toasted color, but not burned. Pour in the water and boil for 20-25 minutes, or according to package directions.
- Once the water is completely reduced, turn off the heat and allow it to sit for 5 minutes, then fluff the rice. Add the cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Add the black beans and corn, then toss to combine. Top with the sliced scallions and serve.
Notes
(*1) You can substitute for chicken broth. Just be wary of adding your salt. Taste and season accordingly.
(*2) Adjust according to the heat you want! If you want less spice, use half. If you want more, add another jalapeno or two.
Cooking time for brown rice: Brown rice usually takes about 40-45 minutes to cook. If you are using brown rice, saute the veggies first, set them aside in a separate bowl, then toast and cook the rice in that same pot. It’ll still be a one-pot recipe! Once the rice has 20 minutes left of cooking, add the veggies. Continue the recipe as normal.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
221.37Fat (grams)
2.93Sat. Fat (grams)
0.44Carbs (grams)
44.26Fiber (grams)
7.49Net carbs
36.76Sugar (grams)
5.96Protein (grams)
8.29Sodium (milligrams)
109.28Cholesterol (grams)
0.00I did my best to research! Let me know if these are correct!
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