Homemade Spanish Rice

Thanksgiving. The one we almost did not have. The one that eight months of pandemic tried to take from us. Six people at the table — Roberto, Elena, Jessica, Sofia, Diego, me — and it was the smallest Thanksgiving of my life and the biggest. The biggest because of what it cost to get here: the isolation, the porch drops, the no-hug decontamination routine, the cold grills, the FaceTime instead of face-to-face. The distance makes the closeness sacred.

The food: tamales (Elena's, assembled at her house, transported in a cooler — pork in red chile, chicken in green chile, and the sweet ones with cinnamon). Turkey (brined, roasted, my best yet — I have been perfecting the brine for six years and this year the salt and sugar ratio finally sang). Roberto's carne asada (grilled on my charcoal grill, because it is what it is and it must be). Rice and beans (Elena). Mashed potatoes (Jessica). Bourbon cranberry sauce (I made it, following Jim's recipe via speakerphone from Duluth — Jim walking me through each step, his voice cracking when he said, "I wish we were there"). Elena's tres leches cheesecake. And Diane's apple pie, shipped in a cooler with dry ice, arriving Friday, eaten Saturday, perfect as always.

Grace: Roberto in Spanish. Sofia in English. Diego said "more" before grace was finished, maintaining a tradition that predates the pandemic and will outlast it.

The moment: after dinner, Roberto and I stood at the grill together. Side by side. The first time since March. He was slower — the cane, the knees, the breath that comes harder now — but he was there. Standing where he belongs. The smoke rose between us and he said, "This is what I missed, mijo. Not the food. This. Standing here." I said, "I know, Dad." He said, "Do not take it for granted." I said, "I never have."

We cleaned up in the dark, Jessica and I, after Roberto and Elena drove home (home, not to our guest room, because the protocols require them to return to their own space, because the pandemic is not over, because the rules still matter even when they hurt). Jessica washed. I dried. She said, "That was the best Thanksgiving we have ever had." I said, "It was six people." She said, "It was everyone who matters."

Elena’s Spanish rice has been on our Thanksgiving table longer than I can remember — it is not optional, it is not negotiable, and it is not the same when anyone else makes it. That year, she cooked it at her house and brought it over in the same pot she always uses, and when I lifted the lid the steam hit me and I almost had to sit down. Some smells are not just smells. If you have never made Spanish rice from scratch, this is the recipe to start with — the one that belongs next to a roasted turkey, beside a platter of tamales, at a table where six people are everyone who matters.

Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 30 min | Total Time: 40 min | Servings: 6

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice, uncooked
1/2 medium white onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup frozen peas (optional)
Fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Toast the rice. Heat vegetable oil in a large, deep skillet or saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the uncooked rice and stir frequently, cooking for 3–4 minutes until the grains turn golden and smell nutty. This step is essential for the right texture — do not skip it.
Soften the aromatics. Add the diced onion to the toasted rice and cook for 2 minutes, stirring, until the onion begins to soften. Add the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds more until fragrant.
Add the tomatoes and sauce. Pour in the diced tomatoes with their liquid and the tomato sauce. Stir to combine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Season and add broth. Stir in the cumin, chili powder, salt, and black pepper. Pour in the chicken broth and stir everything together. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.
Simmer low and slow. Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover tightly with a lid, and cook for 20 minutes. Do not lift the lid during cooking — the steam is doing the work.
Rest and fluff. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. If using frozen peas, stir them in now — the residual heat will warm them through. Fluff the rice gently with a fork.
Taste and serve. Adjust salt to taste. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with fresh cilantro if desired. Serve hot alongside your main dishes.

Nutrition (per serving)

Homemade Spanish Rice — Elena’s Side Dish That Held the Table Together