One of the best sides we use for Mexican dishes is Spanish rice. It’s so easy to put together, and if you have a rice cooker, it’s even easier! I used to buy the pre-made Spanish rice boxes until I found a recipe online, and I haven’t stopped making it since! It only requires a few ingredients.
Start with a cup and a half of rice, well-rinsed, and add it to your rice cooker.
Add the diced tomatoes, taco seasoning, and bouillon cube, then fill the rest of the way with water. I fill it up to about the 2 cup mark on the rice cooker, maybe a little more. You’ll have to play around with yours to see what works best.
Give it a good stir, and then set it to cook. My rice cooker has a Brown Rice function, so I use that and it’ll cook for maybe an hour and 15 minutes. Yours may vary depending on the water level.
It does look kind of funny once it’s done, because all the tomatoes rise up to the top! Just give it a good stir and it’s ready to go.
This is the best Spanish rice I’ve ever had! I always keep the ingredients in my pantry so we have an easy side item for dinner.

Spanish Rice in the Rice Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups rice, rinsed
- 1 chicken bouillon cube
- 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon taco seasoning
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to rice cooker and stir. Cook according to your rice cooker's instructions, approximately 1 hour, until rice is tender. Stir thoroughly and serve.

Jaime is a Nutrition Coach through the ISSA and professional writer. She has 4 years experience coaching and 9 years experience in writing. She enjoys cooking easy meals, running, and learning more about food.
Jaime specializes in helping women with ADHD learn to meal plan and cook healthier meals without getting overwhelmed.