Who wants rice? Because today we're bringing 12 rice recipes that are always a hit. I think almost everyone says "yes" to a rice dish, right? Rice is such a versatile ingredient that it has become a universal kitchen staple: whether as a first course or to prepare sides for fish and meat, it can be combined with so many other ingredients and served in so many ways that its possibilities are endless.
And it’s one of the healthiest! Perhaps for all these reasons, it’s found in traditional dishes from almost every culture in the world. Its neutral flavor and ability to adapt to a wide range of textures and tastes make it the perfect ally for creating a variety of recipes with rice.
I hope you enjoy this collection of recipes we've put together; some are classics from our blog that have always been favorites, and many are traditional Spanish rice dishes. Enjoy!
1. Seafood rice stew
Today’s is one of those recipes for enjoying outdoor meals on these summer days. But don’t be fooled, it’s one of those dishes you can enjoy all year round, perfect for a Sunday family or friends’ meal and to make you look like a queen. Because we have to admit that, on Sundays, rice ends up being the most repeated dish in most households. At least it has been for a very, very long time in mine; my father loved Sunday paella.
Today we’re going to dress it up and cook it with some delicious seafood, which will give it an intense taste of the sea—absolutely delicious. The flavor of the seafood, together with white wine, orange juice, and saffron, turns this dish into a delicacy that’s hard to resist.
We have prepared it in the Low casserole, Shallow Casserole type by Le Creuset, which in my opinion is ideal for making brothy rice dishes and risottos, among other stews, because, having a wide base, it allows heat to reach all the ingredients evenly.
2. Beet risotto
The risotto It is one of the most traditional dishes in Italian cuisine. Its origin comes from eastern Piedmont, western Lombardy, and Verona due to the abundance of rice in these areas.
The key to a successful risotto is the rice, this is fundamental. There are several types that we can use for this purpose such as the Carnaroli, Arborio or Vialone Nano, for example. These high-quality rice varieties have the ability to absorb liquid and release starch, which will allow us to achieve a very creamy result.
The beet version I'm sharing with you is simply… spectacular. There are several beetroot risotto recipes in which they add it as a purée. In my case I preferred to add it diced, as in this recipe from Kraut- Kopf. It's very nice to find small pieces of beetroot together with the rice; it adds a very pleasant, mild note.
3. Rice with sausages
A classic that never fails, the recipe for a classic, traditional rice with sausages Absolutely delicious! You can make this rice just the way you like it—more cooked or creamier. It’s a no-fuss rice that both kids and adults enjoy for bringing us those timeless flavors.
"Give me more sausages, mommy," the kids always say to me while I'm serving it up. The truth is, it's a very well-rounded dish, and you can switch it up by adding some vegetables depending on the day or what you have in the fridge. I’m sharing it with just a few extras to keep it simple, but you’ll see you can add red or green bell pepper, carrot, leek, peas... it all adds extra flavor, and the important thing is to make it to your taste.
4. Rice and crust
The rice and crust or rice with a crust (depending on the municipality where we are) is without a doubt one of the most representative dishes from Alicante. This traditional rice dish is typical in the regions of Vega Baja, Bajo Vinalopó and Marina Alta.
This rice, also known as "The Hidden Treasure," consists of sausages (white and red longaniza, white and black butifarra, chicken or rabbit) and beaten egg which, when baked (if possible in a ceramic casserole dish or clay) creates a "crust" that buries that "treasure". With arroz y costra you never know what you're going to get until they give you your portion. It's quite a surprising experience!
A priori, outside our borders, it may seem like a dish with a very strange combination (rice and egg?) and might even put people off. Nothing could be further from the truth, I assure you that Anyone who tries it once is completely won over by this dish so deeply rooted in our land.
5. Black rice
Who doesn’t love a good rice dish as the perfect ending to a morning at the pool or the beach! This black rice recipe is one of my favorite versions of what we colloquially call "paella," no matter what it’s made with.
There are those who prefer it with chicken, with seafood, vegetarian… However, I love a good black rice, if possible with its socarrat. For that, cook in a iron paella pan like this it's essential; the cooking is even and it sticks just enough, that little bit we all end up fighting over!
6. Risotto bianco (and tips for making a good risotto)
White risotto is the base recipe for this traditional Italian dish. Many other preparations are built on it: of asparagus, of mushrooms, etc. All of them exquisite, yes, but the “bianco” is a standalone dish, it is more than enough on its own to dazzle anyone who tries it.
It is important to use special rice for risotto. The most suitable varieties, due to their high starch content, are carnaroli and arborio. They’re easy to find in all major supermarkets and at a good price, so resist the temptation to reach for that bag of Bomba rice you have in the pantry.
7. Rice paella
The paella It is an emblematic dish of our country, a recipe that captures the essence of our cuisine. With its short-grain rice, fresh seafood, vegetables and/or meat, It’s an explosion of Mediterranean flavors; paella is a true culinary masterpiece that has won hearts around the world.
Today's is not a Valencian paella, but simply a classic shrimp and mussel rice made in a paella pan, which always turns out well.
I don’t know about your homes, but paella is part of an important tradition at home: getting together as a family; often the only thing gracing my mother’s table is simply a paella, a paella full of delicious, rich foods, a fully loaded paella, around which we sit down and enjoy ourselves as a family.
I hope you'll join us in celebrating this recipe that's so special to everyone. Perfect, complete, delicious!
8. Rice with chicken and vegetables in a pressure cooker
This is one of the The wonders of cooking in a pressure cooker: we save minutes—and energy! This advantage allows us to prepare dishes like this rice with chicken and vegetables in a pressure cooker, which at first glance may seem more labor-intensive, and which can be ready in less than half the time.
I suggest surprising your loved ones with this delicious recipe, cooked with the Fissler Vitavit® Premium pressure cooker. With it, you'll see that the time savings are even greater thanks to its exclusive Cookstar® base, a "sandwich"-type base, with an aluminum disc encapsulated by pressing at high pressure, which completely removes the air inside between layers. Since there is no air in the diffuser base, the Heating is much faster, more uniform, and efficient.
9. Onions stuffed with rice, cheese and aromatic herbs
I've always liked collecting good cookbooks and being able to turn to them when you're looking for inspiration. Without a doubt, one of the ones I use the most is the book “Mastering the Art of French Cooking”, by Julia Child. I got hold of both volumes a while ago and I assure you you'll like them.
You can find today’s recipe in the second volume: stuffed onions. It’s a real classic. It pairs perfectly with delicious fish or tasty meat. It’s not a complicated recipe, not at all.
On the other hand, it’s versatile: even though the main ingredient is onion, you can play around with the filling.
10. Arroz a banda with salmorreta
Arroz a banda with salmorreta it is a typical coastal rice dish from the province of Alicante. This traditional ñora pepper-based sofrito is the true star, as it not only gives it the characteristic reddish color, but also an incredible, unmistakable flavor from our region. Plus, thanks to its simplicity, it’s perfect for getting started with pressure cooker rice dishes.
For this, I have used the Kuhn Rikon Hotel pressure cooker of 28 cm, which, thanks to its larger diameter and low height, is ideal for this kind of rice dishes. In this type of ultra-fast pressure cookers, in just 6 minutes, I’ve achieved a delicious arroz a banda cooked to perfection. To conclude, and as tradition dictates, I suggest serving this rice with homemade aioli.
11. Chicken and orange pilaf
Ready to enjoy a recipe full of exquisite flavors? We bring you an irresistible Chicken and orange pilaf, a perfect combination that will captivate your palate. In this dish, the juicy pieces of chicken intertwine with the refreshing citrus touch of orange, creating an explosion of flavors in every bite.
This delicious dish is enhanced thanks to the wonderful low cast-iron Le Creuset casserole, which offers a natural cooking process, even and keeps the ingredients juicy and full of flavor. You'll see how you turn a rice dish into a culinary feast where aromas and texture blend in perfect harmony. Put on your apron because I'd love to have you join me on today's culinary adventure!
12. Rice pudding ice cream
To begin with, and even though this is an extremely simple recipe to make with the most common ingredients, allow me to emphasize a point that I find very important. And that is Having high-quality raw materials will definitely make the difference in the final result of our ice cream.
It is true that to get to enjoy this fabulous rice pudding ice cream, First we will have to prepare the rice pudding itself. To make things easier and keep it brief, in this first step I have chosen to use my WMF Perfect pressure cooker (even so, I'll also share the instructions to do it in a conventional pot or even in casserole). If we also have an ice cream maker, we will shorten the task again and the process will be considerably simplified. I have used the KitchenAid ice cream accessory and I've been delighted with the result; a creamy, smooth ice cream like few others with practically no effort.
Before moving on to the recipe, I must warn you that, with the amounts indicated to make the rice pudding, More will come out than we actually need for our ice cream, but once we get down to it, it's worth making extra and taking the opportunity to have it in the traditional style, in ramekins individual servings and sprinkled with a little ground cinnamon while, for example, we wait for our ice cream to finish getting ready. Here we go!
