Who wants rice? Because today we’re bringing you 12 rice recipes that are always a hit. I believe almost everyone says “yes” to a plate of rice, right? Rice is such a versatile ingredient that it has become a staple and universal part of cooking: whether as a main dish or to prepare side dishes for fish and meat, it can be combined with so many other ingredients and presented in so many ways that its possibilities are endless.
And it’s super healthy! Maybe that’s why it’s featured in traditional dishes of almost every culture around the world. Its neutral flavour and its ability to adapt to a wide range of textures and flavours make it the perfect ally for creating varied rice recipes.
I hope you enjoy this collection of recipes we’ve prepared. Some are classics from our blog that have always been popular, and many are traditional Spanish rice dishes. Enjoy your meal!
1. Seafood Brothy Rice
Today’s recipe is one of those dishes to enjoy outdoors on summer days. But beware, don’t be fooled — it’s a dish that works all year round, perfect for a Sunday family or friends’ meal where you’ll shine. Let’s admit it, on Sundays, rice tends to be the most repeated dish in most households. At least it has been for a long, long time in mine — my father adored Sunday paella.
Today we’re dressing it up and cooking it with delicious seafood, which gives it an intense, absolutely delicious sea flavour. The taste of the seafood, combined with white wine, orange juice, and saffron, turns this dish into a delicacy that’s hard to resist.
We prepared it in the low casserole-type cocotte from Le Creuset, which in my opinion is ideal for preparing brothy rice and risottos because its wide base allows the heat to spread evenly across all ingredients.
2. Beetroot Risotto
Risotto is one of the most traditional dishes in Italian gastronomy. It originated in eastern Piedmont, western Lombardy, and Verona due to the abundance of rice in these areas.
The key to a good risotto is the rice, which is fundamental. There are several types we can use for this purpose, such as Carnaroli, Arborio or Vialone Nano, for example. These high-quality rice varieties have the ability to absorb liquid and release starch, which gives us a very creamy result.
The version I’m sharing with beetroot is simply… spectacular. There are several beetroot risotto recipes where they add it as a purée. In my case, I preferred to add it in small cubes, like in this recipe from Kraut-Kopf. It’s very pleasant to find small beetroot pieces mixed with the rice, adding a soft and delightful touch.
3. Rice with Sausages
A classic that never fails: the recipe for a classic, traditional rice with sausages, super tasty! You can prepare this rice to your liking, more cooked or more creamy. It’s a no-fuss rice dish that both kids and adults enjoy because it brings back those familiar flavours.
“Give me more sausages, mummy,” the little ones always say while I’m serving. The truth is, it’s a very complete dish that you can vary by adding some vegetables or others depending on the day or what’s in the fridge. I’m bringing it to you with few extras to keep it simple, but you’ll see you can add red or green peppers, carrots, leeks, peas… all extra flavour, and the important thing is to leave it to your taste.
4. Rice with Crust
Rice with crust (or “arroz con costra”, depending on the municipality) is without a doubt one of the most representative dishes from Alicante. This traditional rice 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 (preferably in a ceramic or clay casserole) creates a “crust” that hides this “treasure”. With rice with crust, you never know what you’ll get until your portion is served. It’s a truly surprising experience!
At first glance, outside our borders, it might seem like a very strange combination (rice and egg?), maybe even off-putting. Nothing could be further from the truth — I assure you: whoever tries it once, falls completely in love with this deeply rooted dish of our land.
5. Black Rice
Who doesn’t love a good rice dish as the perfect end to a morning at the pool or the beach! This black rice recipe is one of my favourite versions of what we colloquially call “paella”, no matter what ingredients are used.
Some prefer it with chicken, seafood, vegetables… but I’m crazy about a good black rice, ideally with its corresponding “socarrat”. For this, cooking in a carbon steel paella pan like this one is fundamental; the heat spreads evenly, and it sticks just enough, that little bit we all end up fighting over!
6. Risotto bianco (and tips for a good risotto)
The risotto bianco is the base recipe for this traditional Italian dish. Many other variations are built upon it: with asparagus, mushrooms, etc. All of them are exquisite, yes, but the “bianco” is a unique dish that stands on its own and is sure to delight anyone who tries it.
It’s important to use special risotto rice. The most suitable varieties, due to their high starch content, are Carnaroli and Arborio. They’re easy to find in all major supermarkets at a good price, so avoid the temptation to grab that bag of Bomba rice you have in the pantry.
7. Rice Paella
Paella is an iconic dish of our country, a recipe that captures the essence of our gastronomy. With its short-grain rice, fresh seafood, vegetables, and/or meat, it’s an explosion of Mediterranean flavours, a true culinary masterpiece that has conquered hearts all over the world.
Today’s version is not a Valencian paella, but simply a classic prawn and mussel rice made in a paella pan, which always turns out great.
I don’t know about your homes, but for us, paella is an important family tradition: often, what appears on the table at my mother’s house is simply a paella, a paella full of delicious, rich foods, a truly complete dish, around which we sit and enjoy together as a family.
I hope you’ll join us in celebrating this recipe that’s so special for everyone. Perfect, complete, delicious!
8. Rice with Chicken and Vegetables in a Pressure Cooker
This is one of the wonders of cooking in a pressure cooker: we save time and energy! This advantage allows us to prepare dishes like this rice with chicken and vegetables in a pressure cooker, which might seem more labour-intensive at first glance, but can be ready in less than half the time.
I suggest surprising your loved ones with this delicious recipe, cooked with the Vitavit® Premium pressure cooker from Fissler. With it, you’ll see that the time saving is even greater thanks to its exclusive Cookstar® base, a sandwich-type base with a high-pressure pressed aluminium disc that completely eliminates interior air. With no air in the diffuser base, the heating is much faster, more even, and more efficient.
9. Onions Stuffed with Rice, Cheese, and Aromatic Herbs
I’ve always loved collecting good cookbooks and turning to them when looking for inspiration. Without a doubt, one of the ones I use the most is the book “The Art of French Cooking” by Julia Child. I got both volumes a while ago, and I assure you, you’ll love them.
Today’s recipe can be found in the second volume: stuffed onions. It’s a real classic. It pairs perfectly with a nice fish or a tasty meat dish. It’s not a complicated recipe at all.
On the other hand, it’s versatile, because although the main ingredient is onion, you can play with the filling.
10. Arroz a banda with Salmorreta
Arroz a banda with salmorreta is a typical coastal rice dish from the province of Alicante. This traditional sofrito made with ñoras is the true star, as it not only gives the characteristic reddish colour but also an incredible and unmistakable flavour from our region. Moreover, due to its simplicity, it’s perfect for getting started in the world of pressure-cooked rice dishes.
For this, I used the Kuhn Rikon Hotel pressure cooker (28 cm), which, thanks to its larger diameter and low height, is ideal for this type of rice. In these ultra-fast pressure cookers, I achieved a delicious, perfectly cooked arroz a banda in just 6 minutes. To finish, and as tradition dictates, I suggest you accompany this rice with homemade alioli.
11. Chicken and Orange Pilaf
Ready to enjoy a recipe full of exquisite flavours? We bring you an irresistible chicken and orange pilaf, a perfect combination that will captivate your palate. In this dish, juicy pieces of chicken intertwine with the citrusy, refreshing touch of orange, creating an explosion of flavours in every bite.
This delicious preparation is enhanced thanks to the wonderful low iron cocotte from Le Creuset, which offers natural, even cooking and keeps the ingredients juicy and full of flavour. You’ll see how you turn a rice dish into a culinary feast where aromas and textures merge in perfect harmony. Put on your apron, because I’d love for you to join me on today’s culinary adventure!
12. Rice Pudding Ice Cream
To start, and even though it’s a very simple recipe made with the most common ingredients, let me emphasise something I think is very important: using good quality ingredients will definitely make a difference in the final result of our ice cream.
To enjoy this fabulous rice pudding ice cream, we first have to prepare the rice pudding itself. To make things easier and quicker, I opted in this first step to use my WMF Perfect pressure cooker (though I also leave the instructions for making it in a regular pot or even in a cocotte). If we also have an ice cream maker, we shorten the task again, and the process is considerably simplified. I used the KitchenAid ice cream attachment and was thrilled with the result: a creamy, smooth ice cream like few others, with practically no effort.
Before moving on to the recipe, I should warn you that, with the indicated amounts to prepare the rice pudding, you’ll make more than you actually need for our ice cream, but once you’re at it, it’s worth making extra and enjoying it the traditional way, in ramekins, sprinkled with a little ground cinnamon, for example, while we wait for our ice cream to be ready. Let’s go!
