TC’s “Spanish” Rice

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As I’ve mentioned here before my Dad is an amazing cook!  Not only is he skilled technically, but he’s able to make stuff up on the fly.  A skill I think I got from him in the kitchen.  Since as far back as I can remember he’s been making his “Spanish” rice.  I’m not entirely sure, how Spanish it actually is or how he came up with it, but it’s always been a hit.  Now I make it myself and still enjoy it!

This ricehas some Latin seasoning but it more saucy which makes me think of a Jollof Rice.  Whatever you want to call it, it’s delicious!

Let’s get to it! 

Start by adding the onion and bacon to a pan on medium heat.  Everything is going to be cooked in this pan, so you want something deeper than a sauce pan. 

Cook that until the bacon starts to brown and the onion is soft.  

Now add your rice and stir that for about a minute, just to get some of that smokey bacon flavor engrained (see what I did there, lol) into the rice. 

Now add the tomatoes, water, and taco seasoning. At this point, I would just add 1 tablespoon of your taco seasoning.  Many taco seasonings are different, so start with that and then you can add more after everything is cooked.  As my dad would say “You can always add, but you can never take away”.

Bring the mixture to a boil and then cover it with a lid.  Turn the heat down to low and cook about 20 minutes or until the rice is tender. The mixture will still be moist and somewhat saucy.  Taste for seasoning.  Add the rest of the taco seasoning and some salt if you feel it needs it. 

I love the rice as a side to tacos, added to the filling for burritos or honestly as its own meal with a little shredded cheese on top.  It’s smokey from the bacon, but also has the acid of the tomatoes so it’s not overwhelming!  It’s a recipe that’s easy to double, triple, or whatever. 

Enjoy!