4 Ways To Make Your Leftover Spanish Rice Actually Taste Good

I love Spanish rice.

It’s easy to make, it’s fast, and it tastes so good with a variety of different meats.

But if you’re like me and sometimes cook too much for the amount of people who are going to eat it, then you have leftover Spanish rice.

What do I do with leftover Spanish rice? There are several options:

How to store leftover Spanish rice

Storing leftover Spanish rice in an airtight container is the best way to keep it fresh for up to 3 days.

If you want to store it for longer, freeze your leftovers in an airtight container or ziplock bag.

The best way to thaw frozen rice is overnight in the refrigerator.

If you have rice that’s been in the fridge for a few days, you can also cook it in a saucepan with water, drain and then add fresh water.

This will help to remove any excess starch from the rice and leave it nice and fluffy again.

Rice can also be frozen in a solid block.

This is great if you want to use it in recipes where you would usually add uncooked rice straight from the packet.

You can also freeze leftover Spanish rice and use it as an ingredient for another meal later on.

4 ideas for leftover Spanish rice

Cold Spanish rice is a great base for fried rice

Leftover Spanish rice is the perfect base for fried rice.

You can use any leftovers you have, but Spanish rice is particularly good because it’s already seasoned and has a bit of heat to it.

To make this easy meal, start by sautéing some chopped onions in some oil until they turn translucent.

Add your cooked Spanish rice and keep stirring until it’s hot.

Then add some scrambled eggs (you can make them from scratch or use leftover hardboiled eggs) and any other vegetables you’d like: mushrooms, bell peppers, carrots—anything goes! Stir everything together well until the egg is cooked through and then serve with soy sauce or sriracha if you like spicy food.

Voilà! You’ve got a complete meal on your hands that took less than ten minutes to prepare!

If you’d like to use up some leftovers, try making fried rice with Spanish rice as the base.

You can use any leftover meat and veggies you have on hand; just add them into the pan when it’s time to stir in the eggs.

Try baking it into a casserole

Another option for leftover rice is to bake it into a casserole.

First, use a 9×13-inch baking dish.

Add about two cups of diced vegetables, like green beans or corn, and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Sprinkle one cup shredded cheese on top and put under the broiler until melted and bubbly.

This recipe makes enough for two people—just add more vegetables if you want!

If you’re looking for an easy way to use up leftover rice, try this casserole.

First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Add two cups of veggies like green beans or corn and bake for 15 minutes.

Sprinkle one cup of shredded cheese on top and broil until melted and bubbly.

This recipe makes enough for two people—just add more veggies if you want! If you’re looking for an easy way to use up leftover rice, try this casserole.

First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Add two cups of veggies like green beans or corn and bake for 15 minutes

Use it to add savory flavor to soup

Spanish rice can be used to add savory flavor to soup.

Simply add a few cups of leftover Spanish rice, along with whatever other ingredients you have on hand, and let it simmer until all the flavors combine.

You can use this recipe as a base for your own chicken soup recipe or modify it to include any vegetables you want in your homemade chicken noodle soup.

Try adding mushrooms, zucchini or spinach, depending on what’s in season!

If you’re feeling adventurous, try making your own chicken broth from scratch.

Make sure to strain the liquid after cooking in order to remove any unwanted bits of meat, vegetables or other ingredients.

Use leftover Spanish rice in burritos and tacos

Spanish rice is a great side dish that makes you feel as if you’ve really eaten well.

It works well with grilled meats, and it’s also good on its own! If you have leftover Spanish rice, know that there are many ways to make use of this versatile food.

Here are some ideas for using leftover Spanish rice:

• Use leftover Spanish rice in burritos and tacos by adding beans, lettuce, cheese, sour cream (or guacamole) and more.
• Add leftover Spanish rice to breakfast tacos or breakfast burritos for an extra boost of protein.
• Use leftover Spanish rice in enchiladas or quesadillas with other ingredients such as beans and cheese for a Tex-Mex meal that’ll fuel your day—and maybe even last through tomorrow’s lunch break!

Conclusion

Although it’s important to use up leftovers properly, don’t feel like you have to follow these recipes exactly.

There are so many ways to enjoy this versatile dish! If you have any other ideas for using up leftover Spanish rice, share them in the comments section below.