Creamy Rice with Beans & Peppers | HEALTHY & Delicious Spanish Recipe
This Creamy Rice with Beans & Peppers, known in Spain as Arroz Meloso con Alubias y Pimientos, is truly what classic Spanish food is all about. It´s made with heart-healthy ingredients, packed with flavors and all done in just 40 minutes.
You can serve this rice dish as a main course or even as a side dish, next to some grilled fish and a garden salad. Either way, enjoy this dish with a crunchy baguette and a bottle of Spanish wine for the ultimate dining experience.
To make this recipe I used Spanish round rice. Which is the one that is typically used to make paella. You can substitute it for any type of short-grain rice or even arborio rice. The famous Italian rice that´s used to make risotto.
TIPS & TRICKS to Make this Recipe: Once you add the liquid into the pan, mix the rice every 2 to 3 minutes. This will help release the starch in the rice, which is what gives this dish that beautiful creamy texture.
Key Ingredients & Cookware I used in this Recipe:
MY COOKWARE
MY CHEF´S KNIFE
EXTRA VIRGIN SPANISH OLIVE OIL
SAFFRON I USED
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Watch the Video Below on How to Make Creamy Rice with Beans & Peppers
Creamy Spanish Rice with Beans & Peppers
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 60 ml
- 1 onion
- 8 cloves garlic
- 2 red bell peppers
- 1/2 tsp sweet smoked Spanish paprika 1.25 grams
- 2 tomatoes
- 1 cup Spanish round rice 200 grams
- 15.5 oz can white beans 440 grams
- 4 1/2 cups vegetable broth 1 liter
- 1/2 tsp saffron threads .17 grams
- pinch sea salt
- dash black pepper
- fresh parsley
Instructions
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Add the broth into a sauce pan, pinch in the saffron and heat with a medium heat
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Meanwhile, roughly chop the onion, cut the cloves of garlic into large chunks and the red bell peppers into bite-sized pieces
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Heat a large fry pan or stock pot with a medium heat and add in the olive oil
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After a couple of minutes add in the chopped vegetables, mix with the olive oil, after 5 minutes and the vegetables are lightly sauteed, add in the paprika, quickly mix together, then add in the tomatoes finely grated and season with sea salt & black pepper, mix together and then simmer
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Once the grated tomato has thickened, about 3 minutes, add in the rice, continue to mix together, after 2 minutes add in the canned white beans (drained & rinsed) and the saffron infused broth, mix every 2 to 3 minutes to help release the starch from the rice
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After 15 to 18 minutes and the rice is just cooked through and there is still plenty of broth left, remove from the heat and place a lid on the pan, let it sit for a couple of minutes, then transfrer into shallow bowls and garnish with fresh parsley, serve at once, enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Get the Saffron Threads I Used to Make this Recipe
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This turned out perfectly! Spanish partner and half-Spanish kids really enjoyed it and said it reminded them of paella. Thank you for a great recipe!
Happy to hear that! Thanks for the comment 🙂 Much love
So tasty we really enjoyed this can’t wait to try your other recipes they all look delicious
So happy to hear that! Thanks for the comment 🙂 Much love
This was by far the best Spanish rice dish I’ve made so far. Thank you! It will be one of my favourites to make.
So happy to hear that! Much love 🙂
We made this recipe and had to replace beans with chick peas. It worked surprisingly well. Much love and respect Ulrich
Happy to hear that! Thanks for the comment 🙂 Much love
Can this be made using less oil?
Absolutely, the olive oil is the base fat of the dish and helps give it a bigger depth of flavor, however, you can add less if you like 🙂 Much love
Thank you for sharing your great cooking!
Thanks for the comment! Much love 🙂
VEGETABLE BROTH RECIPE
PLEASE GIVE TO ME
I LOVE TO FIX AND ESPECIALLY COOK YOUR WONDERFUL RECIPIES,,OUTSTANDING
I LIVED IN NERJA SPAIN 10 YEARS…MISS IT AND YOUR COOKING TAKES ME BACK, NOW AM IN UK
Here is the recipe to my homemade vegetable broth:
https://spainonafork.com/how-to-easily-make-your-own-vegetable-broth-at-home/
This looks delicious! Would you be able to freeze it?
Yes you can, you will just need to add in more liquid when reheating to get that creamy texture back 🙂 Much love
this is just a general 5 star rating as i love the simplicity of so many recipies…
Appreciate the comment! Much love 🙂
Csnt wait to make this soon for me can i skip red bell peppers as am not a big fan of red bell peppers i never had creamy rice with beans and peppers before perfect for my after office meals love your recipes as always brightens up my day everyday after work
Sounds great Ramya! Thanks for the comment 🙂 Much love