Here’s another Mexican/Latin inspired rice bowl with a Spanish influence. It works around the fantastic Spanish Romesco sauce which honestly has become a staple in our household. We spiked the traditional Romesco with Chipotle to add that smoky heat that elevates this simple weeknight rice-meatball meal.
Meatballs:
Swap with other proteins if meatballs are not your thing, use the recipe as is, swapping the ground meat for the protein of your choice. But I do recommend ground meats it pairs really well with the sauce and Spanish rice dish.
I used ground turkey for the meatballs, other ground meats will work just fine, just make sure you adjust the cooking time.
Chipotle Romesco Sauce:
I used almonds as it’s made in the traditional recipe, for nut free option use equal amounts greek yogurt. Chipotle adds heat and smoky flavors which can bee omitted if feeding little kids or just prefer milder flavor.
Serving Suggestion:
You could also serve this meal with plain rice, I think the Spanish rice complements the sauce so well that I feel it’s worth a few extra minutes chopping half and onion and prepping. As always a little freshness with leafy greens or steamed broccoli is always a good idea, I love arugula, baby spinach or some mixed spring greens is lovely too.
Spanish Rice with Meatballs+ Chipotle Romesco
Equipment
- Food Processor
- sauce pan and skillet
Ingredients
RICE
- 1 cup basmati rice rinsed and drained
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1½ cup chicken broth
- 1 medium onion chopped and divided(use half in the rice and other half in the sauce)
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 medium carrot, diced into small pieces
- 1 cup shelled peas
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 2 tbsp chopped cilantro or parsley for garnish or green onions
CHIPOTLE ROMESCO SAUCE
- 2 roasted red bell pepper, drained I used jarred ones
- 4 cloves garlic
- 6-8 pieces whole almonds soaked in hot water for 20 minutes drained and skinned
- 2 tbsp(heaping) plain whole greek yogurt more if needed to thin the sauce
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1-2 whole chipotle with 1 tbsp adobo sauce
- 1 tsp paprika smoked, if possible
- tsp sea salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
MEATBALLS
- 1 lb ground turkey or other meats
- 1 egg
- â…“ cup panko gluten free if needed
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp fennel seeds crushed or ground
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1½ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ¾ tsp mexican or regular oregano
- â…“ cup finely chopped cilantro or parsley
- ¼ ` tsp chipotle or cayenne powder(optional)
- sea salt and black pepper as needed
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil
Serving
- salad greens or arugula or steamed broccoli
Instructions
RICE
- Warm olive oil in a sauce pan or rice pot. Add half the chopped onions, chopped carrots(save the remaining half onion for the sauce) and bell pepper and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the drained rice and gently stir for a minute until the the rice grains turn a little opaque. Add the salt, paprika, ground cumin and stir once.
- Dissolve the tomato paste into the chicken broth. Add it to the rice Mix everything well. Turn up the heat so the broth comes upto a boil. Add the peas and give everything one final stir.(Make sure the tomato paste is dissolved completely). Drop the heat to a simmer and steam for 10-12 minutes or until the rice is cooked. Set aside.
SAUCE
- Warm one tbsp of olive oil in a small pan. Add the remaining chopped onion from the rice and 4 cloves of chopped garlic, sauté for 2-3 minutes till the onions begin to soften.
- Transfer the onion mixture to the food processor. Add the ingredients listed in the sauce and blend untill smooth. Taste and add any ingredient you needs adjusting. Transfer to a clean jar.
MEATBALLS
- Combine all the ingredients listed in the meatballs. Gently fold and mix just enough the ingredients are evenly distributed. Over handling toughens the meat. Divide the meat into small-medium sized meatballs.
- Warm olive oil in a skillet, add the meatballs and cook undisturbed for 2 minutes. Flip and cook again. Once the meatballs firm up, flip them so they cook evenly. Mine took about 10 minutes. Alternatively place the meatballs on baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes in a 375℉ preheated oven until fully cooked. I prefer the skillet method.
PLATING
- Divide the rice between 4-6 bowls depending on the appetites. Place 4-5 meatballs on each bowl. Pour some sauce and serve with some greens on the side. Enjoy!
Looks so good. Just seems like a lot of work, will have to save it for a lazy Sunday. 😆