Fiesta Saffron Rice Recipe is an easy side dish that starts with a rice package that includes seasonings. Add fresh vegetables for a fiesta of flavors and colors! The perfect fiesta rice for Cinco de Mayo and quick and easy for a weeknight dinner.
Saffron Rice Recipe
Saffron rice studded with red bell pepper, onion and peas and flavored with delicate saffron makes for a fabulously delicious side dish.
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Start with a store bought package of rice with all the seasonings already in it, add the vegetables and call it a day.
This rice with vegetables is not just bursting with flavor, it's absolutely beautiful too! It's a fiesta of flavors and colors!
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What is saffron rice?
Saffron rice is a recipe for a savory side dish that is made with white rice, saffron and usually vegetable bouillon.
What is saffron?
Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world. It comes from the saffron crocus flower and takes about 50,000 flowers to yield just one pound of dried saffron which is why saffron is so expensive!
Swirls of Flavor Recipe Tips
- The rice packet that I used in this recipe is readily available in the rice aisle or ethnic aisle of your grocery store
Substitutions
- You can substitute butter for the olive oil
- Green bell pepper can be used in place of the red bell pepper but they are not as sweet as red peppers
- Orange bell pepper or yellow bell pepper can be substituted for the red bell pepper
- You can add frozen peas and carrots in place of the frozen peas
Cinco de Mayo Recipes
Of course you'll be serving Fiesta Saffron Rice but are you wondering what else to make to round out your Cinco de Mayo menu? Here at Swirls we've got you covered!
Sweet Pepper Jalapeno Poppers are filled with a creamy jalapeno filling bursting with cheesiness and spice! Perfect as an appetizer and for your Cinco de Mayo celebration!
Baked Salsa Chicken is an easy recipe for those busy days. Juicy chicken breasts flavored with taco seasoning are smothered with salsa and cheddar cheese and baked to perfection, making this a soon-to-be favorite weeknight recipe!
Cheesy Jalapeno Cornbread is as quick and easy to make as it is beautiful and yummy! Start with a corn muffin mix with a few stir-ins, top with jalapenos, scallions and cheese, pop in the oven and in minutes you’ll be ready to serve up a mighty fine cornbread!
Chipotle Brownies is an easy homemade brownie recipe for the chocolate lovers in your life. With a creamy chocolate ganache on top and a hint of spice inside Chipotle Brownies will be the grand finale at your Cinco de Mayo fiesta!
Fiesta Saffron Rice
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Ingredients
- 3 Tbs. olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped, 1 cup
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped, 1 cup
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 1 pkg. (10 oz.) saffron yellow rice, such as Goya
- 1 cup frozen peas
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Instructions
- In pot heat oil over medium heat. Cook onion and red bell pepper until tender-crisp, 3-4 minutes.
- Add water. Bring to a boil. Stir in rice mix, stirring until blended.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, 20 minutes.
- Stir in peas. Cover and cook additional 5 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid has been absorbed.
Notes
Nutrition
I love the colors! This looks gorgeous!
Thanks! And it's as delicious as it is gorgeous! Enjoy!
This looks amazing and I want to try it, but I have a question. All I can find is Goya Spanish style yellow rice in a 7 oz box. Is that what you are using here? I appreciate the help!
Hi Christine, I used a larger size package (10 ounces) but if that size isn’t available by you then use the size you have and just adjust the amount of water according to the package instructions. All the other ingredients can remain the same. Hope this helps! Savor the Moments, Gwynn
This is so good! I love saffron so had to try this one. I left out the peas and added black olives. Loved it!