I was impressed and thought this was very good!!! My husband however, thought it was too sweet. So next time, I'll omit the brown sugar and reduce the amount of chili sauce by half, replacing the rest with tomato sauce. A little tip for those that those that had a problem with the rice taking longer to cook or that it wasn't finished, it could be from stirring it around too often while the rice is cooking. I did not lift the lid from the pan while it simmered to prevent the steam from escaping (which is what cooks the rice) and it came out perfectly. Also, there's no sense in browing the meat and transferring it to another pot. Just start off browning the meat in a large pot and adding all of the other ingredients as directed.
This has become a staple in our home, we have it every 2-3 weeks. I typically try and use brown rice because it's healthier and sometimes use the Asian style chili sauce for its sweetness (to suit the kids' taste). We love this, thank you! **updated comments: why dirty 3 pans? Make it in a dutch oven or similar cast iron pan, brown the meat in it, throw all the other ingredients in, let it cook and then throw the whole thing in the oven. 1 dish to wash!**
I made this rice last night and being from Costa Rica, (where we eat rice with just about every meal) the reason why people are experiencing some difficulties with cooking the rice is because the recipe calls for medium low heat, and the only way you can get the rice to cook all the way is by cooking it in just LOW heat. Cooked mine in low heat for about 40 mins added 1.5 cups of medium salsa instead of the water, and a can of corn and once I placed all the ingredients in the casserole dish before baking it I put a layer of refried beans and sprinkle the cheese. I also added some taco seasoning, cumin, and some fresh garlic when I cooked the meat, since i find that the meat picks up all the flavors when you brown it (I will never brown any meat without spices, is like showering without soap!)
Delish and easy! I followed the advice of other reviewers and used salsa instead of chili sauce. To make it simpler (with less clean-up), I cooked everything in one pot and served it right out of the pot. Instead of baking it with cheese on top, I garnished each serving with a dollop of fat free sour cream. This recipe is a keeper! By the way, don't touch the rice while it's cooking. Just put the lid on the pot and simmer for 25 - 30 minutes or else it will get gluey.
This is so delicious! I used a 28 oz can of diced tomatoes which worked really well, with the smaller can it was a bit too dry. I used chili powder instead of chili sauce. I have made this recipe at least 5 times and it's always great.
Spanish Rice Bake Haiku: "Yawn, this was boring. I would add alot of stuff. If I made again." I should've known, with all the thumbs-up reviews saying, "I added 'x' seasoning" or "I included 'y' spice" that maybe I should've done so too. I made the recipe as written, only using a homemade salsa instead of chile sauce. I just found it extremely blah-tasting, and ending up rolling mine into a tortilla w/ additional salsa, cilantro, avocado, and other chopped veggies. The other thing that perplexed me was the dirtying of 3 dishes, when realistically, it could all be prepared in one large pot, and one could even skip baking it, and just let the cheese melt on top right on the stovetop, conserving energy (and possible calories, by using cheese to one's garnishing preference.) If I were to make this again, I would brown the beef in taco seasoning, ditch the brown sugar, and add minced garlic, more cumin, and maybe some frozen corn or black beans for added filling fiber.
I will definitely make this again, but I have a few comments. It is sweet, but that's okay. My rice wasn't done after 30 mins., so I had to add 1/4 cup of water and 10 more mins. of cooking. I'll add more water at the beginning next time. I agree that this is even better the second day; it's a great "make ahead" dish.
This is a wonderful dish. It can be served as a side to any meat. Just a trick regarding the rice a rice expert once told me that if you rinse your rice in cold water at least three times then let it sit in cold water for about 1 hour the rice will not stick. It also will cook better because it absorbs some of the water and puffs out. It works my rice is separate and cooks easily every time even with the cheapest rice.
Great recipe that I make often!!! I use extra tomatoes instead of chili sauce and add cayenne pepper for a little kick.
