Red Enchilada Sauce Rice with Cheese
This red enchilada sauce rice is a quick, easy and flavorful side dish to serve with Mexican food or other main dishes.
Ingredients
Rice:
- 2 cups uncooked basmati white rice Or long grain white rice. Use a quantity of uncooked rice that will yield 4 cups of cooked rice.
- Water Use the amount of water according to the package instructions based on the cooking method used.
- 2 tablespoons butter (salted) Cut into small cubes
Red Enchilada Sauce Rice:
- Cooked white rice (warm)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
One package (10 ounces) of queso fresco cheese (1/2 of the package for the rice mixture; 1/4 for the top of the rice mixture)
- 1 cup crumbled queso fresco cheese (about 1/2 of a 10-ounce package) for the enchilada rice mixture (in the mixing bowl)
- 1/3 cup chopped green onions (just the white part) this equals about 4 medium to large size green onions (reserve the green part for the topping)
- 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
- 1 can (10 ounces) prepared red enchilada sauce
- 1/4 cup grated queso fresco (or very small crumbles) (about 1/4 of a 10-ounce package). for the top of the enchilada rice (in the baking dish)
Toppings:
- Drizzles of olive oil
- Chopped green onion tops (just the green part from 3 of the green onions)
Equipment
- 1 Small rice cooker that can make 4 cups of cooked rice
- 1 Baking dish (1-3/4-quart baking dish)
- Aluminum foil
Instructions
For the White Rice:
- Rinse the rice. For best results, use basmati or long grain white rice (jasmine or short grain rice may be too sticky).
- To the rice cooker add the rinsed rice, water and small cubes of butter. Cover with a lid and cook the rice.
While the Rice is Cooking - Prep:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Chop the green onions: White part of the onions - for the enchilada sauce rice mixture. Set aside. Green part of the onions - for the topping. Set aside.
- Chop the cilantro (for the enchilada sauce rice mixture). Set aside.
Warm the Enchilada Sauce:
- In a small to medium size pot, add the enchilada sauce. Turn the heat on low. Let the enchilada sauce cook just long enough to warm (about 5 minutes).Don't cook the enchilada sauce any longer than needed to get it warm. This should prevent it from reducing.Set the warm enchilada sauce aside for a moment.
For the Enchilada Sauce Rice:
- Right after the rice is done cooking, transfer it into a large mixing bowl. Add salt. The salt sharpens the overall flavor of this dish.
- To the bowl, add crumbled queso fresco cheese, chopped green onions and chopped cilantro. Gently stir together.
- To the bowl, add the warm enchilada sauce and gently stir together.
Baking Dish:
- Transfer the rice mixture to a baking dish and top with grated queso fresco cheese (or very small crumbles).
Warm in the Oven:
- Cover the baking dish with foil. Bake in a preheated oven (at 375 degrees F.) just long enough for the enchilada sauce rice to warm (about 15 minutes).Don't leave the rice in the oven any longer than it needs to be to get warm. This should prevent it from drying out.
Toppings:
- When the enchilada sauce rice is warm, remove it from the oven. Carefully remove the foil and drizzle olive oil on top of the rice.Drizzling olive oil on top of the warm enchilada sauce rice adds moisture and flavor.
- Top with chopped green onion (the green part).
Serve:
- Serve warm.
Notes
TIPS:
- For best results, use basmati or long grain white rice (jasmine or short grain rice may be too sticky).
- Don't cook the enchilada sauce any longer than needed to get it warm. This should prevent it from reducing.
- The salt added to the rice mixture sharpens the overall flavor of this dish.
- Don't leave the rice in the oven any longer than it needs to be to get warm. This should prevent it from drying out.
- Drizzling olive oil on top of the warm enchilada sauce rice adds moisture and flavor.