This easy Spanish Rice with Ham is a quick 30-minute skillet dinner packed with savory ham, tender long-grain rice, and rich, spiced tomato broth.
- Searing the ham steak first triggers the Maillard reaction, leaving behind deeply flavorful browned bits that season the entire pot.
- Toasting the long-grain rice in warm olive oil and butter coats the starch granules, preventing them from bursting and turning mushy.
- Using petite diced tomatoes with their juices provides the perfect level of acidity to balance the rich, salty pork.
I remember standing over my grandmother's avocado-green stove on a rainy Tuesday, watching her turn a single, lonely ham steak from the back of the freezer into a feast that fed six of us.
It felt like magic.
This stovetop Spanish Rice with Ham is my homage to that resourceful kitchen wizardry, combining simple pantry staples with a few fresh aromatics to build an incredibly comforting skillet meal. While it shares a culinary DNA with classic lowcountry dishes like Charleston Red Rice, this version is designed for speed, skipping the oven entirely to get dinner on the table in just thirty minutes.
The secret lies in how we treat the rice. We want distinct, tender grains rather than a sticky, gloppy mess.
To achieve this, we rely on starch gelatinization. By sautéing the aromatics and coating the extra long-grain rice in fat before adding the liquid, we create a barrier that keeps the grains beautifully separate.
It works every single time.
If you find yourself with even more leftover ham, don't let it go to waste. You can easily whip up a batch of southern Ham Salad for weekday lunches.
This is hands down the best way to use up holiday leftovers, though a standard store-bought ham steak works beautifully too. It is a humble, deeply satisfying meal that tastes even better the next day.
Spanish Rice with Ham
Ingredients
- 1 ham steak, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups extra long-grain rice
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 (28-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, with juice
- 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 cups water
Directions
- Set a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat and pour in the olive oil. Once the oil shimmers, drop in the cubed ham steak and sear for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the edges are beautifully browned and caramelized.
- While the ham sizzles, finely dice your onion and green bell pepper, and mince the garlic cloves.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the browned ham to a plate, leaving the flavorful oil and rendered fat in the pan. Toss the diced onion, bell pepper, and garlic into the skillet and sauté for 2 minutes until they begin to soften and release their fragrance.
- While the vegetables soften, measure out your salt, black pepper, dried oregano, dried thyme, and red pepper flakes.
- Stir the long-grain rice, butter, canned petite diced tomatoes with their juices, seared ham, measured spices, and water into the skillet. Bring the liquid to a rolling boil over high heat, give it a good stir, and taste the broth to adjust the seasoning if desired.
- Pop the lid on, turn the heat down to low to maintain a gentle simmer, and let it cook for 20 minutes until the rice is perfectly tender. Gently fluff the rice with a fork once or twice during the first 15 minutes, then leave it completely undisturbed for the final 5 minutes to let the steam finish the job.
Notes
Keep these essential kitchen tips in mind to ensure your skillet rice turns out perfectly fluffy every time:
- Salt Conversion: We recommend Diamond Crystal kosher salt for this recipe; if you are using standard table salt or Morton's kosher salt, cut the measurement in half (use 1 teaspoon) to prevent the dish from becoming overly salty.
- Science of Toasting: Toasting the rice grains in the hot fat for a minute before adding the liquid helps gelatinize the outer starches, ensuring your Spanish rice stays fluffy and individual rather than clumping together.
- Prevent Scorching: Keep a close eye on your heat level once you cover the pan. If your burner runs hot, the tomato solids can easily scorch at the bottom of the skillet; use a heat diffuser or drop the flame to its absolute lowest setting.
- Resting Time: Letting the rice sit covered and undisturbed for the last five minutes of cooking is crucial. This allows the steam to distribute evenly, ensuring the top layer of rice is just as tender as the bottom.
Serving Suggestions
Pair this hearty, savory skillet with sides that offer bright acidity or a touch of sweetness to balance the rich, smoky flavors of the ham:
- A crisp, cold green salad tossed with a sharp vinaigrette to cut through the rich, savory pork.
- Warm, buttery slices of Spiffy Jiffy Cornbread to provide a sweet, crumbly contrast to the spiced rice.
- A generous scoop of cool, creamy avocado slices or a dollop of sour cream to balance the heat from the red pepper flakes.
- A side of smoky Slow Cooker Pinto Beans for a hearty, traditional Southern-meets-Spanish plate.
- A squeeze of fresh lime juice right before serving to wake up the earthy thyme and oregano.
Storage and Reheating
Storing this skillet dinner is incredibly straightforward, but you should expect a slight shift in texture. After 24 hours in the refrigerator, the long-grain rice will continue to drink up any remaining moisture from the tomatoes, making the grains a bit firmer and denser. Pack the cooled rice into an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to four days.
For longer storage, you can freeze the rice for up to three months. However, be warned that freezing breaks down the starch walls slightly, which means the rice may turn a tad softer once thawed. To minimize this, let the rice cool completely to room temperature before sealing it in a heavy-duty freezer bag, pressing out as much air as possible.
When you are ready to reheat, skip the microwave if you want to preserve the texture. Instead, scoop the rice into a skillet, splash in a tablespoon or two of water or chicken broth to restore moisture, and cover it with a tight-fitting lid over medium-low heat.
Steam it for about five to seven minutes, stirring occasionally, until the ham is hot throughout and the rice is plump again. If you are reheating a single portion, a damp paper towel draped over a microwave-safe bowl will help keep the rice from drying out during a quick 90-second zap.
Ingredient Substitutes
If you need to adapt this recipe based on what is currently in your pantry, these simple swaps will keep your dinner on track:
- Ham steak → Smoked sausage: Swap the ham steak for an equal amount (about 12 ounces) of sliced smoked sausage. Sauté the sausage slices first to render out the fat, and reduce the added olive oil by one tablespoon to keep the dish from becoming greasy.
- Extra long-grain rice → Jasmine rice: Use jasmine rice in a 1:1 ratio. Since jasmine rice requires slightly less liquid, reduce the water from 3 cups to 2.5 cups and check for tenderness 3 minutes earlier than the recipe states.
- Petite diced tomatoes → Rotel tomatoes: Replace the 28-ounce can of diced tomatoes with two 10-ounce cans of Rotel. This swap keeps the liquid ratio similar but adds a bright, green-chili kick; reduce the red pepper flakes to a pinch to manage the heat.
- Green bell pepper → Poblano pepper: Substitute the green bell pepper with one medium poblano pepper at a 1:1 ratio. Poblanos offer a deeper, slightly earthier flavor profile; sauté them slightly longer to soften their thicker skins.
There is something deeply comforting about a single-pan meal that comes together with so little fuss. It is the kind of reliable, savory skillet dinner that makes the kitchen smell like home and leaves everyone at the table completely satisfied.
