Delicious Spanish Black Rice Recipe

If you thought that the pasta paella was a bold twist to the classic recipe, then just wait until you read this article.

Here, we will show you the one and only Spanish black rice, a hidden gem among the black rice dishes.

Despite sounding like a complicated recipe, it is one of the easiest Spanish rice recipes that you will find, and the taste is out of this world.

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Background of the Dish

The Spanish black rice was created in the South of Spain and popularized in the Mediterranean regions of the country, due to its use of seafood ingredients.

Different from other black rice recipes, the black color on this one comes from the squid ink, which also gives some extra seafood flavor.

This squid ink recipe is a little bit drier than the classic paella, but some people serve it with a small bowl of aioli to add more creaminess to it.

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Things You’ll Need for Spanish Black Rice

To make this Spanish black rice recipe you will need medium-grain rice, squid ink, fish broth, cuttlefish, onion, and garlic.

Looking for more Spanish rice recipes? Then you should try the Spanish chicken and rice recipe or the chorizo paella.

Ingredients

• 2 cups (400 gr) medium-grain rice (arroz bomba)
• 4 cups (1L) fish broth
• 500 gr cuttlefish (or squid)
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons (45ml) squid ink
• 1 onion
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 pinch of saffron threads
• Salt and pepper (to taste)

How to Make Spanish Black Rice – Step by Step Guide

1. To make this arroz negro recipe you have to start by cleaning the cuttlefish (or squid) under running water, removing the dirt, and cutting any inedible parts. Dry it well and cut it into small pieces. You can skip this if you buy it clean (the frozen one usually comes clean).

2. After that, peel the onion and garlic and chop them into thin and small pieces. Wash the tomato and cut it into small cubes.

3. Then grab a paella pan (or a large frying pan) and add the oil. Turn the stove to medium heat and, when the pan is hot, add the cuttlefish.

4. Once the cuttlefish is golden, take it out of the pan and add the onion and garlic, then leave them until golden. If you need to, you can add a little more oil.

5. When they start to get a golden color, add the chopped tomato and leave it for a couple of minutes.

6. After this time, add the rice and squid ink, and mix everything while cooking for another minute.

7. Now put the cuttlefish back, pour the broth, and add the saffron threads. Season with a little bit of salt and pepper. Be careful with the salt because the fish broth can be salty.

8. Then, cook the squid ink rice for about 10 minutes over high heat and lower the heat to medium for another five minutes. 

9. Once the Spanish rice is cooked, turn off the heat and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes.

10. When it has rested for a couple of minutes, serve the black rice. As something optional, you can serve it with a small bowl of aioli for the extra garlicky flavor and creamy texture.

Substitution of Ingredients

The Spanish black rice ingredients are really easy to find, and the only one that might give you a headache is the squid ink.

You should be able to find it in your local store, the same fish shop where you buy seafood, or online.

If you can’t find it but want to make this Spanish rice recipe just follow all the steps and add a seafood bouillon for extra flavor.

You can make this paella with black rice, but keep in mind that the black rice cooking time is longer than the white medium-grain rice, and the flavor is more bitter.

You can also make this squid ink paella with squid instead of cuttlefish, or use the same seafood ingredients that you would use for the authentic paella recipe and add the squid ink.

Tips on Serving Spanish Black Rice

The best part about this Spanish black rice is that you can have it for lunch or dinner, and it is the perfect main dish.

To serve it, you can do it on the same pan where you cooked the black paella, or just place it on deep plates.

The arroz negro is usually served with a small bowl of aioli, which is perfect for giving garlicky flavor and a creamier texture. 

If you want to give some color to the black rice paella you can chop some thin strips of bell peppers (green, red, or yellow), cook them for a couple of minutes in a pan with olive oil, and place them on top of the paella.

Try another Spanish rice recipe like the flavourful Spanish arroz a la Cubana, with fried bananas and eggs.

How to Store Spanish Black Rice

We are the biggest fans of this easy Spanish rice because not only is it fast and simple to make, but you can also store it in different ways.

The easiest way to store the Spanish black rice is to let it come to room temperature, place it in a covered container, and put it in the fridge for up to 4 days.

You can also freeze the rice for up to 30 days, just let it come to room temperature and place it in a covered container too.

Some recipes with black rice can’t be frozen, but that’s because they use black rice, on this one the color comes from the squid ink, so you can freeze it.

Recipe Card: Spanish Black Rice

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