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10-Minute Fried Adobo Rice

Made with just 4 ingredients, this Fried Adobo Rice comes together in under 10 minutes! It’s a great way to turn boring leftover rice into a tasty side dish. Enjoy with your favourite protein or your favourite Mexican dishes.

An adobo and rice recipe on a white table.

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This Adobo Fried Rice may be simple but oh is it so good! For those who have never had adobo sauce before, be ready to be impressed. It’s flavourful, it’s a bit spicy (but not TOO spicy), and it just makes everything better. If you don’t peppers in adobo sauce on hand, you can easily find it at the store.

For this recipe, we’re actually using canned peppers in adobo sauce along with some extra sauce. Using both really takes basic white rice to a whole new level. I often purposefully make extra rice for dinner, just to make this the next day!

Ingredients for an adobo and rice recipe.

Ingredients & Substitutions

  • Pre-cooked rice – Making it the day before or way ahead and freezing it is best. See below for notes on why leftover rice is best.
  • Olive oil – Used for sauteéing the onions.
  • Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce – You can usually find a small can in the international or Mexican section of any grocery store.
  • Salt & pepper – Since the adobo sauce is so flavor, salt and pepper are the only seasonings needed.

How to Make Fried Adobo Rice

To make your fried adobo rice, heat the olive oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Add the onions and saute for about 1 minute, until translucent.

Add in the adobo peppers, adobo sauce, pre-cooked dry rice, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.

Fry the adobo rice until all of the ingredients are heated through. I like to let mine sit for a bit in the hot pan to create some drier, crunchier rice bits for added texture.

What is Dry Rice?

Dry rice is essentially rice prepared a day in advance and then refrigerated overnight. This helps to remove any moisture from the rice, which allows it to fry up better and has a nicer texture.

If you ever have any leftover rice, I always recommend freezing it to use for fried rice dishes in the future. I like to make a big batch of plain rice and then once completely cooled freeze the rice in freezer bags or freezer-safe containers to easily toss in a pan and season for an easy side dish.

Can I Use Fresh Rice?

I don’t recommend it. If you don’t have any leftover rice for other dishes, I would recommend preparing the rice for your adobo fried rice a day ahead of time. Freshly cooked rice does not fry well, since it’s already warm and still holding moisture. The flavour will still be great but the texture may be mushy. 

A spice fried rice recipe made with adobo.

What is Adobo Sauce?

Adobo sauce is a Mexican red sauce made from tomato sauce, vinegar, garlic and spices and sometimes ground peppers. It is a sligthly sweet, tangy sauce and is often sold in stores as a sauce for canned chipotle chiles.

Where Can I Find Peppers in Adobo Sauce?

Canned peppers in adobo sauce are usually found in the Mexican section of any grocery store, with the other sauces and canned chiles. 

A spicy fried rice on a platter with some fish.

How to Store & Freeze

Leftover adobo fried rice can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. Store in an airtight container and reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.

You can also freeze this dish. Allow it to cool completely, then freeze in a freezer-safe container. You can even divide it into individual portions to pull out when you need a quick and easy meal. Thaw in the fridge and reheat on the stovetop. 

What to Serve With Adobo Fried Rice

This spicy fried rice pairs well with pretty much any Mexican dinner. Serve it alongside tacos, stuff it in burritos, make a Tex Mex rice bowl, or enjoy it as a side to chilaquiles, huevos rancheros, or fajitas.

You can also just serve it up with your favorite grilled protein and some veggies for a quick and easy dinner.  I love to serve this with Blackened Cod or Crispy Oven-Baked Chicken Thighs.

A bowl of adobo rice on a table with some peppers in adobo nearby.

More Side Dish Recipes:

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An adobo and rice recipe on a white table.

10-Minute Fried Adobo Rice

Alisa Infanti
This Fried Adobo Rice comes together in under 10 minutes! It’s a great way to turn boring leftover rice into a tasty side dish.
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Course Dinner
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 4 servings
Calories 246 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups dry white or brown rice
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • ½ cup onion; chopped
  • 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce; chopped
  • 2 tbsp adobo sauce
  • ¾ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Add the olive oil to a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Add the onions and sauteé until translucent; about 1 minute.
  • Then add the adobo peppers, adobo sauce, rice, salt and pepper.  Mix well until combined and heated throughout.
  • Serve hot.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cupCalories: 246kcalCarbohydrates: 41.4gProtein: 3.7gFat: 7.1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.8gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 869mgPotassium: 140mgFiber: 2.2gSugar: 1.9gVitamin A: 4360IUVitamin C: 26.1mgCalcium: 13mgIron: 1.1mg

Notes

Where To Find Peppers in Adobo Sauce?
Canned peppers in adobo sauce are usually found in the Mexican section of any grocery store, with the other sauces and canned chiles. 
How to Store & Freeze
Leftover adobo fried rice can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. Store in an airtight container and reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
 
If following the 21 Portion Fix Meal Plan the container counter would be approximately: 2.5 tsp; 1 yellow
 
You can also freeze this dish. Allow it to cool completely, then freeze in a freezer-safe container. You can even divide it into individual portions to pull out when you need a quick and easy meal. Thaw in the fridge and reheat on the stovetop. 
Please Note:

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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2 Comments

    1. In the blog post there is a section as well as photo about dried rice. It is already cooked rice and usually frozen or a day old so that it is dried out. This allows it to fry without getting mushy.

5 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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