If you like to make your own salsa and find yourself with pints leftover after a year, this might be your recipe. The recommended length of storage is about a year and a half for homemade and canned salsa. After that the salsa is safe if the jar is still properly sealed but the quality may be declining. I had several pints of salsa that are about 2 years old and needed to be used pronto!
The Fox Valley Foodie is one of the few bloggers I follow on Facebook. He has the most unusual and interesting looking recipes! When I saw he made Spanish rice using salsa, I gasped out loud (GOL). This was the answer to using up some pints of salsa! I couldn’t wait to try it!
I boiled up 2 cups of dry rice according to the box directions. That yielded about 4-5 cups of cooked rice. I had lightly salted the water.
When the rice was cooked I stirred in about 2 tablespoons of bacon grease I store in the fridge for such uses. I like my Spanish rice with a touch of bacon added to it. I was out of bacon this particular day but some grease would add a touch of the flavor I was looking for.
After the bacon grease was stirred into the hot rice I poured the pint of salsa into the same saucepan and stirred well. I’d used a medium grain rice and it had overcooked a bit but no problem. It was still going to be fine.
I’d actually made the rice a day ahead, so when my cousin was visiting for a cookie baking day she joined us for supper that evening. Along with our hot dogs (my P.S. was in the mood and had brought hot dogs and buns home) I microwaved servings for each of us in bowls.
It was great! Shirley was so surprised and loved the flavors as well. I thought it was a super easy way to make Spanish rice and it was so tasty! Perhaps the rice was even better since it had 24 hours for the flavors to meld. This could be made with store-bought jars of salsa as well. We even have a few of those in our pantry. I’m going to try one of those jars of Pace as well. I’ll let you know how that works out!
Easy Salsa Spanish Rice

A fast Spanish rice using jars of salsa.
- 2 cups rice; dry
- 4 cups water
- 1 pint salsa
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper to taste
Prepare 2 cups dry long grain rice according to box directions.
When rice is cooked, stir in 2 tablespoons bacon drippings.
Stir in the pint of salsa, chili powder and garlic powder. Stir in salt and pepper to taste. Do not over stir, the rice will become mushy.
Serve hot. May be made ahead of time for best flavors.
Notes:
You could use instant rice if you want to make it faster.
Fry any of these to add to the rice: onion, celery, diced bacon.
Adapted from Fox Valley Foodie
lovely recipe
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I love making salsa! I haven’t made it in years. Hmmm garden planning time…lol
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I’m dreaming of gardens in a snow storm here. ha
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Oh no! Stay warm!
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