Arroz a la Cubana (Spanish-Style Rice with Fried Egg and Tomato Sauce)

About This Recipe

Arroz a la Cubana is a staple of Spanish home cooking despite its name, a simple, satisfying combination of plain white rice, a fried egg with a runny yolk, and a lightly sweetened tomato sauce that ties the whole plate together. The tomato sauce is cooked low and slow with onion and garlic until it turns deep and slightly sweet, seasoned simply with salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar to round out the tomatoes' acidity. A fried plantain or banana is traditionally served alongside, its caramelized sweetness playing against the savory rice and sauce, making this an easy, inexpensive lunch found on menus across Spain.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 2 cupswhite rice
• 3.5 cupswater
• 1 tspsalt(for rice)
• 3 tbspolive oil(divided)
• 1onion(finely diced)
• 2 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 800 gcanned crushed tomatoes
• 1 tspsugar
• 1/2 tspsalt(for sauce)
• 4eggs
• 2ripe plantains or bananas(sliced lengthwise)

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the rice

   Bring water and salt to a boil, add rice, cover, and simmer 18 minutes until tender; fluff with a fork.

2. 2

   Make the tomato sauce

   Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and cook onion until soft, add garlic, then stir in crushed tomatoes, sugar and salt; simmer 15-20 minutes until thickened.

3. 3

   Fry the plantains

   Heat the remaining oil in a skillet and fry plantain slices 2-3 minutes per side until golden; set aside.

4. 4

   Fry the eggs

   In the same skillet, fry eggs sunny-side up, keeping the yolks runny.

   Fry the eggs last so they arrive at the table still warm and runny.

5. 5

   Assemble

   Plate the rice, top with a fried egg, a generous ladle of tomato sauce, and the fried plantain on the side.

Variations

• •

  Some versions add a fried or grilled sausage alongside the egg for a heartier meal.

• •

  Green plantains, twice-fried like tostones, can replace sweet ripe plantains for a more savory side.

• •

  A vegetarian version skips nothing since the dish is already meatless aside from the egg.

Storage

Refrigerate rice and sauce separately up to 3 days; reheat gently and fry a fresh egg to serve, since fried eggs don't reheat well.

Frequently Asked Questions