A recipe for Arroz con Fideos (Dominican Rice with Noodles)! Toasted fideos are simmered with rice until tender for a quick and easy side dish.
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I first came across Arroz con Fideos (Dominican Rice with Noodles) over on Dominican Cooking and learned how Dominican cuisine was influenced by Middle Eastern immigrants during the 19th century.
This dish became popular in the Dominican Republic through that influence. Versions can be found throughout the region with Roz bil Shareyah in Egypt, Riz bi Sharieh in Lebanon, Şehriyeli Pirinç Pilavı in Turkey, and more.
Long grain white rice is tossed with short pieces of toasted noodles (Fideos) and cooked in broth until tender. Fluff and serve warm with meat or seafood.
A Few Tips
Rinse the rice in cold water until the water runs clear and drain well before adding to the pot.
Keep a close eye on the fideos when you toast them. They quickly turn from golden brown to burnt.
Adjust the salt to taste. You may need more or less depending on the salt content of the chicken broth. About 1/2 teaspoon is usually perfect for me.
I topped my Arroz con Fideos with a little parsley for color.
To make this dish vegetarian, use vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth.
The garlic is optional. I have come across it in a handful of recipes and loved the added flavor. Cook the garlic just until fragrant after toasting the fideos. This should take about 30 seconds to a minute.
If the rice is still not tender after adding the last tablespoon of oil and cooking over low heat for 5 minutes, place the cover back on and cook for another 5 minutes on the lowest setting.
Notable Ingredients
Fideo is the Spanish word for noodle. For this dish, Fideos are thin, short noodles usually around an inch long. I have been able to find them in larger grocery stores and markets with Latin American and Middle Eastern ingredients. They can also be found on Amazon: La Moderna Fideo.
If you cannot locate them, substitute with a thin spaghetti or angel hair broken into about 1 inch (2.5 centimeter) pieces. Break them up in a bag or other controlled environment. Before I found the pre-packaged vermicelli, I often ended up with random pieces of angel hair flying across my kitchen.
Looking for more recipes with Fideos?
Try my:
- Sopa de Fideo (Mexican Noodle Soup)
- Balaleet (Emirati Sweet Vermicelli and Egg Omelet)
- Sopa Seca de Fideo (Mexican Dry Noodle Soup)
Arroz con Fideos (Dominican Rice and Noodles) Recipe
Adapted from Dominican Cooking
Arroz con Fideos (Dominican Rice with Noodles)
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons (44 milliliters) vegetable oil divided
- 2/3 cup (75 grams) fideos
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 2 cups (400 grams) uncooked long grain white rice rinsed in cold water until the water runs clear and drained
- 2 1/2 cups (600 milliliters) chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a medium heavy bottomed pot or saucepan, drizzle 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) of the oil over medium heat.
- Once heated, add the fideos and cook, stirring often, until toasted and golden.
- Stir in the garlic and cook just until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Add the rice and stir well to coat in the oil.
- Pour in the broth and salt. Bring the liquid to a boil, stirring the sides and bottom to prevent sticking.
- Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.
- Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) oil, cover, and cook for another 5 minutes at the lowest setting.
- Fluff and serve immediately.
GUNJAN
We often eat rice and this recipe was just a winner. We loved the twist and all the flavors infused in it.
Dana
This is so simple and delicious! Will have this with some grilled meats this week and we can’t wait to make it!