Arroz con Atún - Tuna Fish Fried Rice
Recipe for Arroz con Atún, this Ecuadorian/Latin style tuna fish fried rice is a quick and easy to make dish that combines canned tuna, leftover rice, and fresh vegetables into a complete one-pan meal.
Servings 2 to 4, depending on portion size
Ingredients
- 2 tbs olive oil – can use the oil from the tuna can or jar
- 1/2 small white or yellow onion finely diced
- 1/2 red bell pepper finely diced
- 1 jalapeño or other spicy green chile pepper seeds and veins removed, finely diced, optional
- 1 small carrot finely diced
- 1-2 garlic cloves crushed or finely diced
- 1 tsp of ground achiote or annatto powder can also use sweet mild paprika powder as a replacement
- 1 can tuna fish use 2 cans if you prefer extra tuna fish
- 3-4 cups cooked rice I used white rice, but you can also use brown rice or even quinoa
- Chopped cilantro to taste, use the chopped stems for the first part and save the chopped leaves to garnish at the end
- Chopped green onions to taste
- Salt/pepper
Side dishes and garnishes:
- Lime slices
- Fried ripe plantains
- Pickled red onions
- Aji hot sauce
- Fried egg to serve on top
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil (or the oil from the tuna fish) in a large frying pan or sauté pan.
- Add the onions, bell pepper, jalapeno or spicy pepper, carrot, garlic, chopped cilantro stems, and a sprinkle of salt. Cook over medium heat until the carrots and onions start to soften, about 5 minutes.
- Add the tuna fish and the ground achiote or paprika powder, mix well and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Mix in the cooked rice and stir well until all the rice grains are fully mixed in and coated with the tuna vegetable mix. Cook for another 5 minutes, stirring as needed.
- Add the rest of the chopped cilantro and chopped green onions.
- Serve with fried ripe platanos, pickled onions and lime slices.
