--- title: "Chilean Arroz Primavera — Homemade Spring Vegetable Rice Recipe" description: "Versión en Español. Chilean arroz primavera is fluffy long grain rice, first toasted in oil with garlic and then cooked in water, mixed with blanched peas, corn, green beans, and carrot and finished w..." url: https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-arroz-primavera-spring-vegetable-rice-recipe/ date: 2026-09-27 modified: 2026-09-27 author: "Carlos Uhart M." image: https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/chilean-arroz-primavera-spring-vegetable-rice-featured.jpg categories: ["Main Dishes"] type: post lang: en --- # Chilean Arroz Primavera — Homemade Spring Vegetable Rice Recipe [Versión en Español](https://comidaschilenas.com/receta-de-arroz-primavera/) ![Chilean arroz primavera, fluffy long grain rice mixed with colorful vegetables](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/chilean-arroz-primavera-spring-vegetable-rice-featured.jpg)*Homemade Chilean arroz primavera* Chilean arroz primavera is fluffy long grain rice, first toasted in oil with garlic and then cooked in water, mixed with blanched peas, corn, green beans, and carrot and finished with fresh parsley. It takes 20 minutes of preparation plus 20 minutes of cooking and serves 4 people. It is one of the most popular ways to prepare rice in Chile, an easy, colorful, seasonal side that goes with countless main dishes, served cold or warm. ## How to Make Chilean Arroz Primavera? Good long grain rice and a selection of fresh, colorful vegetables are what define this recipe, well named primavera, or spring. The rice is toasted before cooking so the grains stay loose, and the vegetables are blanched separately so they keep their color and bite. ## Nutritional Information Each serving of arroz primavera contains approximately 250 kcal, 6 g of protein, 5 g of total fat (1 g of saturated fat), 0 mg of cholesterol, 45 g of carbohydrates (4 g of sugars), and 180 mg of sodium. These values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients and portion sizes. ## Homemade Chilean Arroz Primavera Recipe **Preparation:** 20 minutes **Cooking:** 20 minutes **Servings:** 4 people ### Ingredients - 2 cups of long grain rice - 4 cups of boiling water - 50 g (1/3 cup) of green peas - 50 g (1/3 cup) of corn kernels - 50 g (1/3 cup) of green beans, chopped - 50 g (1/3 cup) of carrot, diced - 2 tablespoons of oil - 1 garlic clove, minced - Fresh parsley - Fine salt - Black pepper ### Instructions 1. In a medium pot, heat the oil over medium heat, add the rice, and toast it for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the grains look shiny and translucent. Add the finely minced garlic and cook for one more minute. ![Raw long grain rice in a bowl, ready to toast in oil](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/raw-long-grain-rice-arroz-primavera.jpg)*Long Grain Rice* 1. Add the freshly boiled water and a little salt, stir, lower the heat to the minimum, and cook, ideally over a heat diffuser, for 15 to 20 minutes, until the rice is cooked and the water has been completely absorbed. 2. In another pot, cover the vegetables with boiling water and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, then rinse them in cold water to stop the cooking. In a large pot, combine the rice and the cooked vegetables, folding gently with a wooden spoon to distribute them evenly. ![Chopped colorful vegetables, peas, corn, and carrot, for arroz primavera](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/spring-vegetables-peas-corn-carrot.jpg)*Spring Vegetables* 1. Serve the arroz primavera cold or warm, topped with chopped fresh parsley, as a side for grilled meats of all kinds or as part of a vegetarian meal. ## Additional Tips ### Use vegetable stock For more flavor, replace the water with a natural, low sodium vegetable stock, which also gives the rice a more intense aroma. ### Add lemon at the end For a fresher, slightly tangy touch, add a few drops of lemon juice just before serving. ### Do not stir while it cooks Once the water is in, leave the rice alone. Stirring releases starch and makes it sticky instead of loose. | Original ingredient | Substitute | Ratio | Flavor note | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Water | Vegetable stock | 1:1 | More flavor | | Green beans | Diced red bell pepper | 1:1 | Sweeter, more color | | Oil | Butter | 1:1 | Richer | | Parsley | Cilantro | 1:1 | More aromatic | ## Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) ### 1. What is the ideal ratio for fluffy rice? The classic Chilean ratio is 2 to 1: two cups of water for every cup of rice. This recipe uses 2 cups of rice and 4 cups of water, so the rice absorbs all the liquid and turns out loose. ### 2. Why toast the rice first? Toasting the rice in oil for 5 minutes until translucent seals the grain, so it releases less starch while cooking, which is the secret to loose, fluffy rice. ### 3. Why cook and rinse the vegetables separately? Cooking them separately keeps them tender but firm, and rinsing them in cold water right away stops the cooking and fixes their bright green and orange colors. ### 4. Can arroz primavera be a main dish? Yes. For a vegetarian or vegan main, add plant proteins such as sauteed tofu, chopped nuts, or seeds, or double the peas and green beans. ## What Is Arroz Primavera? Arroz primavera, spring rice, is the everyday Chilean side of fluffy white rice mixed with diced vegetables. It is served with roast chicken, grilled meat, fish, or fried eggs, and is one of the most common dishes of the Chilean lunch table. ## Rice in Chilean Home Cooking Chileans cook rice graneado, meaning loose and fluffy, by toasting it in oil before adding water. That method is the base of arroz primavera and of many other everyday rice dishes. ## Did You Know? Chile grows rice on roughly 25,000 hectares a year, mainly in the Maule region and to a lesser extent in Nuble. ## Recommended - [Chilean Pollo Arvejado with Rice Recipe](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/pea-chicken-with-rice-recipe/) - [Chilean Piure Rice Recipe](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-piure-sea-squirt-rice-recipe/) - [Chilean Mongolian Chicken Recipe](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-mongolian-chicken-pollo-mongoliano-recipe/) - [Chilean Roasted Lomo Liso Recipe](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-roasted-beef-tenderloin-lomo-liso-al-horno-recipe/)