Tomato Rice – Budget Bytes

I like an enormous ol’ bowl of scorching rice. Rice is filling, cozy, and CHEAP. 🙌 Plus, it’s tremendous straightforward so as to add totally different flavors to rice, so it by no means will get boring. This straightforward and flavorful tomato rice makes use of actually easy substances that I usually have readily available, and it has essentially the most scrumptious vibrant but savory taste. Plus you should utilize it as a base for bowl meals, or you’ll be able to serve it as a aspect to brighten up your dinner plate.

What’s in Tomato Rice?

This tomato rice is just like what lots of people name Spanish rice or Mexican rice, though I can’t say that my approach is genuine to both tradition. It’s merely rice that has been cooked with onion, garlic, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, a few spices (cumin and chili powder), and a flavorful broth. So easy, but SO good! I couldn’t cease taking forkfuls proper out of the pot. 😅

What Else Can I Add?

There are quite a lot of methods you’ll be able to modify this rice to make it your individual. You may swap the vegetable broth for hen broth for a barely totally different taste, or change the diced tomatoes with salsa or Rotel. You may as well experiment with including some further spices, like cayenne or smoked paprika, and even squeeze a bit of lime juice in with the broth earlier than cooking. Need extra greens? Strive stirring in some frozen peas or diced bell pepper.

I prefer to garnish the tomato rice with some sliced inexperienced onions and lime wedges, however they aren’t required to make the rice style nice.

Can I Use Brown Rice?

Brown rice requires extra liquid and an extended simmer time (2-3 occasions longer) than white rice. So whereas I’d want to check this with brown rice earlier than providing precise suggestions, it’s positively potential to make this tomato rice with lengthy grain brown rice.

Easy methods to Retailer the Leftovers

If you happen to plan to make use of your rice for meal prep or if you wish to freeze the leftovers, make sure that to divide the rice into single parts earlier than refrigerating to ensure it cools down rapidly as soon as within the fridge. As soon as utterly cooled, it may be transferred to the freezer for longer storage (make sure that it’s in an air-tight container).

The tomato rice may be reheated rapidly within the microwave. Add a sprinkle of water or an ice dice earlier than reheating to forestall the rice from drying out.

Easy methods to Make Tomato Rice – Step by Step Pictures

Begin by mincing two cloves of garlic and finely dicing one onion.

Add the onion and garlic to a sauce pot with 2 Tbsp cooking oil. Sauté over medium till the onions are tender and translucent.

Add 1.5 cups lengthy grain white rice, ½ tsp chili powder, and ¼ tsp cumin to the pot.

Cook dinner and stir the rice and spices for a few minutes extra to barely toast the rice and spices.

Add one 15oz. can of petite diced tomatoes (with juices), 1 Tbsp tomato paste, 2 cups vegetable broth, and ½ tsp salt to the pot. Stir to mix and dissolve any spices caught to the underside of the pot. I prefer to hold frozen tomato paste readily available in a single tablespoon parts, only for recipes like this!

Place a lid on the pot, flip the warmth as much as excessive, and permit the broth to come back as much as a full boil. As soon as boiling, flip the warmth right down to low (or frivolously above low) to convey the broth right down to a mild simmer.

Let the rice gently simmer for 20 minutes with out stirring or lifting the lid. After 20 minutes, take away the pot from the warmth (lid nonetheless on) and let the rice relaxation for five minutes. That is what it appears to be like like after simmering.

Fluff the rice with a fork to redistribute the diced tomatoes, which float to the highest because the rice simmers.

Serve scorching! I prefer to garnish with a bit of lime and inexperienced onion, but it surely’s not mandatory! The rice tastes nice by itself, too. 🙂

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