Easy tomato rice. For a delicious summer inspired meal, try this flavorful rice loaded with vibrant seasonal tomatoes. The subtle hint of aromatic whole and dried spices take the flavor profile to another level. Pair with refreshing raita (yogurt salad) and crunchy pappadums.
Simple rice for weeknight meal - easy and quick, obviously! But adding some vibrant veggies to the mix - classic yet ground breaking and creative. It brings in a pop of color and amps up the nutrition. Pretty, healthy and downright delicious. That’s why I’m excited to introduce you to an utterly delicious dinner idea that you will never get tired of. I promise.
Tomato rice. The best way to dress up your favorite rice dish with loads of fresh tomatoes and warm spices. Super delicious and simply flavorful, it’s an easy dinner idea that will pair nicely with cooling raita and crunchy pappadums. To make this meal more elaborate, add in a simple vegetable, paneer, chicken, fish or meat curry. Lip-smacking!
Easy Tomato Rice Recipe
First , the rice - basmati, jasmine or long grain. Pick your favorite. And in this recipe, I prefer leftover rice that’s chilled in the refrigerator.
Next, heat some oil in a large pan preferably a wok. Fry all the dried spices - cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods , bay leaf and cloves. Once you get that nice aroma, add in chopped onions, ginger and garlic. Cook this for about 2 minutes or until the onions get a beautiful vibrant hue.
Then, add the tomatoes. You will need fresh tomatoes for this recipe. Gorgeous juicy tomatoes chopped into small bites. Remember no canned or frozen tomatoes. Let the tomatoes cook for about 3 minutes. Make sure they are mushy and perfectly cooked before moving on to the next step.
Now, add all the ground spices - ground turmeric, ground coriander, garam masala and red chili powder. I also like to add in some chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves and let all the flavors infuse into the tomatoes.
Finally, cooked rice and ghee go into the pan. A generous sprinkle of coriander leaves make it even more delicious.
And that’s it! I love to pair this tomato rice with raita and pappadums.
More Vegetable Rice Recipes:
- Greek Spinach Rice (Spanakorizo)
- Palak Pulao | Indian Spinach Rice
- Cauliflower Fried Rice
- French Onion Rice
- Chinese Veg Fried Rice
Easy Tomato Rice | Video
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cloves
- 2 green cardamom pods
- ½ cup chopped onions
- 1 - inch fresh ginger minced
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 large tomatoes chopped
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 2 tablespoons chopped coriander cilantro leaves
- 2 cups cooked rice
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- Chopped coriander cilantro leaves, to garnish
- Fried cashew nuts to garnish (optional)
- Raita Indian yogurt salad, to serve
- Pappadums to serve (optional)
Instructions
- Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, cloves and cardamom pods. Sauté, stirring, for 1 minute.
- Add onions, ginger and garlic. Sauté, stirring occasionally for 2-3 minutes or until onions start to brown.
- Add tomatoes. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes or until mushy.
- Add ground turmeric, ground coriander, garam masala, red chili powder, coriander (cilantro) leaves. Season with salt. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes.
- Add cooked rice and ghee. Toss to combine. Stir fry for 2 minutes.
- Garnish with chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves and cashew nuts (if using).
- Serve with raita and pappadums.
Video
Notes
- Substitute ghee with butter if you like
- Use ‘fresh’ tomatoes in this recipe
- Use leftover chilled rice (like for fried rice) for the best results
- Basmati rice is preferred in this recipe, however, you can also use jasmine or long grain rice
- This tomato rice is delicious on its own, but feel free to pair it with your favorite curry
Nutrition
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