Portuguese Tomato Rice
One of the most popular side dishes in Portuguese cuisine, tomato rice is an easy, versatile recipe and it uses simple ingredients that we probably already have in the kitchen.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ onion large, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic sliced finely
- 1 bay leaf
- 1-2 tsp paprika powder (optional)
- 4 tomatoes peeled, canned or fresh and very ripe, chopped
- ⅓ cup white wine or water
- 1 cup rice short grain - risotto or carolino (in Portugal), or parboiled
- 1 tbsp tomato paste concentrated
- 3-4 cups vegetable stock or water, hot
- salt and pepper to taste
- parsley or cilantro (coriander) fresh, chopped
Instructions
- Chop the onion, garlic and tomatoes. Gather and measure the other ingredients, and heat the vegetable broth or water.
- In a pan over medium heat, sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil with the bay leaf and a pinch of salt, until the vegetables are soft.
- Add the paprika (if using) and the chopped tomatoes, cook until the liquid evaporates and the tomatoes fall apart a little. Add the wine (or the same amount of hot water) and let it simmer again until thickened.
- Remove the bay leaf (or leave until the end for a more pronounced flavour), add the rice and tomato paste (concentrate). Mix well and let it cook for a few minutes until it starts to stick to the bottom of the pan.
- Add the hot vegetable stock (or water) and season with salt and pepper to taste.ATTENTION: For "creamy" rice, use 3 cups of stock. For a "soupy" rice, use 4 cups.
- Let mixture simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes, or until the rice is tender, and stir from time to time to avoid burning/sticking to the bottom of the pan. The more you stir the rice, the more starch it will release and become "stickier".
- Turn off the stove, place the lid on the pan and let the rice rest for about 5 minutes. Add the chopped fresh parsley or cilantro (coriander) and serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Measure cup used = 240 ml / 8 oz
- For a creamy rice, use 3 cups of broth or hot water. For a more "soupy" rice, use 4 cups. This amount of liquid may vary depending on the type of rice. Start with 3 cups and, if desired, add more liquid towards the end of cooking.
- The more you stir the rice, the more starch it releases and becomes "stickier".
- For a more pronounced flavour from this herb, leave the bay leaf in for the entire cooking time and remove before serving.
- Some people make tomato rice with brown rice or even quinoa, but I haven't tested these variations yet.