This delectable Tomato Rice Recipe is amazingly rich in tangy flavor that comes from fresh tomatoes and lemon juice. A simple rice recipe that gathers in no time and is perfect for those seeking a healthy and gluten-free Indian dish.
Boasting of the richness of ripe tomatoes and aromatic Indian spices, fresh coriander leaves, this Tomato Rice recipe is a wholesome meal when teamed with a curry of your choice.
While you may make the tomato rice from scratch, this Tomato Rice Recipe is made by tempering left over boiled rice with onion and tomato cooked slowly in ghee.
Warm and comfortable simple meal that gathers in just 10 minutes if you have boiled rice ahead of time.
Find more delicious rice recipes from the blog: Healthy Brown Rice Pulao, Vegetable Rice Recipe, and Jeera Rice.
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Why Would You Love This Recipe?
- Gluten Free Easy Recipe
- Flavorful healthy rice made in ghee.
- Perfect Light Lunch or Dinner.
- Kids Friendly
- Can be made ahead of time.
- Can be made vegan with simple swaps.
- Scalable Recipe
- The Best Tomato Rice Recipe ever!
Ingredients
- Boiled Rice: I have tempered pre-boiled rice with tomato. Any good quality Basmati rice works well.
- Tomato: Ripe and juicy tomatoes work great. If you want more tomato flavor, you may add more tomatoes than mentioned in the recipe card.
- Onion: Onions add mild sweet flavor to the rice and balance the tanginess that comes from tomatoes.
- Ghee: I always make rice in ghee. You may use vegan oils to make this recipe vegan.
- Indian Spices: Whole spices used are bayleaf, clove, black pepper and cumin. Other spices include red chilly powder, raw mango powder and turmeric powder.
- Salt: Normal salt works well.
Variations
- Instant Pot Tomato Rice: For making Instant Pot tomato rice, saute tomato, onion and spices in ghee,then add raw soaked rice with water and salt. Pressure cook for 10 minutes, and enjoy flavorful Tomato Rice in no time. The similar recipe is followed for making tomato rice from scratch in pressure cooker. The cooking time varies, however. Pressure cook only for 3-4 min if making rice in pressure cooker.
- Add Another Ingredient: You may add more color to this rice by adding other vegetables like peas, paneer, broccoli, etc.
- Add another spice: Add Garam masala or any other spice.
Expert Tips
- Use a heavy bottomed wok or else the rice would stick to the bottom of the utensil. (Boiled rice are more starchy and sticky when tempered than the raw rice.
- Make sure that you don't use very old boiled rice. Just a night before is fine (if refrigerated) as rice can have bacterial growth sooner than we know.
Storage Suggestions
For the leftover rice, let them cool down to room temperature before storing. Place it in an airtight container to prevent moisture and odors from affecting the flavor. Refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking.
Consume refrigerated tomato rice within 1 to 2 days to maintain its taste and texture. If you are using already boiled rice from previous day, consume within 20 hours.
When reheating, add a splash of water or broth to the rice to prevent it from drying out. You can use a microwave or stovetop for gentle reheating.
I won't recommend freezing the rice.
What To Team This Tomato Rice With?
- Serve alongside lentil curries (dals) or vegetable curries for a complete and wholesome meal. Try our recipes- Healthy Palak Paneer, Chana Dal Palak or Paneer Tikka.
- Add a side of grilled or roasted vegetables, such as spiced cauliflower or tandoori-style bell peppers, for added texture and nutrients. Try Roasted Pumpkin Spinach Salad.
- Balance the flavors with a cooling yogurt raita, a side dish made with yogurt, cucumbers, and spices- Bathua Raita and Beet Raita.
- Pair with tangy and spicy Indian chutneys or pickles to add zing and depth to your meal-Cilantro Dip, Tomato Chutney For Dosa.
- Complement the rice with crispy fritters like onion fritters or bhajis or spinach pakoras for a delightful combination of textures.
- Create a refreshing contrast by serving a fresh salad on the side, with greens, cucumbers, and tomatoes. Get our collection of Veg Salads For Weight Loss.
Detailed Recipe With Steps
Step 1 Wash, Chop, temper
Wash and chop onion and tomato as desired.
In a wok, heat ghee over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and Heeng (Asafoetida) . Once they splutter, add finely chopped onions and sauté until they turn translucent. Add spices, salt and tomato.
Cook the tomatoes until they soften and release their juices, creating a rich tomato base.
Step 2 Add Boiled Rice
Add the pre-boiled rice to the pan. Gently mix to combine the rice with the tomato mixture. Ensure that the rice grains are evenly coated with the tomato flavors.
Step 3 Serve It
Remove from heat. Garnish with chopped cilantro leaves. Cover the pan and let it sit for a few minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
Serve your delicious tomato rice with curd or curry of your choice.
You may also like:
More Rice Recipes:
- Crispy Air Fryer Rice Paper Dumplings (Vegan GF Recipe)
- Jeera Rice in Desi Ghee- One Pot Cumin Rice
- Healthy Veg Brown Rice Pulao {Easy Tasty Indian Style Brown Rice}
- Indian Lemon Rice in Desi Ghee {Gluten Free Recipe}
- Tomato Rice Recipe {Healthy, Gluten Free Indian}
- Vegetable Rice Recipe {Quick Recipe Using Leftover Rice}
If you make this recipe, share the image of it on our instagram account @veg.buffet or twitter account @vegbuffet
Tomato Rice Recipe | Easy, Gluten-free Indian Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups boiled rice
- 1 medium onion chopped in small chunks
- 2 small tomato chopped in small chunks
- 1 small bayleaf
- 2-3 whole black peppers
- 1 teaspoon Jeera (Cumin)
- 1 teaspoon Red Chilly powder
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder(haldi)
- 1 teaspoon Garm Masala optional
- 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice Amchur Powder
- salt as per taste
- 1 tablespoon Desi ghee can use any other oil
- 1-2 whole cloves (Laung) optional
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients. If you don't have boiled rice,, you may use raw rice as well. Soak the raw rice after cleaning for 20-30 min. Instead of a pan/ kadai use a pressure cooker to saute the onion and tomato. Once they are sauteed, add rice and add twice the water as that of rice (for one bowl of rice, two bowls of water). Cook for two full whistles and 2 min on simmer.
- Take a heavy bottomed pan/ kadai. Add desi ghee to it.
- Add whole spices and saute for less than a min on simmer.
- Add onions and cook till they are translucent. You may cook on full flame if you are standing right in front.
- Add all spices and make the fame simmer before you add spices or else they will be burnt.
- Add tomatoes and add little salt here so that tomatoes cook better.
- They take around 2 -3 min and for better results, covering with lid and checking on off helps.
- Add boiled rice, more salt and lemon juice and mix well.
- The delicious tomato rice are ready! Enjoy with curd!
Notes
- Use a heavy bottomed wok or else the rice would stick to the bottom of the utensil. (Boiled rice are more starchy and sticky when tempered than the raw rice.
- Make sure that you don't use very old boiled rice. Just a night before is fine (if refrigerated) as rice can have bacterial growth sooner than we know.
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Serving size: 1 bowl | |
| Servings: 3 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 229 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 3.5g | 4% |
| Saturated Fat 2g | 10% |
| Cholesterol 5mg | 2% |
| Sodium 4mg | 0% |
| Total Carbohydrate 43.7g | 16% |
| Dietary Fiber 1.3g | 5% |
| Total Sugars 2.6g | |
| Protein 4.8g | |
| Vitamin D 0mcg | 0% |
| Calcium 14mg | 1% |
| Iron 0mg | 2% |
| Potassium 153mg | 3% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
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