Arroz con tomate is Portuguese tomato rice; it's a wonderfully low-maintenance one-pot dish that features short-grain rice and lots of garlic.
This recipe will take around 45 minutes to cook and prepare, but it is hands-off for much of the cooking, which allows you to concentrate on the main element of your meal.
Portuguese Tomato Rice
Rice is a glorious kitchen staple; it's cheap, versatile, and always easy to cook... it's no wonder that it is one of the foremost staple foods across the globe.
Dishes like Levantine lamb kabsa, baked rice pudding, egg fried rice and crab risotto are amongst my personal favourites.
This Portuguese tomato rice or arroz con tomate is my latest squeeze, it's a superbly simple vegetarian/vegan side.
Leveraging short-grain rice results in a moreish starchy dish that's loaded with tomato flavours.
The cooking method is closer to a paella than a risotto; there is no need to rinse the rice or constantly stir.
All you need to do is get the tomatoes and onions started, chuck in the rice and a splash of wine. Then pour in the stock and let everything cook down.
The hands of method of cooking allows you to concentrate on the main element of your meal. Yet it still delivers a bangin side loaded with flavour!
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of rice is best to use?
Portuguese tomato rice is traditionally made with a short-grain rice called Carolino.
It is available in the UK, but mainly through online sales, and I am not a huge advocate of buying ingredients online.
As a result, I use arborio, carnaroli or bomba rice; the first two are risotto rices and the latter is a paella rice.
Do I have to add the wine?
No, but it does add a depth of flavour and acidity to the dish. If you are skipping it consider adding a splash of acidity with some vinegar or lemon juice.
You will also need to add a splash more liquid.
Do I have to use lard?
No, but this dish is often made with bacon fat, which is awesome if you have some lying around.
Lard or beef dripping makes a fantastic substitution, but you could also use olive oil or rapeseed oil if you wish.
Can I make this in advance?
No, I don't think that this rice is suitable for cooling and reheating. It becomes very gloopy when it is reheated, and it is far from its best.
Serving Suggestions
Arroz con tomate is a wonderfully versatile side dish, and it works well with a host of Portuguese dishes.
It is pictured above with my beef espetada skewers and below with my Camarao à Guilho recipe (Portuguese garlic prawns). It would also work with this Portuguese chicken
Whilst this is a Portuguese tomato rice, there is no reason that you can't skip a few countries and share it with other "stuff".
I think that it works particularly well with Greek keftedes and these Spanish pork chops.
As I say, this dish is versatile; we've hopped countries, and covered chicken, beef, pork and fish, so how about a vegetarian option?
It would be wonderful with these halloumi kebabs, and if you are catering for a vegan menu, how about some roasted cauliflower steaks? Remember to check the status of the wine if you are cooking for vegans/vegetarians.
Equipment Used
I only name-check brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Hob/stovetop.
- 28cm or 11" frying pan (with a lid).
- Chopping board.
- Kitchen knife.
- Stirring and serving spoons.
- A combination of weighing scales, a measuring jug, measuring cups and spoons.
Arroz con Tomate Recipe: Portuguese Tomato Rice
Ingredients
- 125 g Short Grain Rice ⅔ Cup (I use Arborio or Bomba paella rice)
- 1 Medium Onion 150g
- 5 Garlic Cloves
- 3 Medium Tomatoes 400g
- 1 tablespoon Tomato Puree
- 30 g Lard 2 tablespoon Bacon fat is even better, but olive oil also works
- 75 ml White Wine ⅓ Cup
- 350 ml Vegetable Stock 1½ Cups
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper Freshly ground
- ¼-½ teaspoon Salt The amount will depend on your stock
Instructions
- Cut the onion in half, peel it and then cut it into a 5mm (just under ¼") dice.
- Peel the garlic cloves and dice them as finely as you can.
- Cut the tomatoes into quarters, remove the seeds (discard them), then cut the flesh into a 5mm (just under ¼") dice.
- Heat a 28cm or 11" frying pan over a medium heat, add the lard and when it melts, toss in the onions and soften for 5 minutes. Stir occasionally
- Add the garlic and diced tomatoes, cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the tomato puree and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the rice, and gently stir to coat; do not stir too much.
- Pour in the white wine and cook until it has almost evaporated.
- Add the salt and pepper, then pour in the vegetable stock, give it a gentle stir, add a lid, reduce the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, remove, give the rice a stir, turn the heat up to medium and cook for 5-7 minutes
- Test the rice, it should be cooked "al dente", if it is ready, remove it from the heat and allow it to sit for 2-3 minutes before serving.