So many different cultures have their own take on tomato rice- South India, Spain, & Portugal. While my take isn’t authentic, it’s Portuguese inspired. A few years ago I started learning to cook Portuguese dishes to feel closer to my roots. My great grandfather migrated to the US from the Azores. While I didn’t get the chance to know him other than a few phone calls as a kid, I’ve always been drawn to learning more about his culture.

Arroz de Tomate (tomato rice) is a staple Portuguese comfort food and one of the first dishes I attempted when leaning into Portuguese cuisine. I’ve tweaked this recipe and substituted some of the herbs while replacing onion with shallot. It makes for a wonderful meal all on it’s own, but I like to serve it with shrimp, roast, or veggies.

Makes 3-4 Servings

What You’ll Need:

1 Tbs Salted Butter (European Style)
1 Tbs Olive Oil
Half Shallot (Chopped)
4 Cloves of Fresh Minced Garlic
2 Splashes of White Wine
1 Cup Long Grain White Rice
3 Roma Tomatoes Uncored & Diced
1 1/2 Cups Water
1 Tsp Better Than Bouillon Chicken
1/2 Tsp Smoked Paprika
7 Fresh Basil Leaves

How To:

In a deep saute pan heat olive oil and butter over medium heat
Saute half a chopped shallot and four cloves of garlic freshly minced for about 5 minutes
Add in rice and give a few stirs to coat the rice in oil and butter before adding wine
Add two large splashes of wine and give a few more stirs then add diced roma tomatoes
Pour in water, add 1 tsp of better than bouillon chicken, and smoked paprika
Bring to a boil
Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer and cover until rice has fully cooked. Give a stir every now and then to make sure rice isn’t burning or sticking to the bottom of the pan. If so, add a bit more water.
When rice is fully cooked add in about 7-10 freshly cut basil leaves. Add sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste before serving.