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    Home » Recipes » Side Dishes

    Published: Oct 10, 2023 · Modified: Oct 13, 2024 by AshleyFreeman ·

    Quick and Easy Southern Style Tomato Rice Pilaf

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    My quick and easy Southern-style tomato rice pilaf may be the easiest side dish ever and is a great way to take regular white rice to the next level. It's a super simple recipe inspired by traditional red Savannah rice that requires just a few pantry staples and other ingredients you likely have on hand. Make it for Meatless Monday or as an easy side dish for a weeknight meal.

    White plate on a wooden tray with tomatoes and rice, greens, and black-eyed peas.

    This is a dish we eat every New Years' Day (along with black-eyed peas and greens) for good luck. However, my tomato rice recipe is also my go-to to serve with dishes like my Grilled Pork Chops with Rosemary Dijon Marinade on a busy weeknight.

    Need some more delicious side dish recipe ideas? Check out my recipe for Bacon Succotash. I've also got lots of flavorful side dish recipes like Creamed Spinach and Potato Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette over at Yummly.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Substitutions
    • Variations
    • Equipment
    • Storage
    • Tasty tip
    • Frequently asked questions
    • Related
    • Even more:
    • 🍽Get the recipe
    • Recipe Guidelines and Test Kitchen Tips
    • Food safety

    Ingredients

    I love this easy tomato rice recipe because I almost always have all the ingredients on hand. Here's what you need:

    Ingredients for Quick and Easy Southern Style Tomato Rice Pilaf.
    • canned diced tomatoes
    • yellow onion
    • Carolina Gold rice (I like Marsh Hen Mill)
    • garlic cloves
    • olive oil
    • water
    • fresh thyme
    • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

    (See recipe card for quantities.)

    Instructions

    Let's get cooking! Here's how to make this tomato rice pilaf step by step:

    Rinsed rice in a strainer over a bowl.

    First, rinse the rice!

    Toasting the rice in a small saucepan.

    Next, sauté the onion in hot oil in a medium saucepan until tender. Add the rice and garlic and cook 1 more minute.

    Stirring in the tomatoes, water, thyme, salt, and pepper into the rice.

    Then, add the tomatoes, water, thyme, salt, and pepper, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat and simmer.

    Fluffing the rice with a fork.

    Finally, uncover the rice and fluff with a fork.

    Hint: Rinsing the rice before cooking is super important. It removes the starch from the grains and prevents mushiness. Rinse the rice until the water is clear.

    Substitutions

    Here are some substitutions if you don't have some of these ingredients in your pantry or fridge:

    • Onion - Feel free to use whatever onion you have on hand. A sweet onion, red onion, or white onion will work fine too.
    • Herbs - Don't have fresh thyme on hand? You can use ½ teaspoon dried thyme. Or, use a sprig of rosemary or oregano if you prefer.
    • Rice - I love the nutty flavor the Carolina Gold rice gives to this rice pilaf, so it's my favorite kind of rice to use. But, feel free to use your favorite rice for this dish. Long grain rice, basmati rice, and jasmine rice will all work. I don't recommend using brown rice because it will require much more liquid and cooking time.

    Variations

    Check out these easy variations to make this recipe your own:

    • Spicy - If you're a fan of spicy food, use a can of Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies instead of canned diced tomatoes to make this spicy Savannah rice. Or, stir in a little crushed red pepper flakes for a kick of heat.
    • Sausage - Add some diced smoked sausage when cooking the onion to make this rice pilaf recipe a little meaty.

    Equipment

    Here's what you'll need to make this recipe:

    • medium saucepan with lid
    • strainer
    • dry measuring cups
    • measuring spoons
    • liquid measuring cup

    Storage

    If you have any leftover rice, store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

    I don't recommend freezing leftovers.

    Tasty tip

    It may seem odd to toast the rice with the oil, onion, and garlic, but I find that it helps keep the grains separated. It also adds a nice nutty flavor.

    Frequently asked questions

    What is the history of Gullah red rice?

    Enslaved Africans were brought to the Lowcountry to grow rice. Gullah red rice is a treasured dish in the Gullah culture and is made using ingredients that were readily available in the region.

    What's the difference between red rice and tomato rice pilaf?

    Red rice has tomato paste as the tomato element instead of canned tomatoes or fresh tomatoes. Many versions also include bacon grease or smoked sausage drippings as the fat for sauteing the diced onion (as well as diced green pepper that's added to the veggie mix). Tomato rice pilaf is a simple combination of onion, tomatoes, rice, and water.

    Do you season the rice before or after cooking?

    I recommend cooking the rice in a seasoned liquid. The rice will soak up the flavor as it cooks. Here, I use a little water seasoned with salt and pepper. You can always add more salt to taste at the end, but you need to add salt and flavorings as the rice cooks too.

    What happens to rice if you don't rinse it?

    This is a great question! If you don't rinse the rice, the extra starch from the grains will cause them to stick together. Instead of nice fluffy rice, you'll get super sticky rice.

    Do you stir rice while cooking?

    No! For the best result, wait until the liquid is absorbed before fluffing the rice with a fork. If you stir the rice while it cooks, it'll release the starch and cause the rice to be a sticky, gluey mess.

    What makes this Southern-style rice?

    Carolina Gold rice is what makes this recipe Southern-style. Carolina Gold rice is a variety of African rice that was brought to the Lowcountry by enslaved people and was grown there. It's a different variety of rice than the commercially harvested long-grain rice you most commonly see in stores, and gives this rice pilaf an amazing nutty flavor.

    Related

    Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

    • Two plates topped with pulled pork sandwiches and coleslaw, a jar of Western NC BBQ Sauce, a bowl of pickles, and some red checked napkins.
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    • A metal pan of grilled pork chops brushed with Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce alongside a white bowl of sauce with a brush on top and a red checked cloth.
      The Best Tangy Carolina Gold Mustard BBQ Sauce
    • Slice of Edwards Turtle Pie recipe on a white plate with a bite out on a fork and a blue platter of the whole pie behind.
      The Ultimate No Bake Turtle Pie with Chocolate Crust
    • Three plates with slices of homemade Publix key lime pie with a blue rimmed enamel pie pan of key lime pie to the side.
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    Even more:

    Check out some more of my favorite recipes:

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      How to Make Crab Cakes with Cajun Tartar Sauce
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    • Wooden bowl filled with creamy chicken macaroni salad with ceramic serving spoons, an orange checked cloth, two yellow glasses filled with ice water, and one pottery plate topped with a serving to the side.
      The Best Creamy Macaroni Pasta Salad with Chicken

    🍽Get the recipe

    White plate on a wooden tray with tomatoes and rice, greens, and black-eyed peas.

    Quick and Easy Southern Style Tomato Rice Pilaf

    My quick and easy southern-style tomato rice pilaf recipe may be the easiest side dish ever. It's a super quick rice pilaf inspired by traditional red Savannah rice and requires just a few simple ingredients you likely have on hand. A can of tomatoes, some diced onion, rice, a little water, thyme, and about a teaspoon of salt and pepper are all you need to make this flavorful dish.
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4

    Equipment

    • medium saucepan with lid
    • strainer
    • dry measuring cups
    • measuring spoons
    • liquid measuring cup

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup uncooked rice (I like Marsh Hen Mill Carolina Gold)
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 small onion, chopped
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
    • 1 cup water
    • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
    • Hot sauce (optional)

    Instructions

    • Rinse the rice until the water runs clear.
    • Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté 3 minutes or until tender. Add the rice and garlic and cook 1 more minute.
    • Stir in the tomatoes, water, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer 20 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.
    • Uncover and fluff the rice with a fork.

    Recipe Guidelines and Test Kitchen Tips

    When developing and testing recipes, here are some key things that I do for more success in the kitchen:

    • Be sure to use dry measuring cups for things like flour, sugar, and mayonnaise and a liquid measuring cup for things like water, milk, and broth.
    • When measuring dry ingredients like flour and powdered sugar that can pack down, spoon the ingredient into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife as opposed to scooping the measuring cup into the ingredient.
    • I test and develop recipes using a standard electric oven and standard gas stovetop. Be aware that if you use an electric stovetop or convection oven, your bake times will be different.
    • When recipes call for kosher salt, I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt.

    Food safety

    Finally, don't forget these food safety tips when making this recipe:

    • Don't leave the rice out at room temperature for extended periods
    • Keep a watchful eye on the rice as it cooks
    • Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

    See more guidelines at USDA.gov.

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    • Wooden rimmed white bowl filled with sweet pepper and cucumber salad on top of a raffia placemat along with a wooden spoon and blue towel.
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Lathiya says

      June 18, 2024 at 2:19 am

      5 stars
      I'm looking for variety of rice recipes to pack for my kids lunch. This one perfectly fits, it aromatic, flavorful, and yum.

      Reply
      • AshleyFreeman says

        June 21, 2024 at 2:22 pm

        Your kids are so lucky to get rice in their lunches!

        Reply
    2. Bernice says

      June 17, 2024 at 11:16 am

      5 stars
      I'm always looking for new and unique rice recipes and this one was a winner! It was delicious with barbecued pork chops this weekend.

      Reply
      • AshleyFreeman says

        June 17, 2024 at 12:15 pm

        Love a pork chop! That is a great combo.

        Reply
    3. Swathi says

      June 17, 2024 at 1:56 am

      5 stars
      This is ulitmate comfort food, loved it for my dinner. I am going to make it more often.

      Reply
      • AshleyFreeman says

        June 17, 2024 at 1:59 am

        Fantastic! Thanks for sharing!

        Reply
    4. Amy says

      June 14, 2024 at 10:05 pm

      5 stars
      Really good recipe to make my rice game so much more delicious. Such a great and easy idea. Thanks!

      Reply
      • AshleyFreeman says

        June 15, 2024 at 1:16 pm

        Thanks so much Amy!

        Reply
    5. Oscar says

      June 14, 2024 at 5:43 pm

      5 stars
      A simple and flavorful side dish, this Southern-style tomato rice pilaf is easy to make with pantry staples. It’s a great addition to any dinner.

      Reply
      • AshleyFreeman says

        June 14, 2024 at 6:22 pm

        Yes! Love that I almost always have the ingredients I have on hand.

        Reply
    5 from 5 votes

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    Photo of Ashley Strickland Freeman in a kitchen.

    Hi, I'm Ashley, "your best friend in the kitchen." I'm a food stylist, culinary producer, editor, travel junkie, and author of The Duke's Mayonnaise Cookbook from Charleston, SC. Thanks for stopping by Little Black Skillet!

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