Tomatoes and Rice is an old fashioned, classic Southern family favorite side dish. Sweet onion is sautéed in bacon grease before adding Basmati rice and fresh or canned tomatoes.
I don’t know the origin of this dish. It goes back to my great-grandmother, at least, and perhaps farther back than that. Granny and Mama cooked it quite a bit. They’d use canned stewed tomatoes but I prefer to used plain diced tomatoes and cook down onions in bacon grease.
Instead of the regular long-grain white rice they used, I prefer Basmati rice. It has a butter flavor and is superior in taste to regular white rice. It’s the only white rice I use.
So, the dish is Tomatoes and Rice.
Not Spanish Rice.
Not Red Rice.
Not Rice with Tomatoes.
In my family it’s known as Tomatoes and Rice. That’s the way it will stay.
Fresh tomatoes vs canned
Canned tomatoes are a pantry staple for me. I always have them, I don’t always have fresh tomatoes. There’s lots of good commercially prepared canned tomatoes. I’m not the least bit ashamed to used canned over fresh.
Besides, if we’ve got a good fresh ripe tomato, we’ll slice it and eat it raw and save canned tomatoes for cooking. The exception to that rule is if we’ve got a bumper crop of tomatoes from our kitchen garden and I need to use them before they spoil.
Basmati rice vs other varieties
Basmati rice is our preferred rice. It’s a long grain white rice that has a subtle buttery popcorn flavor. It’s about the only rice I buy. You can substitute your favorite long grain variety. I haven’t tested this recipe with brown rice so I’m not able to give any guidance regarding it.
If you eat white rice, do yourself a favor and try Basmati.
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Equipment
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Tomatoes and Rice
Equipment
- covered skillet
Ingredients
- 3 - 4 slices bacon
- 1 medium sweet onion chopped
- 1 cup long grain Basmati rice
- 1 14.5 ounce can chopped tomatoes with the juice
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cook bacon until crisp. Remove and set aside. Reserve one tablespoon bacon grease in the skillet.
- Add onion and cook until soft, about 5 to 10 minutes.
- Add rice and stir well.
- Add tomatoes, and their juice, water, salt and pepper to pan. Stir until mixed.
- Keep the pan and cook on medium heat until the water cooks below the surface level of the tomatoes and rice. Remove the cover and check the level of water several times during the cook process. You'll see holes in the rice. No need to stir just yet.
- Keep covered and remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes.
- Fluff with a fork before serving.
- Garnish with crumbled bacon and fresh chopped tomato.
Notes
check out these other great recipes:
Instant Pot Garlic and Herb Rice
Teri Miles says
I always add garlic and hot sauce.
Jude says
My Mother made this dish so many times and I didn’t think much about it growing up, but now when I eat it, I think about my Mother and it’s a good memory. Thanks Jackie.
Jackie Garvin says
Jude,
Such good memories! I hope you enjoy some Tomatoes and Rice soon.
rhonda DoubleU says
My grandma and mom always made macaroni and tomatoes (same recipe, just with macaroni in place of rice). That’s a good Kentucky belly filler! Now I’ll try it your way, as your recipes are always hits with my family. 🙂 Thank you for sharing them, and your stories too!! God bless.
Jackie Garvin says
Rhonda,
Thank you for stopping by. Happy 2016!
Sharon Shockley says
My sister, God rest her soul, taught me how to make macaroni and tomatoes when I was 12. I still make it to this day. Momma always made us tomatoes and rice too! Such great memories for us all! Thanks for sharing!
Jackie Garvin says
Thanks for stopping by! ❤️
pumpkin061 says
This is my kind of a dish!
Jackie Garvin says
Thank you, Jill. I love it, too!
diane says
Wow! Found your blog so interesting today! Your garden is done for the summer? Does this include all vegetables? My tomatoes are just beginning to turn red! Here in Alabama it is already hot and humid but we can grow all summer. Would love to here more about where you live and when you begin planting.
Jackie Garvin says
Hello Diane!
I’m in central Florida and the oppressive heat and humidity is great for growing insects, mold, mildew and a variety of plant fungal diseases. The growing season in Florida, south of the panhandle, is different than the rest of the country. In addition to the summer weather conditions being tough on plants, it’s tough on people, too. I don’t enjoy being outside unless I’m in water. So, I’ll be digging in my dirt this winter long before you think about planting your spring garden. Thanks for reading my newsletter! I truly appreciate it. Hope you stick around.
Debi says
One of my favorites from my childhood. Mom would cook it along with a sliced ham steak. Comfort food for me!
Jackie Garvin says
Debi,
It’s great with ham. I’ve thrown ham cubes in the mixture as it’s cooking.
Marcia says
My Granny made this and I loved it. I called it Red Rice. I still make it from time to time.
Jackie Garvin says
I’ve heard it called red rice before. Whatever you call it, it’s good!
Emma Chapman says
I made this recently and love it. I took it to a covered dish “event” at church and it was a big hit. Will definitely be making this often. I printed the recipe and keep it in the kitchen.
Jackie Garvin says
Hi Emma!
It’s wonderful to hear from you! Thank you for letting us be part of your church supper.
Merry Christmas!
Ash says
Very tasty recipe! Will certainly use again and again!
Jackie Garvin says
Thank you, Ash!
Gerri Barron says
This is always good after you been sick for several days. My mother in law use too make. I requested it one time I was sick she wanted to know if she could do anything.
Jackie Garvin says
Thank you, Gerri.
Deborah says
I love this dish. We add a little more water and eat as a soup sometimes. But either way we love to eat fat back with it. Add cornbread and done. Thanks for reminding me of this recipe.
Jackie Garvin says
Turning it into soup is a great idea! Thanks for the tip. I haven’t made this dish in quite sometime so I’m ready for some!
Amanda says
I always add garlic powder… My mama and my sister would always get extra garlic butter sauce from Papa Johns, and would freeze it, and when they’d make this, they’d use 2 or 3 of those garlic butters.
Jackie Garvin says
Amanda,
Excellent tip! Thank you for sharing.
Teresa says
Hi Jackie,
How long can I save bacon grease for before it is no longer fresh and safe to eat?
Thanks! Teresa from Central Florida
Jackie Garvin says
I keep it in the refrigerator and it lasts for several months.
Tommy Dickerson says
Delicious, been looking for this recipe. My mom made it when I was a kid in Florida. You were right. I made it with regular rice first then with the rice you recommended. Will use basmati rice for everything from now on. I used Italian style diced tomatoes the second go round and loved it. Thank you
Jackie Garvin says
So glad you enjoyed it, Tommy. Basmati rice is a game changer.
Sheryl Silva says
I’ve made this for years and love it but I am a canned tomato snob and use the unseasoned tomatoes in mine. I have a love/hate relationship with the Italian style diced tomatoes and don’t use them often. That said, I can see your suggestion as a practical side dish to a Mediterranian style meal instead of pasta or risotto. Just need to use pancetta or something less southern-style than bacon grease. Thanks for the suggestion.
And BTW…tomatoes and rice is an excellent one-dish camping recipe that goes well with any meat you have to throw on the grill!
Jackie Garvin says
Great tips! Thank you.
Sweet Dixie Kitchen says
I show your photos to my kids and they seem love it, a colourful dish, they said lol.
So we are going to make your magic colourful dish this weekend. Thanks alot, Jackie!
Jackie Garvin says
Excellent! I hope everyone enjoys it. ❤️
Digital AP says
I loved this recipe. Congratulations for the site!
discoverregina says
Thank you for sharing with us delicious recipe. i love it to eat
sidesist says
I love this recipe and have made it multiple times. Super delicious and filling! Thanks. 🙂
Roxanne Justiz says
Love this recipe. It’s simple and inexpensive. I have these ingredients in my home always. I don’t eat pork so Beef bacon is what I would use. Thanks for sharing this delicious recipe. Shalom
Janice says
Jackie, I also keep a container of bacon grease in the fridge. I love, love rice and will be making this dish; BUT, since I love spicy food, thin I will add a can of roe-tel in place of the tomatoes. Thanks for the recipe.
Jackie Garvin says
Rotel tomatoes would be a great addition. Yay for bacon grease.