Upgrade your meal with this Tomato Basil Rice! Tastes like a tomato basil pasta – in rice form. Copycat of a popular convenience pack seasoned rice, this is a terrific recipe base that can be adapted with your herbs of choice!
When you see the ingredients below, you’d be forgiven for thinking this is a pasta sauce recipe. All the usual suspects are present. Olive oil, garlic, onion, dried and fresh basil, tomato {paste}.
Except – we’re using rice instead of pasta.
Just a minor difference…. 😂
TOMATO PASTE WORKS BEST!
It’s a straightforward recipe to make, starting off like a pilaf with garlic and onion sautéed in olive oil along with dried basil (just a little sauté really makes the flavour bloom!) before adding rice, broth, tomato paste and some seasonings.
I like to make this Tomato Basil Rice with tomato paste rather than canned tomato or passata / puree because it yields the best result – fluffiest, most evenly cooked rice.
Canned tomato was all round disappointing – both in rice textures, flavour and look. And though you get slightly better tomato flavour using tomato passata / puree, it’s actually quite difficult to ensure all the rice cooks through evenly.
So after a few instances of unevenly cooked rice, I deemed it “too risky” and defaulted back to tomato paste which works every time. 🙂
BASIL BASIL, BASIL!
Basil is actually quite a delicate herb and a rather fussy one at that – it doesn’t like to be cooked (loss of flavour, turns black, limp and sad) so to get good basil flavour into anything it needs to be used fresh.
So to make a Tomato Basil Rice that actually does taste of basil, I get it in there 3 ways:
- Dried Basil sautéed with the onion and garlic;
- A generous sprig of basil cooked with the rice; and
- A good hit of fresh basil right at the end just before serving.
GOES WITH (almost) ANYTHING!
I probably wouldn’t serve this Tomato Basil Rice with Asian food because basil isn’t really a flavour associated with Asian cuisine. But having said that, if the basil is left out or substituted with chives or green onions, it would be terrific with loads of Asian foods. Various forms of tomato rice is big in Asia!
Other than that, I think it’s the sort of side that will go with almost anything. In addition to which, you should totally feel free to switch the basil with whatever herb you want – just adjust the quantity to taste depending on how strong the flavour of the herb with. – Nagi x
PS In case you’re stuck for ideas:
This will go great with….
Crispy Garlic Chicken Thighs (above) | Honey Garlic Chicken | Crispy Fish with Lemon Butter Sauce | Baked Fish with Lemon Cream Sauce | Garlic Prawns / Shrimp | Rissoles, | Salmon Cakes (or use tuna!)
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
Tomato Basil Rice
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil (or butter)
- 2 garlic cloves , finely chopped
- 1/2 brown onion, finely chopped
- 1 1/4 tsp dried basil
- 1 cup / 180 g long grain white rice (Note 1)
- 1 3/4 cups / 435 ml chicken broth , full salt (or Veg broth)
- 2 1/2 tbsp tomato paste
- 3/4 tsp paprika , sweet or normal (not smoked)
- 1 tsp sugar (any)
- 1 sprig of basil with leaves
- 1/3 cup finely chopped basil
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and onion, cook until translucent, 2 - 3 minutes. Add basil and cook for 20 seconds - don't let it burn.
- Add remaining ingredients except basil. Mix until tomato paste is dissolved.
- Crush basil sprig in hand, drop on surface then push in (leave on surface, don't stir).
- Cover and bring to simmer, then immediately turn down heat to medium low (or low if stove is strong) and cook for 15 minutes or until liquid is fully absorbed - tilt saucepan to check.
- Remove from heat and set aside, covered, for 10 minutes.
- Remove basil sprig. Fluff with fork, taste for salt. Then leave to stand for another 5 minutes, uncovered. Stir through fresh basil. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes:
- A small amount of tomato paste yields the fluffiest rice (compared to canned tomato, passata, puree etc)
- Sugar takes the edge off tomato paste which is a bit sour
- Basil goes black when heated. So the purpose of cooling the rice before adding fresh basil is to reduce this problem and get max basil flavour.
- Use this recipe as a base for any herb you want. Just switch out the dried and fresh basil. Be mindful of herb strength - eg rosemary is very strong. 3. STORAGE - Keeps great in the fridge but benefits greatly from the addition of some fresh basil. 4. Nutrition per serving.
Nutrition Information:
LIFE OF DOZER
🍎🍎🍎He drooled on someone over an apple, so we made him wear an apple sticker Badge of Shame all day. He didn’t even notice….. so much for punishment!
Hi Nagi my mum used to make something very similar hers was just tomato rice. She passed without me getting the recipe, this is so damn close and brought back so many memories. I love your style of cooking even down to the notes and videos. I am so glad I found you! Thank you.
Hello Nagi, I tried this tomato basil rice for dinner and I paired it with pan-fried salmon. it was a huge hit with my family. could I cook this in rice cooker? thanks again for a wonderful and easy recipe
hello Nagi, tried this recipe for weekday dinner with pan-fried salmon. the tomato rice was super and family enjoyed. can i cook in rice cooker?
Hi Nagi – I love your recipes and the videos make even a culinarily-challenged person such as myself feel as though they can do it!
If I wanted to double this tomato basil rice recipe, should I double the chicken broth as well or use a different measure?
Thanks 😊
Hi Mel! Please adjust all the ingredients 🙂 Click on Servings and SLIDE to scale the recipe to the amount you want! N xx
Fantastic – how helpful! Thanks 👍🏼
I made this tonight exactly as your recipe calls for and with basmati rice….everyone devoured it. Thank you for the recipe.
Yay! Great to hear Jeanne! N x
Thank you, thank you for this lovely rice recipe. God bless and a special hug to Dozer.
hugs passed on and happily received! 😂
Omg Nagi this was my request! I am the chosen one! You’re the best. That old git Uncle Ben is officially banished from my pantry. Aunty Nagi rice all the way!!
I had to! I wanted it for myself! 🙂
Ooooh, looks so great! I have two tubs of fresh basil just begging to star in a wonderful copycat rice dish from down under. This will be a big deal in my house because I have not cooked in over five months, many stresses unfortunately, but I know things must be better when I look at your recipe and actually yearn to make it. So I printed it, have every ingredient on hand and all that is left is cook, smell the lovely aromas of tomato and basil then eat the results. Looking forward to the entire journey, may even include your Garlic Chicken Thighs if I’m feeling brave.
As for Dozer, how can you shame such a wonderful friend for being his doggy self? I know how frustrating it can be when our canine family members do not behave as we wish them to (we once had a pack of seven dogs in the household!) but they must be forgiven, for all the unconditional love they offer us even when we misbehave is no small achievement.
Thank you so much for all the terrific recipes that have become my sole cookbook. Your generosity is very truly appreciated.
I’m sorry to hear about your stresses Faith. I do hope things are taking a turn for the better soon! – N x
Hi Nagi, I made this for dinner tonight using orzo instead of rice, as my box of rice was nearly empty. Since the orzo has a shorter cooking time than rice I simmered everything except the orzo and sprig of basil for 10 minutes, then added the orzo and basil and simmered until the orzo was tender. It was very tasty, will be making this again soon! Dozer is too regal to be shamed! You are wasting your time trying to do so! Haha!
Oooh I love it! So glad you enjoyed it Barb, thanks for letting me know!! N xx
Interesting recipe Nagi. It seems like your Basil Rice is very easy to make. I’ll definitely try this out. Anyhow, looking forward to more of your recipes.
Hope you get a chance to!! 🙂 N x
I am just so grateful for your blog, Nagi! I look forward every week to what recipes I will be trying in my kitchen next. I know that when you post a recipe, it is achievable, tasty and you will have tried all the options so I am left with no questions and the risk of wasting and failing is minimal or non-existent! Thankyou!
Thanks you for the compliment Corrie! I’m so pleased you’re enjoying my recipes! N x
Have made similar but shall tweak the recipe exactly your way next time . . . brown rice for me and the tomato paste exchange is interesting. Think I have used passata . . . for me as a side and yes, I have used other tomato-friendly herbs singly or in combination . . . . . luvverly !!!
I tried a few times with passata, I find it works better in the oven but for stove, sometimes the rice didn’t cook through evenly 🙂 Have a great weekend Eha! N xx