Persian tomato rice is an easy vegetarian dish full of amazing flavors. This one pot rice recipe uses very few ingredients and can be prepared in no time!

 

When it comes to Persian recipes, rice is definitely a staple. We cook and serve rice in so many different ways. A few popular Persian rice recipes are lubia polo, Persian lentil rice, zereshk polo, albaloo polo (sour cherry rice) and tahchin. Today I have this super easy and delicious one pot tomato rice for you. It’s a healthy dish that’s also vegetarian and can be made in less than an hour.

What is Dami Gojeh Farangi?

“Dami” means “steamed rice”, and “gojeh farangi” means “tomatoes” so the whole phrase means steamed rice and tomatoes. But the technique used here is different from Persian rice and sabzi polo. It’s more similar to dill rice with peas (Persian style) and kateh, which means everything is made in one pot.

Dami gojeh farangi is a classic recipe that is very common to Iranian households. It’s simple, yet delicious and is considered a complete meal on its own. For me, this is comfort food: it’s easy, quick and takes me back to my childhood!

Why this recipe works

• Basic ingredients: You need just a few basic ingredients to make this recipe. I bet you even already have everything you need in your pantry.
• Perfect quick meal: This dish comes together in less than 40 minutes and makes for the perfect lunch or weeknight dinner.
• Delicious in every way: The addition of turmeric makes this dish extra tasty. If you haven’t used turmeric with your rice, you’ve got to try it.
• Comes out perfect every time: The cooking method includes wrapping the lid in a clean kitchen towel for the last ten to fifteen minutes which results in the fluffiest one pot rice ever.

Ingredients

This tomato rice recipe is very simple and requires a few ingredients:

• Olive oil – I love using extra virgin olive oil for cooking because of its flavor and benefits. You can also use vegetable or canola oil.
• Onion – The start of every Persian dish is chopping and sautéing onions. You can use white or yellow onion.
• Spices – You need turmeric, cayenne and salt for this recipe. The amount of cayenne you use depends on how spicy you like your dish to be.
• Tomatoes – Depending on the season and type of tomatoes, you can either use fresh or canned tomatoes. Both would work for this recipe.
• Rice – It’s best to rinse rice a few times before using it to get rid of excess starch.
• Water

What kind of rice to use

Since you’re going to cook everything in one pot, I suggest using basmati rice as it absorbs liquid pretty well and holds its shape while cooking. Long grain rice always works best for Persian dishes such as this tomato rice or saffron rice since it doesn’t get sticky and gets fluffy when cooked.

What kind of tomatoes to use

I used canned tomato for this recipe but of course you can use fresh tomatoes. As for fresh tomatoes, I love using big juicy ones that are bright and very red. If you’re going to use fresh tomatoes, crush them in a food processor or a blender, then proceed with the steps. Make sure you add one tablespoon of tomato paste so the color is just as red. If you’re making this dish in summer, try using fresh tomatoes as they give this dish more aroma and flavor.

How to make tomato rice

Cook the onion

Heat olive oil in a sauce pan or a small pot over medium heat. Sauté the onions over medium heat until they are light and translucent. Keep sautéing them until they are light brown and shimmery. This gives so much flavor to the dish, so don’t skip this step. Add the turmeric and stir to combine.

Add the rest of the ingredients

Add in the diced potatoes and give it a nice stir so they are combined with the onions and turmeric. Add in crushed tomatoes, Basmati rice, water, salt and cayenne. Bring to boil and let it simmer on low heat, stirring occasionally until the water is almost evaporated.

Steam the rice

Wrap the lid in a clean kitchen towel and place it on the pot. Lower the heat and let it steam on medium low heat until the tomato rice is fully cooked and fluffy. You can top this dish with chopped coriander before serving.

Serving suggestions

You can serve tomato rice with chicken, or beef, preferably grilled, or you can totally have this dish on its own as a full meal. I love to have this Persian tomato rice with salad shirazi , some Persian cucumber yogurt dip, or plain yogurt topped with dried mint. Check out my instant pot yogurt recipe to see how to make yogurt at home.

Variations

• You can add more vegetables such as colorful bell peppers or peas to this recipe, just add them with the potatoes.
• For a spicy tomato rice, you can add diced jalapeno peppers.
• Adding canned chickpeas or beans would turn this dish into a complete vegetarian meal.
• If you’re not a fan of beans and chickpeas, add cubed chicken breast to the onions (before adding the potatoes) and turn it into a complete meal.

Notes and tips

• The amount of water you’re going to use completely depends on how juicy the tomatoes are. Canned tomatoes have more juice so you’ll need less water.
• If using fresh tomatoes, add one to two tablespoons of tomato paste to the mixture to reach a nice red color.
• Adding three to four minced garlic cloves will add more flavor to the dish.
• This simple dish gets a good amount of its flavor from the addition of turmeric. However, don’t use too much turmeric as you want the rice to have a combination of flavors.
• If you would like your dish to have tahdig (crispy rice at the bottom) add a couple tablespoons of olive oil to the rice right before you cover it with the lid wrapped in the kitchen towel.

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