I’ve been making this recipe forever! It’s a family favorite, and it’s also one of my most popular recipes on PlantBasedonaBudget.com. It’s deceptively simple, yet immensely flavorful. Try serving it as a side with our Beefy Tacos (page 84), in burritos, or topped with a big pile of steamed or stir-fried veggies and hot sauce.
Yield: 4 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 35 minutes | Total time: 45 minutes
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
½ medium yellow onion, diced
2 small cloves garlic, minced
1 cup uncooked medium-grain white rice
½ cup tomato sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1½ cups water
Sprinkle of ground black pepper
1. In a medium pan with a lid, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes or until the onion becomes tender and translucent.
2. Add the uncooked rice and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 3 minutes, until the rice is golden.
3. Add the tomato sauce, salt, water, and pepper, and stir.
4. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover the pan with the lid, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes. Once you cover the rice, do not remove the lid.
5. Remove from the heat and fluff the rice.
Friendly Suggestion: When preparing the rice, it’s important to keep the lid on the pan, since the steam is what does the cooking.
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