Roman Rice-stuffed Tomatoes (Pomodori al Riso)

Roman Rice Stuffed Tomatoes, also known as Pomodori al Riso, are a delicious vegetarian dish perfect for summer. This classic recipe is a staple of Italian, especially Roman, cuisine.

To make this dish, you need large, round tomatoes that are ripe but still firm. Tomatoes ripened in the summer sun are especially flavorful and fragrant.

Pomodori al Riso can be enjoyed either lukewarm or cold, making it a versatile summer dish. It can serve as a colorful and healthy main course or an appetizer, bursting with Mediterranean flavors.

The recipe is simple, requiring only a few ingredients: tomatoes, rice, herbs, salt, garlic, and extra virgin olive oil. Every Italian household has its own variation of this classic recipe, often adding different ingredients to suit their taste. The version I'm sharing with you is the authentic Roman recipe for Pomodori al Riso.

To ensure the recipe is successful, soak the uncooked rice for about an hour in the tomato water with garlic, salt, and basil. This step infuses the rice with the right aroma and texture. After soaking, fill the tomatoes with the rice mixture and bake them for about 45 minutes.

Let's dive into this amazing Roman Rice-stuffed Tomato Recipe step by step!

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Kitchen Tools and Equipment
• Instructions
• Storage
• Tips
• Variations
• Recipe Card

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Ingredients

Prep Time: 1 hour and 15 min (including the soaking time of the rice) Cook Time: 45 min Serving: 6

• 6 large round, red tomatoes (Tomato on-the-vine)
• 180 g (6 oz) of arborio or carnaroli rice (~1 ½ tablespoons per tomato)
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 10 basil leaves
• 4-5 mint leaves
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

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Kitchen Tools and Equipment

For this recipe, you'll need a few essential tools to achieve the best results.

An immersion blender is crucial for blending the tomato pulp into a smooth, consistent mixture.

An electric vegetable chopper will be extremely helpful for finely mincing the herbs and garlic, ensuring that their flavors are evenly distributed throughout the dish.

Additionally, a fine-mesh strainer is important for straining both the blended tomato pulp and the rinsed rice, which will help achieve a perfect texture.

Finally, you'll need a large bowl, which will be used for whisking the tomato pulp thoroughly and allowing the rice to soak properly, ensuring it absorbs all the delicious flavors.

Instructions

Step 1) - To prepare this tasty Roman rice-stuffed tomatoes recipe, first wash and dry the tomatoes. With a sharp cutter, cut them to about two-thirds of their height so that you get small caps that you will use as a lid. Keep them aside. Then, with the help of a teaspoon and a knife, empty the tomatoes, collecting the pulp and juice in a bowl. Be careful not to puncture the bottom of the tomato.

Step 2) - Turn the tomatoes upside down and let them drain a bit on a dish towel.
Now with an immersion blender blend the tomato pulp. If you prefer to have the tomato pieces in the filling, you can also coarsely mash the pulp with a fork.

Step 3) - Strain the blended pulp through a fine-mesh strainer so that the seeds and stringy residue are removed. Alternatively, a vegetable strainer can be used at this stage. You basically have to use the juice from the tomatoes for this recipe. Set aside.

Step 4) - Using an electric chopper, mince the garlic - stripped of its center - along with the mint and basil. Add the herbs to the blended tomato pulp.

Soak the Rice

Step 5) - Rinse the uncooked rice under running water to remove starch and add it to the tomato juice.

Step 6) - Add the salt and oil. Stir well and let everything season for about 1 hour. Be careful, this step is critical!

Fill the Tomatoes

Step 7) - After the resting time has elapsed, transfer the empty tomatoes to a baking tray lined with baking paper. Fill them with the rice mixture. Add all the sauce as well.

NOTE: Do not overfill the tomatoes; the rice will swell and increase in volume while cooking.

Close the tomatoes with the caps we kept aside. Drizzle with more oil and season with salt.

Bake

Step 8) - Bake at 200°C (390°F) for about 45 minutes. The tomatoes should wilt and toast, they will be a bit cracked when cooked, and the rice should be cooked but not flaky.

The Roman rice-stuffed tomatoes are ready! They are great served warm or even at room temperature.

YOU MUST ALSO TRY:

• Italian Stuffed Peppers
• Stuffed Zucchini Flowers with Ricotta and Anchovies
• Tuna Stuffed Zucchini
• Romagna-style Tomato Gratin

Storage

You can keep rice stuffed tomatoes (Pomodori Ripieni di Riso) in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Place them in a food container or cover them with plastic wrap if they are on a plate. Instead of reheating them, I suggest eating them at room temperature for the best taste.

Tips

Which Tomato to Choose?

In Rome, there's a specific type of tomato used for this recipe called "pomodori da riso" or "rice tomato." These tomatoes are almost as big as an orange, round, red, smooth, and both juicy and firm.

In Lazio and central Italy, another popular tomato is the Casalino tomato. It's a bit smaller but has similar characteristics.

If you can't find these types of tomatoes, you can use red cluster tomatoes or tomato on the vine. Just pick the larger ones.

Importance of Soaking

It's very important to let the rice soak in the blended tomato pulp for about an hour. This allows the rice to absorb the tomato flavor and some liquid, which helps it soften and cook better.

How Much Rice to Use

Use about one large spoonful of rice per tomato. The rice needs enough room inside the tomato to cook and expand. Don't worry if it looks like a small amount at first; the rice will grow while cooking and needs enough space to cook properly. If there's not enough space, the rice will stay raw in the center.

Variations

The recipe I have suggested is the classic traditional recipe that brings out the full flavor of the tomato and herbs.

Of course, you can enrich the tomato stuffed rice with other ingredients of your liking.

CHEESE: You can put a piece of mozzarella or smoked scamorza cheese in the center of the tomato in the middle of the rice.

CURED MEATS: For a more substantial version, you can also mix cubes of speck or ham into the rice.

VEGETABLES: Other vegetables in small pieces such as carrots, zucchini or eggplant also go very well with rice.

HERBS: To flavor the rice I chose classic basil and mint, which is widely used in Roman cuisine. However, you can choose herbs you prefer such as oregano, parsley or marjoram.

GARLIC: If you do not like garlic, you can omit it or leave it whole while soaking the rice and then remove it.

Roman Rice-stuffed Tomatoes with Potatoes

Often in Rome, Pomodori con Riso are accompanied by wedges of potatoes baked in the same baking pan along with the tomatoes.

In baking, the baked potatoes absorb the juices released by the tomatoes and become tasty and inviting.

Recipe Card