Charleston Red Rice

By Millie Peartree

Updated March 31, 2021

  • A large baking dish filled with red-hued rice and topped with herbs is photographed from overhead. A serving sits just off to the right.
    Con Poulos for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Jerrie-Joy Redman-Lloyd.
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Total Time
About 1¼ hours
Rating
4(1,264)
Comments
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A Lowcountry favorite that likely descended from West African jollof rice, this classic tomato and rice dish is also sometimes called Carolina red rice – or simply red rice. It often contains sausage, but this version, inspired by how the chef Millie Peartree’s mother, Millie Bell, used to make it, relies on bacon for its depth. (Still, if you’d like to add sausage, just let it sear with the vegetables in Step 3.) To start, the “holy trinity” (bell pepper, onion and celery) is cooked in the bacon fat, infusing the cooking liquid. Then, the rice is baked to ensure it’s perfectly cooked. Serve this alongside baked chicken or ham, green beans or collard greens, for a full, satisfying meal.

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Ingredients

Yield:8 servings

  • Nonstick cooking spray

  • 6 bacon slices

  • 1 medium Vidalia or other sweet, Spanish or yellow onion, chopped

  • 2 celery ribs, chopped

  • 1 large green bell pepper, chopped

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

  • 2 garlic cloves, minced

  • 2 cups long-grain or Carolina gold rice, rinsed until water runs clear

  • 1 (14-ounce) can tomato purée

  • 1 ½ cups chicken stock or water, plus more as needed

  • 1 tablespoon hot sauce

  • 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

  • ½ teaspoon black pepper

  • Pinch of ground cayenne

  • Parsley leaves, for garnish

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

49 grams carbs; 16 milligrams cholesterol; 335 calories; 5 grams monosaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 11 grams fat; 2 grams fiber; 506 milligrams sodium; 9 grams protein; 5 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 350 degrees and coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

  2. Step 2

    In a large (12-inch) heavy skillet over medium heat, fry the bacon until crisp, about 3 minutes per side. Remove the bacon to paper towels to drain, leaving behind drippings. Crumble the bacon and set aside.

  3. Step 3

    In the same skillet, add the chopped onion, celery, bell pepper and 1 teaspoon salt, and sauté until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, another 30 seconds.

  4. Step 4

    To the skillet, add the rinsed rice. Stir and toast the rice for 30 seconds. Add the crumbled bacon, tomato purée, stock, hot sauce, Cajun seasoning, sugar, pepper and cayenne.

  5. Step 5

    Bring the rice and vegetables to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 5 minutes. Taste and add salt, if needed.

  6. Step 6

    Carefully transfer ingredients to the greased baking dish. Cover the baking dish tightly with foil, and bake until the rice is tender, about 40 to 50 minutes. Check the rice after about 30 minutes to make sure all the liquid is absorbed, and the rice is tender. (If it's too dry or not cooked all the way through, add a few tablespoons of water or stock at a time, if necessary, and cook a little longer.) Fluff with a fork before serving and garnish with parsley leaves.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
1,264 user ratings
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Comments

wendy

For people who can't eat bacon...consider smoking tomatoes next summer on the grill and preserving them. I do this with onions, garlic, and peppers as well. Adds great smoky flavor to dishes that rely on bacon to get that note (I also love bacon, but like to have alternatives from time to time).

Maura

A vegetarian version: vegetable oil, a teaspoon of fresh lime juice, a pinch of dry thyme or rosemary, and sea salt, perhaps a little sugar, to suggest the aromatic ham/bacon fat-and-salt flavor. Smoked paprika, chopped onion, garlic, and oregano for the "Cajun spice" flavor without having to run out and buy yet another mixed spice. Red hot pepper, fresh, flaked, sauce, or powered, to taste. Good with plain sides: beans (black-eye, kidney, pinto) and greens, raw or cooked.

Jim

a follow-up: This time, used a large enameled iron pot (vintage Dansk Kobenstyle) on the stovetop, then covered it and put it in the oven. Results were amazing, with about 45 minutes of oven time. A beautiful, rich crust formed on the bottom and up the sides. The flavor is fantastic (used andouille sausages again), rice cooked perfectly. WIll do it this way from here on out.

Lisa Piel

I learned in the 1970s (from an invaluable vegetarian cookbook I can’t recall the title of) that if you take thicker slices of smoked or even plain provolone cheese and fry it in a non-stick skillet, shaping it into strips with two silicone or wooden utensils, you get a righteously good bacon substitute.

Caroline

yesss this is so good!! I used the same dutch oven to cook on stovetop and in the oven, and mine was ready to come out after 30 minutes.

EB

Made this exactly as written. Super delicious. If I could physically eat the entire pan myself I would.

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