Charleston Red Rice Recipe

Charleston Red Rice is a staple side dish from the lowcountry regions of South Carolina and Georgia that combines long grain white rice with crispy bacon, onions, celery, bell pepper, and tomatoes.

Course rice dish, side

Cuisine Southern, Southern American

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 55

Servings servings

Calories 230kcal

Author Beth Pierce

Ingredients

6 slices uncooked smoked bacon
1 medium yellow onion chopped
1 rib celery chopped
1 red or green bell pepper chopped
3 cloves garlic mincd
1 cup uncooked long grain white rice
1¾ cup low sodium chicken broth
1 (6 ounc) can tomato paste
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon Cajun or Creole seasoning
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
fresh chopped parsley
1-2 dashes hot sauce

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Cook the chopped bacon over medium low heat in a Dutch oven until crispy. Use a slotted spoon to move the cooked bacon to paper towels to drain. Leave about 1 tablespoon of bacon fat in the pot.
Add the onions, celery, and bell pepper and saute over medium low heat until the onions and celery are soft. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, cooking for 1 minute while stirring.
Stir in the rice, chicken broth, tomato paste, sugar, Cajun seasoning, salt, black pepper, and cooked bacon. Scrape the bottom of the pot to get up all those delicious brown bits. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce and simmer for about 5 minutes uncovered.
Cover the dish and place it in the oven for 35-40 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. Remove the lid and fluff the rice several times while it is baking.
Top with chopped fresh parsley and serve with hot sauce.

Notes

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave at reduced power with a dampened paper towel over the dish.

Nutrition