Tomato rice is a simple, flavorful, spicy one pot dish made with Basmati rice, tomatoes, veggies, and spices. This can be made in pressure cooker or electric rice cooker. I am showing this recipe using Instant Pot(IP). Water measurement may vary with each one. Total time for this recipe is 25-30 mins.
Tomato rice can be served without any sides. Papad combination would be nice and easy.
Rice and water ratio would be very important to cook fluffy rice. Here are the measures for basmati rice.
For 1 cup Basmati Rice…
- 1.5 cups for Pressure cooker and electric rice cooker
- 3/4 to 1 cup for Instant Pot

How to make Tomato Rice
PREP TIME:10 MINS COOK TIME:20 MINS TOTAL TIME:30 MINS COURSE:MAIN COURSE CUISINE:INDIAN SERVINGS: 3-4
Ingredients
- basmati rice – 2 cups
- tomatoes, cut into cubes – 4 cups
- salt – 2 tsp/for taste
- turmeric – 1/4 tsp
- green chillies – 4, slit
- onion, sliced – 1 sm
- ginger paste/grated or ginger garlic paste – 1 tsp
- whole spices: cloves – 2, shah jeera – 1/2 sp, cinnamon stick – 1
- ghee – 2 tsp
- oil – 3 tbsp
- mixed veggies(carrot, beans, peas..) – 1/2 cup (optional)
- Shakthi sambar powder – 1.5 tsp
- water – 1.75 cups
Instructions
- Rinse the rice twice and soak in water for 15 mins.
- Cut onions, green chillies. Keep all the ingredients ready.
- Turn on the instant pot in saute mode, add ghee and oil to steel pot, add whole spices. Saute them, then add onions, green chillies and ginger paste/grated. Saute 2 mins.
- Add veggies and tomatoes. Mix well. Add turmeric, salt, sambar powder.
- Mix well. Drain the water and add soaked rice. Saute for 2 min. Add water. Stir everything.
- Close the lid and change the setting to Rice option.
- Once the rice is done, Garnish and Serve hot with papad or any raita.
step by step photo instructions
- Rinse 2 cups rice twice and soak in water for 15 mins.

2. Cut 1 sm onion, slit 4 green chillies. Keep all the ingredients ready. Turn on the instant pot in saute mode, add 2 tsp ghee and 3 tbsp oil to steel pot, add whole spices. Saute them, then add onions, green chillies and 1 tsp ginger paste/grated. Saute 2 mins.

3. Add veggies and 4 cups tomatoes. Mix well. Add 1/4 tsp turmeric, 2 tsp salt, 1.5 tsp sambar powder. Mix well.

4. Drain the water and add the soaked rice. Saute for 1 min. Add 1.75 cups water. Stir everything. Close the lid and change the setting to Rice option.

5. Once the rice is done, Mix gently. Garnish and Serve hot with papad or any raita.
Tips
- You can omit mixed veggies.
- If you want more veggies, you can add other veggies like broccoli, capsicum…
- you can use any masala powders. I used Shakthi sambar powder for the nice spiciness it provides.
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