Author: This One-Pan Roasted Tomato Rice Bake is a cozy, Mediterranean-inspired dish that's bursting with roasted cherry tomatoes, garlic, and warm spices, all baked together with fluffy rice in one pan. No stovetop, no fancy ingredients, just bold flavor and easy cleanup. Perfect for weeknight dinners, meal prep, potlucks, or even as a festive holiday side.
This One-Pan Roasted Tomato Rice Bake recipe is absolutely packed with flavor, starting with a combination of cherry tomatoes, garlic (LOTS of it), and shallots, which are roasted in the oven. The tomatoes get jammy, the garlic mellows and sweetenes delightfully, and the shallots caramelize, while cilantro, thyme, and cinnamon sticks add Mediterranean-inspired flavor. This is a dinner that's cozy and satisfying, not to mention incredibly easy.
I love it as an easy weeknight meal with chickpeas added for protein, or you can also serve it as a side dish to brighten any meal!
What Makes This One-Pan Roasted Tomato Rice Bake a Weeknight Win
- A complete meal in one pan: That means you don't have to juggle several different pots and pans, and cleanup is a breeze.
- Rich and aromatic: The combination of caramelized vegetables, fresh herbs, and warm cinnamon makes this dish restaurant-level flavor with pantry staples. You've never had rice like this before!
- Customizable: Keep it simple as a side or bulk it up with chickpeas for a hearty main.
- Perfect for entertaining: It's impressive enough for holidays but easy enough for Tuesday night.
Ingredients for Roasted Tomato Rice
- Cherry tomatoes: Sweet cherry tomatoes are the star of this recipe! They burst to create a sauce for the rice to soak up.
- Garlic and shallots: Roast up caramelized and sweet. Swap shallots with red onion if that's what you've got.
- Fresh herbs and spices: Cilantro, thyme, and cinnamon give the dish its signature Mediterranean twist.
- Olive oil: Keeps everything juicy and flavorful. Use vegetable broth for an oil-free option.
- Chickpeas: Optional but great for protein and texture, turns this into a full one-pan meal.
- Basmati rice: The long grains stay separate and fluffy, perfect for baked rice.
- Boiling water: Starting hot helps the rice cook evenly and stay tender.
How to Make Roasted Tomato Rice Bake
- Roast the vegetables: Toss the tomatoes, garlic, shallots, herbs and spices, and oil in a baking dish. Roast in an oven preheated to 425ºF for 15 minutes.
- Add the chickpeas: Stir the chickpeas into the veggies and roast for 10 to 15 minutes more, or until the tomatoes burst and everything is tender and lightly caramelized.
- Add the rice and water: Sprinkle the rice evenly into the pan. Don't stir it! Pour in the boiling water, add salt and pepper, and cover the pan with foil.
- Bake again: Return to the oven and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let it rest covered for 10 minutes. Fluff the rice, and add the reserved cilantro leaves, and season to taste before serving.
What to Serve With This One-Pan Roasted Tomato Rice Bake
How to Store and Reheat
- Refrigerator: Transfer leftover tomato rice bake to an airtight container and refrigerate for 4 to 5 days.
- To reheat: Microwave individual portions with a splash of water for a minute or two, or until heated through. To warm larger portions, bake in a 350ºF oven in a baking dish covered with foil for 15 to 20 minutes; add a few tablespoons of water before reheating to keep the rice from drying out. You can also enjoy leftovers cold.
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One-Pan Roasted Tomato Rice Bake (Easy + Flavor-Packed!)
This cozy Mediterranean-inspired dish is packed with roasted cherry tomatoes, garlic, and warm spices and fluffy rice all baked together in one pan. No stovetop, no fancy ingredients, just bold flavor and an easy cleanup. Perfect for weeknight dinners, meal prep, potlucks, or holiday sides.
Servings: - 10
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Ingredients
- 2 pints cherry tomatoes
- 10 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
- 4 shallots, or 1 red onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 small bunch cilantro, chopped, stems and leaves separated
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme, (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
- 3 cinnamon sticks, (or ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, (or vegetable broth for oil-free)
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, divided
- 1 can (14 oz / 398 ml) chickpeas, drained and rinsed (optional)
- 1 ½ cups basmati or long-grain white rice, rinsed
- 2 ½ cups boiling water
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Roast the veggies: In a deep 8x12-inch (or similar size) baking dish, toss together the cherry tomatoes, garlic, chopped shallots/onion, cilantro stems, thyme, cinnamon, olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Roast uncovered for 15 minutes.
- Add chickpeas: Remove from oven, stir in chickpeas (if using), and roast for another 10-15 minutes, until the tomatoes burst and everything is tender and lightly caramelized.
- Add rice and water: Sprinkle the rinsed rice evenly over the roasted mixture, do not stir. Pour 2 ½ cups boiling water over the rice. Season with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cover tightly with foil.
- Bake again: Return to the oven and bake for 25 minutes. Remove and let rest, still covered, for 10 minutes.
- Finish and serve: Uncover and gently fluff the rice. Stir in the chopped cilantro leaves. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve hot.
Notes
Storage: Keeps well in the fridge covered for up to 4 - 5 days.
Reheating Tips:
- Microwave (best for single portions): Add a splash of water to loosen the rice, then cover and microwave on high for 1-2 minutes, or until heated through.
- Oven (best for larger portions): Cover the dish with foil and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 15-20 minutes, adding a few tablespoons of water to prevent it from drying out.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving (recipe makes 8 servings) | Calories: 255kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 165mg | Potassium: 466mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 628IU | Vitamin C: 30mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 3mg
Julie says
I'm not a huge fan of chickpeas - is there something you could recommend I substitute them with?
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Great question, Julie! You could try white beans or even lentils as a substitute, or just skip them if you prefer as they are optional 🙂
Julie says
Thanks for the suggestions - I'll try the white beans next time. Can't wait to make it again!
Lisa says
I plan on making this later this week! had a question though for the shallots: do I also cut them into 1-inch chunks? or is that only for red onion if shallots aren't available? thanks!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Lisa! Great question. Yes, if you’re using shallots, just cut them into similar chunky pieces so they roast evenly. Same idea as the red onion 😊
Lisa says
Thanks for the answer Sam! & what a delicious rice bake - the flavors are awesome!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
You’re so welcome, Lisa! I’m really glad you enjoyed it 😊
Amira says
I absolutely love this! It's easy to make with mostly pantry staples and doesn't require too much effort!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Amira! Yay!! I’m so glad you loved it and found it easy to make 😊
Annie says
I was really unsure about this recipe because of the cinnamon sticks. I was worried about how the cinnamon would combine with the vegetables. It turned out amazingly delicious! What a lovely surprise.
Now I’m being asked to make it regularly by my family. Thank you Sam!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Haha love that! SO happy you gave it a try and enjoyed it so much Annie! Thanks for the review 🙂
Alex says
such a winner. easy to make and huge payoff. the house smells amazing while cooking. I made marinated tofu feta to go with it and it was perfect. thanks for another banger recipe!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Aww that's so wonderful Alex, thrilled you enjoyed it, thanks for the review 🙂
Roberta says
Made this last night. Very simple, very easy, AMAZINGLY TASTY!! We both went back for seconds. I put it away before we went back for thirds. Really looking forward to another meal of it. I didn't have cilantro. So I used a pile of chopped fresh flat leaf parsley. Not the same as cilantro but still really good. And it was easy!! thanks for posting it
Peace
Bobbi
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Bobbi! Yay! I love that, so thrilled it was such a hit!! Thanks for your review 🙂
Dixie Folzenlogen says
this was delicious, looked impressive with minimal effort.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Wonderful! So happy you enjoyed it Dixie, thank you for the review 🙂
Nicole says
Delicious and easy to make. Recommend including the beans or subbing with another kind.
Jess @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Fantastic! Thanks for your review, Nicole!
Karen says
Love, love, LOVE this! Another amazing recipe. So easy, yet so delicious.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Awesome! Thanks so much for the review Karen 🙂
Olga Yevich says
This dish is simply A M A Z I N G!! Easy to make and some ingredients are interchangeable. Couldn’t wait to try it as it came out of the oven. This dish is a keeper and going into the monthly rotation.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Yay! That makes me so happy!! So thrilled you loved it so much Olga! Thank you for the review 🙂
Beth Ann says
Thank you so much Sam! This was so easy and fun to make.
Definitely yes on the chickpeas. Absolutely delicious with interesting spicing! All the magic melding in the oven.
Made it a complete dinner with roasting broccoli along with the rice.
Nice to have extra and will enjoy during the week with other sides.
Would love more of these one pan type of recipes.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Yay! So thrilled you enjoyed it Beth!! I have more sheet pan meals here. Thank you for the review 🙂
Beth Ann says
Sam, Thanks for the link, though to clarify, what I'd particularly appreciate is more grain based sheet pan recipes. Thanks for considering! 🙏
Diane says
Very tasty, I used parsley as I had no cilantro. It was delicious and very easy to put together.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Yay! So thrilled you enjoyed it so much Diane! Parsley is the perfect sub. Thank you for the review!! 🙂
Erin Harvey says
How would I modify this to use brown rice? I'm thinking more liquid & time but how much?
Sally Rosloff says
My question too! I haven't eaten white rice in decades. Usually eat brown basmati.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Sally, brown rice would have a much longer cook time and would risk burning everything, so instead cook your brown rice separately, skip the boiling water step, stir the cooked rice into the roasted veggies, cover, and bake ~10 minutes just to heat through. If you give it a try let me know how it turns out 😊
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Erin, brown rice won’t cook well in this method (it would over-roast the tomatoes and risk burning everything), so instead cook your brown rice separately, skip the boiling water step, stir the cooked rice into the roasted veggies, cover, and bake ~10 minutes just to heat through. I think that should work! 😊