Djuvec (Vegetable Rice)
This Djuvec rice is a simple, healthy, and super customizable veggie and flavor-packed side dish or main. Serve alongside a mid-week meal or at parties, potlucks, and BBQ's. Plus, this vegetable rice recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, low fat, vegan, and uses just one pot!
Servings 4
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 3-4 tbsp Ajvar (*see notes)
- 1 tbsp Vegeta (optional) or use vegetable bouillon powder
- 1 tsp paprika powder or more to taste
- 1/2 tsp onion powder (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup rice (*see notes)
- 1 (15 oz) can (425 g) crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups (480 ml) water or vegetable broth if not using bouillon powder
- 1 1/3 cups (200 g) peas frozen
- Fresh herbs to garnish (e.g. parsley)
Instructions
- You can watch the video in the post for visual instructions.Heat olive oil in a large pot or frying pan. Add the onion and pepper and sauté for 3-4 minutes.
- Add garlic, Ajvar, all spices (except the fresh herbs), and rice and fry for 1-2 more minutes.
- Also, add the crushed tomatoes and the vegetable broth, stir well and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Let simmer covered for about 12-15 minutes at low heat, stirring occasionally.
- Then add the frozen peas and simmer for a further 5-6 minutes. If too much liquid evaporates, simply add more vegetable broth or water.
- Taste the rice and if necessary season with salt/pepper/spices. Garnish with fresh parsley and add a little lemon juice if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- You can use mild or spicy Ajvar. Alternatively, you could use any other red pepper paste or tomato paste.
- Use dry rice that has a short cooking time (e.g. parboiled rice or basmati rice etc.). Brown rice would take twice as long and you would have to use much more liquid for cooking. You can also soak the rice in cold/lukewarm water for 20-30 minutes before cooking, this will reduce the cooking time by about 20%.
- You can freeze this vegetable rice for up to 2 months.
- Check the blog post for step-by-step photos and helpful tips.
- The recipe serves 4. Nutrition facts are for one serving.
Nutrition Facts
Djuvec (Vegetable Rice)
Amount per Serving
Calories
317
% Daily Value*
Fat
5
g
8
%
Saturated Fat
1
g
5
%
Carbohydrates
59
g
20
%
Fiber
5
g
20
%
Sugar
9
g
10
%
Protein
9
g
18
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.