Djuvec Rice 🍚 Balkan Vegetable Bake 🇷🇸 (Đuveč Pirinač)

Description

Oven-baked rice with sweet peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, peas, and paprika—juicy grains, tender veg, and a brick-red sheen. 🌶️🍅

Hook: One pan, zero dairy—fluffy rice that bakes itself while you set the table. ⚡

Ingredients

• 🫗 Sunflower oil: 60 ml (4 tbsp / 2 fl oz)
• 🧅 Onion, small dice: 200 g (1⅓ cups / 7 oz)
• 🧄 Garlic, minced: 8 g (2 cloves / 0.3 oz)
• 🥕 Carrot, small dice: 120 g (1 cup / 4.2 oz)
• 🫑 Red bell pepper, small dice: 150 g (1¼ cups / 5.3 oz)
• 🥒 Zucchini, small dice: 200 g (1½ cups / 7 oz)
• 🍅 Tomatoes, peeled & chopped (or passata): 300 g (1½ cups / 10.6 oz) or 300 ml (1¼ cups / 10 fl oz)
• 🌿 Peas (fresh/frozen): 150 g (1 cup / 5.3 oz)
• 🌾 Medium-grain rice, rinsed: 300 g (1½ cups / 10.6 oz)
• 🌶️ Sweet paprika: 8 g (2 tsp / 0.28 oz)
• 🌶️ Hot paprika or chili flakes (optional): 1 g (¼ tsp / 0.04 oz)
• 🌿 Bay leaves: 2
• 🌿 Dried thyme or oregano: 1 g (½ tsp / 0.04 oz)
• 💧 Vegetable stock or water: 750 ml (3 cups / 25 fl oz)
• 🧂 Salt: to taste (≈9 g / 1½ tsp)
• ⚫ Black pepper: 1 g (½ tsp / 0.04 oz)
• 🌿 Parsley, chopped (finish): 2 tbsp (8 g / 0.28 oz)

Preparation

1. 1️⃣ Sauté base: Heat oil in a wide oven-safe pan. Cook onion and carrot with a pinch of salt 5–6 min until glossy. Add garlic 30 sec.
2. 2️⃣ Veg in: Stir in pepper and zucchini; cook 3–4 min. Mix in tomatoes and peas; simmer 2 min.
3. 3️⃣ Season & rice: Off heat, stir in paprika(s), thyme/oregano, bay leaves, and rinsed rice; coat well. Season with salt and black pepper.
4. 4️⃣ Add liquid & bake: Pour in hot stock/water (liquid should cover mixture by ~1 cm / ⅜ in). Bring to a simmer, cover tightly (lid or foil), and bake at 190°C / 375°F 20 min.
5. 5️⃣ Finish: Uncover, fluff gently, and bake 8–10 min more until liquid is absorbed and the top is lightly caramelized. Rest 5 min. Discard bay leaves; sprinkle parsley and serve.

Total Time

🕒 Prep: 20 min
🔥 Cook: 30–35 min
⏳ Total: 50–55 min

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