Balkan Leek Rice Pilaf with Paprika and Tomato 🍚✨

Description

Balkan Leek Rice Pilaf with Paprika and Tomato is a soft, savory fasting dish made with sweet leeks, rice, tomato, garlic, paprika, olive oil, parsley, and lemon. It is humble, naturally vegan, gently glossy, and deeply comforting, with the kind of pantry warmth that tastes like a quiet Balkan kitchen on a cold day. ✨

Hook ✨

Sweet leeks, tender rice, tomato, garlic, and warm paprika make this Balkan fasting pilaf simple, cozy, and full of soul. 🌱

Ingredients

• Leek rice base 🌱
• 🌱 500 g leeks, cleaned and sliced into half-moons (5 cups / 1.1 lb)
• 🍚 250 g short-grain rice or medium-grain rice, rinsed (1¼ cups / 8.8 oz)
• 🧅 120 g yellow onion, finely chopped (¾ cup / 4.2 oz)
• 🧄 12 g garlic, finely chopped (4 cloves / 0.42 oz)
• 🍅 250 g crushed tomatoes or finely chopped ripe tomatoes (1 cup / 8.8 oz)
• 🫒 60 ml olive oil or sunflower oil (¼ cup / 2 fl oz)
• Seasoning 🌶️
• 🌶️ 5 g sweet paprika (2 tsp / 0.18 oz)
• 🌶️ 1 g chili flakes, optional (½ tsp / 0.04 oz)
• 🍃 2 bay leaves
• 🧂 8 g fine sea salt (1⅓ tsp / 0.28 oz)
• ⚫ 2 g black pepper (1 tsp / 0.07 oz)
• 💧 750 ml vegetable broth or water, hot (3 cups / 25 fl oz)
• Finish 🌿
• 🌿 20 g fresh parsley, chopped (½ cup / 0.7 oz)
• 🍋 20 ml lemon juice (4 tsp / 0.68 fl oz)
• 🫒 15 ml olive oil, for gloss (1 tbsp / 0.5 fl oz)
• 🥖 300 g warm crusty bread, optional (10.6 oz)

Preparation

1. 1️⃣ Clean the leeks 🌱
2. Slice the leeks lengthwise, rinse well between the layers, then cut into half-moons. Drain properly so the pilaf does not become watery.
3. 2️⃣ Soften the onion 🧅
4. Warm olive oil in a wide heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 min until soft, sweet, and lightly golden.
5. 3️⃣ Cook the leeks 🌱
6. Add the sliced leeks and salt. Cook for 10–12 min, stirring often, until the leeks collapse, turn glossy, and smell sweet.
7. 4️⃣ Build the paprika tomato base 🍅
8. Add garlic, sweet paprika, chili flakes if using, bay leaves, and black pepper. Stir for 45 sec, then add the tomatoes. Cook for 5 min until the base looks thick and fragrant.
9. 5️⃣ Add the rice 🍚
10. Stir in the rinsed rice and cook for 2 min so the grains absorb the oil, leek sweetness, and paprika tomato flavor.
11. 6️⃣ Simmer gently 🔥
12. Pour in the hot broth or water. Stir once, cover, and simmer over low heat for 18 min, until the rice is tender and the liquid is mostly absorbed.
13. 7️⃣ Rest the pilaf 🛋
14. Turn off the heat and leave the pot covered for 10 min. This lets the rice finish steaming and keeps the texture soft without becoming mushy.
15. 8️⃣ Finish bright ✨
16. Remove the bay leaves. Add parsley, lemon juice, and the final olive oil. Fluff gently with a fork and serve warm with crusty bread if desired.

Total Time

⏱ Prep: 15 min
🔥 Cook/Bake: 42 min
🛋 Rest: 10 min
⏰ Total: 1 h 7 min

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