Pizza rice bowls
Yes, it’s another pizza recipe. I can’t help myself! Pizza hot dogs, pizza enchiladas, pizza roasted chickpeas… and now pizza rice bowls. But since it’s socially unacceptable to eat actual pizza for every single meal (if I ever become a complete recluse, this is totally what I’ll be doing), I have to find new ways to get my pizza fix, and these pizza rice bowls are just the ticket. Gooey, cheesy rice in tomato sauce, topped with my favourite veggie pizza toppings. All those classic flavours… without having to actually admit you’re eating pizza. Again.
This is a really simple recipe, made simpler by the fact that I used a jar of pre-made pizza sauce, which I jazzed up with some extra onions and garlic (no such thing as too much garlic). Of course, you can make your own tomato sauce from scratch if you prefer – just make sure you simmer it for long enough that it gets nice and rich.
Whatever kind of sauce you end up going for, just mix it in with some cooked rice and some mozzarella cheese. Plenty of mozzarella cheese (it’s still going to be less than you’d get on a pizza, right?!). It gets nice and gooey, and actually ends up feeling almost like a risotto – so yum.
Then it’s time for toppings! You can use any of your favourite pizza toppings – whatever will make these pizza rice bowls feel like the pizza of your dreams. For me, mushrooms, sweetcorn and black olives all scream veggie pizza, so that’s what I went with, along with some sliced peppers. Don’t forget a pinch of dried Italian herbs too!
This recipe will serve three, but if you want leftovers, it will reheat really well in the microwave – just make sure you follow the rules about reheating rice and make sure it’s piping hot!
Now, pizza rice bowls done… what else would be good with added pizza?
Pizza rice bowls
If you’ve cooked this recipe, don’t forget to leave a star rating!
Print Pin CommentIngredients
- 210 g (~ 1 cup) long-grain white rice (e.g. basmati)
- 2 tbsp oil, divided
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 medium mushrooms, sliced or diced
- 1 bell pepper, sliced (I used yellow)
- 100 g (~ 1/2 cup) tinned sweetcorn
- 2 tbsp sliced black olives
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 400 ml (~ 1 1/2 cups) pizza sauce
- 125 g (~ 1 cup) grated mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Boil the rice in plenty of water until cooked.
- Meanwhile, heat a dash of oil in a frying pan, and add the onion and garlic. Cook over a medium heat for a few minutes until soft and fragrant.
- In a separate pan, heat another dash of oil, and add the mushrooms and peppers (or whatever pizza toppings you’ve chosen). Cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes, until soft. Add the sweetcorn and black olives, along with the thyme and oregano. Cook for a couple more minutes.
- When the rice is cooked, add the sautéed onion, pizza sauce, and mozzarella cheese. Mix well, and keep it over a low heat until the cheese has melted.
- Serve the pizza rice mixture topped with the veggies.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on your exact ingredients. Please calculate your own nutritional values if you require accuracy for health reasons.
Note: Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on exactly what ingredients you choose. Information above is for 1/3 of the recipe.
Got some grated mozzarella cheese left over? These tortilla roll-ups are one of my favourite lunches:
Needs some cooked ground beef or pepperoni.
I buy frozen bell pepper strips, freezing breaks down the tough pepper and the cook faster.
@Phil, unsure if you noticed but this site is called “easycheesyvegetarian”. So it’s no surprise that the recipe does not include meat, no?
This is so delicious! I made it using brown rice because that was what I had in the cupboard and was trying to stretch it into 4 meals instead of 3 – I think it worked well. Thanks again, Becca :) Hope everything’s going well for you and your family during this self-isolation!
Thanks Emily, glad you enjoyed it! Stay safe :)
Hi!
By ‘pizza sauce’ do you mean like passata/ what you would put on the base of a pizza?
Or are you referring to some kind of newfangled sauce that i have not heard of?! :-)
Thanks!
Haha yes just whatever you’d put on a pizza! Passata would be fine, or a jar of tomato sauce, which might be a bit richer with extra herbs etc :)
They have been selling pizza sause for several years, go with that, there is a difference.
Any dish that does not harm an animal to me is 5 star dish plus avoiding meat is better for your body