Brown rice and veggies may not seem especially exciting at first. (There’s a reason you don’t see the combo on Instagram too often.) But even with the most basic ingredients, presentation can take a meal from OK to oh wow! This is a vegetarian version of arroz tapado, a classic Peruvian dish that typically involves layers of rice and ground beef. Get cooking and then just watch the “likes” come in as you enjoy!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup brown rice
  • 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1small onion, diced
  • 1red bell pepper, diced
  • 1scallion, diced
  • 1carrot, diced
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • 1 clovegarlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup frozen green peas
  • 1/2 cup frozen corn
  • 1/4bunch parsley, chopped

Directions

  1. In a bowl, add rice and cover with cold water. Let sit for 20 minutes. Rinse and drain rice, then prepare according to package instructions.
  2. In a large pan over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil, onion, pepper, scallion, and carrot. Sauté until onions becomes translucent. Add tomato paste, salt and pepper to taste, garlic, peas, and corn, and stir until evenly combined. Cook for another 5 minutes.
  3. Line a bowl with plastic wrap for assembly. Add rice about 1/3 up the bowl, and pack it in tight. Fill center with veggie mix, then top with remaining rice. Be sure to tightly pack each layer.
  4. Place a serving plate over the bowl as if it were a lid. Holding bottom of bowl and plate over the top, flip bowl. Remove bowl delicately, allowing filling to release and retain its shape at the same time. Remove plastic wrap. Garnish with any extra veggies and drizzle with olive oil.