Charleston Red Rice
Charleston Red Rice bakes fluffy long-grain rice with a savory tomato base, smoky bacon, and sweet onions, finished with Worcestershire and a touch of hot sauce for gentle heat. It’s a Lowcountry classic that’s hearty yet balanced—tangy, slightly sweet, and porky. Serve it as a standout side for cookouts, Sunday suppers, or alongside grilled and roasted meats.
- Prep15 mins
- Cook1 hr 5 mins
- Serves8
- DifficultyEasy
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Charleston Red Rice, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactFair
- 52 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 20 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityGood
- 90 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Processed Culinary Ingredients
- 2 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 56
- Heart Health
- 73
- Metabolic
- 43
- Digestive
- 36
- Inflammatory
- 35
- Performance
- 51
- General Wellness
- 1
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) and grease a 2-quart baking dish.
- 2
In a saucepan, bring water, rice, and salt to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes.
- 3
While the rice cooks, cook the bacon in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Keep about 1 tablespoon of bacon drippings in the pan and reduce the heat to medium. Drain the bacon on a paper towel–lined plate; once cool enough to handle, crumble the bacon.
- 4
Cook and stir the onions in the reserved bacon drippings until translucent, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the crumbled bacon, tomato sauce, tomato paste, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce; bring to a simmer, reduce the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.
- 5
Spoon the cooked rice into the prepared baking dish and stir in the tomato-bacon mixture until evenly combined.
- 6
Cover the dish and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes.
- Calories 453.84 kcal High 23%
- Protein 13.15 g Good Source 26%
- Carbohydrate 60.95 g 22%
- Total Fat 19.03 g High 24%
- Saturated Fat 1.74 g Moderate 9%
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Cholesterol 4.27 mg Low Source 1%
- Sodium 423.71 mg Moderate 18%
- Dietary Fiber 5.84 g Good Source 21%
- Total Sugars 7.14 g --
- Added Sugars 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Calcium 177.23 mg Moderate 14%
- Iron 5.36 mg Good Source 30%
- Potassium 905.6 mg Moderate 19%
- Vitamin A 35.77 mcg Low Source 4%
- Vitamin C 6.35 mg Low Source 7%
- Vitamin D 0.0 mcg Low Source 0%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Wheat 🌾
- Gluten
- Tomatoes 🍅
- Onions 🧅
About This Recipe
Charleston Red Rice is a Cajun and Creole side dish recipe made with 11 ingredients. It takes about 1 hr 20 mins, serves 8, and is rated easy. Key ingredients include Bacon, Bottled Water, Cooking Spray, and Hot Sauce. Each serving provides about 453.84 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Charleston Red Rice?
- It is a Cajun and Creole recipe made with 11 ingredients, usually served for side dish or dinner or lunch.
- What is Charleston Red Rice made of?
- The main ingredients are Bacon, Bottled Water, Cooking Spray, Hot Sauce, Salt. The full list of 11 is above.
- How long does it take to make Charleston Red Rice?
- About 1 hr 20 mins in total: 15 mins to prepare and 1 hr 5 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 453.84 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Charleston Red Rice easy to make?
- This recipe is rated easy, with 11 ingredients and 6 steps.
- Is Charleston Red Rice healthy?
- Charleston Red Rice has an easyChef Pro health score of 50/100. Per serving, it provides 453.84 calories and 13.15 g of protein, or 26% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of dietary fiber and iron. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 423.71 mg (18% of the Daily Value) and saturated fat at 1.74 g (9% of the Daily Value). It contains Wheat, Gluten, Tomatoes and Onions, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
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