Recipe

Easy Tomato Rice and Zucchini Pancakes, Because Vegetables

By Amanda Chong at UC San Diego

We all need to get our serving of vegetables every day to maintain a healthy, balanced diet. However, eating lettuce, carrots, and cucumbers in a salad every time gets a bit bland and boring. Is there a better to eat my vegetables without the sorrow of tasting something that tastes healthy? You’ve come to the right place.

What better way to eat your veggies than to mix with other recipes? Fusing zucchini and pancakes alongside tomatoes and rice into a must-try dish is a unique take on vegetables that will make you rethink your daily intake.

A dish with a nice crunch from the breadcrumbs and a clean taste from the lack of mysterious ingredients, this recipe is better tasting and healthy. With this recipe under your belt, you’ll find pleasure in knowing that you can eat something good for you that tastes good.

Tomato Rice and Zucchini Pancakes

  • Prep Time: 17 minutes
  • Cook Time: 24 minutes
  • Total Time: 41 minutes
  • Servings: 4-5 servings
  • Medium
Ingredients
  • 1 zucchini
  • 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1 egg
  • 1/8 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tomato
  • 1 1/2 cup rice
  • 2 cup water
  • 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil
  • 1/3 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Photo by Amanda Chong

Step 1

Pour 1 ½ cups of rice and 2 cups of water into a pot. Add the vegetable oil, 1/3 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper to the rice and mix.

Photo by Amanda Chong

Step 2

Remove the stem of the tomato.

Photo by Amanda Chong

Step 3

Place the tomato in the middle of the rice.

Photo by Amanda Chong

Step 4

Cook the rice for 20 minutes on medium-low heat or until the rice is firm.

Step 5

Wash and slice the zucchini into small strips. Place strips into a bowl.

#SpoonTip: Using a grater to shred the zucchini will speed up the prep time.

Photo by Amanda Chong

Step 6

Squeeze the zucchini to soften the texture and pour out excess water.

Photo by Amanda Chong

Step 7

Mix in the egg, flour, breadcrumbs, a pinch of black pepper, and a pinch of salt to the zucchini.

Photo by Amanda Chong

Step 8

On medium-low heat, scoop ¼ of the zucchini mixture into a frying pan and even out the mixture.

Photo by Amanda Chong

Step 9

Once golden brown, remove the zucchini pancake and place on a plate.

Repeat for the remaining mixture.

Step 10

Once the rice is cooked, mix with a rice paddle or a spoon to break the tomato apart.

Photo by Amanda Chong

Step 11

To assemble, place one zucchini pancake on a plate. Add some of your rice and top it off with another zucchini pancake.

#SpoonTip: The zucchini mixture can be stir-fried all at once as a side dish for the rice.

Photo by Amanda Chong

Want more vegetarian recipes? Check out these articles: