Riz au gras

Riz au gras is a West African one-pot rice dish in which long-grain rice is cooked in a richly flavored tomato-based sauce with meat and vegetables. It is particularly common in Burkina Faso and other francophone West African countries, where it is served at celebrations and family gatherings.

Riz au gras is closely related to jollof rice and other West African tomato-rice dishes, sharing the same fundamental technique of cooking rice in a seasoned tomato and onion sauce. The main differences are regional—the name 'riz au gras' is used in francophone countries like Burkina Faso, while 'jollof' is used in Anglophone countries like Nigeria and Ghana, with variations in spice blends and proteins.

Typical ingredients include long-grain rice, tomatoes or tomato paste, onions, meat (often beef or chicken), and vegetables such as carrots and eggplant. The dish is seasoned with stock cubes, garlic, chili peppers, and West African spice blends that vary by country and household.

The French name 'riz au gras' literally means 'fat rice' or 'greasy rice,' referring to the rich, oily quality the rice takes on from cooking in a sauce made with meat, oil, and sometimes bouillon. The name reflects the French colonial influence on West African cuisine while the dish itself is deeply rooted in regional cooking traditions.