1
Brown the meat
Heat oil in a large pot. Season meat with salt and black pepper, then brown on all sides. Remove and reserve.
Brown meat
10:00
Burkina Faso | Main dish
Riz Gras
Burkina Faso's rich one-pot rice cooked in a meat and tomato broth with vegetables. The rice is "fat" from absorbing all the flavours of the stock.
Country
Burkina Faso
Region
West Africa
Time
70 min
Serves
6
Level
medium
Recipe overview
What to know before you cook
Riz Gras, meaning "fat rice," is the celebratory dish of Burkina Faso. The Mossi people prepare it for weddings, baptisms, and any occasion worthy of gathering. The rice cooks directly in the meat broth, absorbing every drop of flavour.
What the dish tastes like
Burkina Faso's rich one-pot rice cooked in a meat and tomato broth with vegetables. The rice is "fat" from absorbing all the flavours of the stock.
When to cook it
Best for Celebrations and family gatherings, with a medium cooking level and about 70 minutes total.
What to serve alongside it
Fried plantain and a simple salad
Follow the collection
One-Pot Wonders is the easiest collection to explore after this dish. One-Pot Wonders
Regional lane
Burkina Faso national table. A verified Burkina Faso dish in the AfroKitchen archive.
Chef watch-outs
- Adding too much liquid after the rice goes in.
- Stirring too often once the grains should be steaming.
- Rushing the base before the raw edge has cooked out.
How you know it is ready
- The grains should be tender but still distinct, with steam carrying the seasoning upward.
- The aroma should smell rounded rather than raw or sharp.
- Oil, sauce, broth, or steam should look settled and deliberate.
Recipe photos
See the dish before you cook
Each recipe supports one main image and up to four extra prep, serving, or step photos when they are available.
Chef board
Build the table around Riz Gras
Fried plantain and a simple salad
Best route from here
Burkina Faso national table
Collections to keep cooking
How to cook it
Step-by-step method
Keep the rhythm calm, watch the texture, and adjust seasoning at the end.
5 steps
70 min total
medium
2
Build the base
Fry onions and garlic in the same pot until golden. Add tomato paste and cook 3 minutes. Add 5 cups water or stock, optional hot pepper, and the browned meat. Bring to a boil and simmer until meat is tender, about 25 minutes.
Simmer meat
25:00
3
Add vegetables
Add carrots and cabbage to the pot. Cook for 5 minutes.
Cook vegetables
05:00
4
Cook the rice
Add the washed rice to the pot, ensuring liquid covers it by about 2cm. Cover tightly and cook on low heat for 25 minutes without opening.
The rice should absorb all the flavoured broth.
Cook rice
25:00
5
Serve
Fluff rice with a fork. Serve with the meat and vegetables arranged on top.
Every household has small variations. Start here, then adjust seasoning, heat, and serving sides to your kitchen.