Rice Pilaf
Homemade Rice Pilaf is easy to make, has great flavor, and it’s a perfect side dish that goes with just about anything.
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Rice Pilaf is one of my favorite sides I like to order when I’m at a restaurant. The flavor is simple and light, and I love the combination of orzo pasta and rice. When I discovered how easy it was to make at home, I was completely hooked and my family loves to eat it too!
What Is Rice Pilaf?
Pilaf is a rice dish that involves toasting rice and orzo pasta with onions and spices, then cooking in chicken or vegetable stock. This method results in a light and fluffy texture. It’s simple yet so good!
Ingredients For Rice Pilaf:
- Butter-This recipe only calls for 1 tablespoon of butter and it adds a nice richness without too much added fat. You can also use olive oil.
- Long Grain White Rice– I find that Long Grain White Rice works best for pilaf but you can use jasmine or basmati.
- Orzo Pasta– This pasta shape is very similar to rice and adds great texture to rice pilaf.
- Onion– Adds a mild flavor that’s really the foundation of a good pilaf recipe.
- Chicken Stock– I love using Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base for my liquid. It adds the best flavor. I even like it better than homemade stock. You can also use vegetable stock.
- Garlic Powder, Fresh Parsley, Salt & Pepper– Simple spices and herbs that are simple and make a big difference.
Can I use Brown Rice?
I actually haven’t tried brown rice for pilaf. It does need to cook much longer than white rice so keep that in mind if you decide to try it. It will also be less fluffy as brown rice is a thicker grain and has more starch.
Additional Spices:
Rice Pilaf is pretty basic with herbs and spices which is what makes it “simply” delicious. You can add in your favorite dried herbs like Italian seasoning and thyme, and bump up the flavor with fresh minced garlic in place of the garlic powder.
Add Cheese:
Adding cheese gives it an extra boost of flavor and saltiness. Freshly grated parmesan, cheddar, or crumbled feta all work great.
How To Make Rice Pilaf:
Step 1: Sauté orzo pasta with butter until deep golden brown. Add onions and cook until softened.
Step 2: Add garlic powder and rice. Stir and cook for 1 minute.
Step 3: Add chicken or vegetable stock, salt and pepper. Stir and bring to a boil.
Step 4: Once boiling place lid on and turn heat down to simmer. Cook for 25 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed.
Step 5: Remove from heat and let set for 5 minutes. Add fresh parsley and fluff with a fork.
Tips:
- Keep an eye on the orzo pasta while toasting as it can go from a perfectly golden color to burnt very quickly.
- Rinse rice to remove the excess starch. This is optional, but sometimes this can affect how fluffy the rice turns out. Place rice in a fine strainer and rinse until clear. This takes a couple minutes.
Other Rice Recipes You Might Like:
Make Sure To Rate The Recipe When You Make It!
Let’s eat!
Rice Pilaf
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1/2 cup orzo pasta
- 1/4 cup chopped yellow onion
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 cup long grain white rice
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1/4 tsp salt & pepper
- 1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley 1 tsp if dried
Instructions
- Heat a medium size skillet with fitted lid to medium heat. Add butter and orzo pasta. Toast pasta in butter until deep golden brown stirring often, about 5 minutes.
- Once orzo is browned add onions and cook until just softened, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in rice, garlic powder, and salt.
- Add chicken or vegetable stock. Stir and raise heat to bring to a boil. Once boiling, place the lid on and turn heat down to low. Simmer for 25 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed.
- Remove from heat and let set 5 minutes. Add fresh parsley and fluff with a fork.
- Taste to adjust seasonings and serve.
Notes
- Keep an eye on the orzo pasta while toasting as it can go from a perfectly golden color to burnt very quickly.
- Rinse rice to remove the excess starch. This is optional, but sometimes this can affect how fluffy the rice turns out. Place rice in a fine strainer and rinse until clear. This takes a couple minutes.
- Add additional seasonings dried Italian seasoning, thyme, fresh minced garlic, ect…. Rice Pilaf is easily customizable to your taste.
- Add cheese like freshly grated parmesan, cheddar, or crumbled feta.
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 4 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories 156 | |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 3.5g | 4% |
| Saturated Fat 1.9g | 10% |
| Cholesterol 8mg | 3% |
| Sodium 404mg | 18% |
| Total Carbohydrate 27.5g | 10% |
| Dietary Fiber 0.9g | 3% |
| Total Sugars 0.9g | |
| Protein 3.4g | |
| Vitamin D 2mcg | 10% |
| Calcium 19mg | 1% |
| Iron 1mg | 8% |
| Potassium 47mg | 1% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
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