Best Rice Pilaf Recipes

CLASSIC RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Melt butter and olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir until onion is lightly browned, 7 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Combine rice and onion mixture in a 9x13-inch casserole dish placed on a baking sheet. Stir thoroughly to coat the rice.
• Combine chicken stock, salt, saffron, and cayenne pepper in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Pour chicken stock mixture over rice in the casserole dish and stir to combine. Spread mixture evenly along the bottom of the pan. Cover tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Remove foil and fluff with a fork to separate the grains of rice.

CRANBERRY AND ALMOND RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook and stir onion in hot oil until tender and translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Stir cranberries and jasmine rice into onion until rice is coated with oil and rice is lightly toasted, about 5 minutes more.
• Pour chicken broth into skillet and season with kosher salt and black pepper.
• Bring rice mixture to a boil over high heat, then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 22 minutes.
• Remove skillet from heat; stir green onions, cilantro, and almonds into rice mixture. Adjust seasoning if necessary.

WILD RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saucepan, add the onion, and cook over low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until translucent. Add 5 cups of water, 2 teaspoons of salt, and the wild rice. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to very low, and simmer, covered, for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until the rice is tender. Drain well.
• Place the drained rice in a bowl, add the remaining tablespoon of butter, the scallions, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and the pepper. Taste for seasonings and serve hot.

BAKED RICE PILAF

Steps:

• In an ungreased 8-in. square baking dish, combine all the ingredients. Cover and bake at 375° for 40-45 minutes or until rice is tender, stirring after 25 minutes.

FRESH MUSHROOM RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat; cook and stir mushrooms, bell pepper, and onion until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in water, rice, bouillon granules, salt, garlic powder, and black pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, 14 to 16 minutes.

RICE PILAF

Steps:

• In 3-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Cook onion in butter about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender.
• Stir in rice. Cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in broth and salt.
• Heat to boiling, stirring once or twice; reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 16 minutes (do not lift cover or stir); remove from heat. Let stand covered 5 minutes.

BASMATI RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Heat chicken stock in a saucepan until boiling; keep hot until ready to use.
• Heat vegetable oil in a 2 quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook and stir onion and bay leaf in the hot oil until onion is tender, about 5 minutes.
• Stir basmati rice into onion mixture until rice is coated with oil.
• Pour hot chicken stock into the rice mixture. Season with salt; stir.
• Bring rice mixture to a boil; cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Continue simmering until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
• Remove saucepan from heat and discard bay leaf. Add butter and fluff the rice with a fork.

HERBED BROWN RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot and saute until tender. Add the rice and stir until the rice is glossy and coated with the butter. Season with salt and pepper.
• Add the stock, garlic and thyme. Cover with a tight fitting lid. Cook 40 minutes, turn off the heat and let sit for 10 minutes.
• Remove the thyme sprigs and garlic. Fluff with a fork and add parsley and green onions.

RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Combine broth, parsley and butter in a saucepan; bring to boil. Stir in rice; cover. Reduce heat; simmer 20 minutes.

EASY RICE PILAF

Steps:

• In a large skillet, brown rice in oil, stirring constantly. Blend in soup mix and pepper. Stir in water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until the rice is tender. Stir in peas. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

UZBEK PLOV (LAMB AND RICE PILAF)

Steps:

• Place basmati rice in a large bowl and cover with warm water. Set aside. Wash heads of garlic. Set aside.
• Heat vegetable oil in a dutch oven or large skillet over high heat until smoking, then add lamb, turning occasionally until the lamb is evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Stir in the onions; cook and stir until the onion has softened and browned, about 10 minutes. Stir in the carrots; cook and stir until the carrots have softened, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with cumin, coriander, barberries, and peppercorns. Drop whole garlic heads into the mixture, stirring to evenly distribute ingredients. Reduce heat to medium. Cover and cook for 30 minutes.
• Wash and drain basmati rice with hot water. Pour cleaned rice over the lamb mixture in an even layer. Slowly pour in the boiling water. The rice should be covered with about 3/4 inch of water. Do not stir. Season with salt, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook until rice is tender, and the liquid has been absorbed, about 20 minutes. Stir rice and lamb together, and serve with the garlic heads on top.

BROWN RICE PILAF

Steps:

• In a small skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring, until onion is golden, about 5 minutes.
• Add rice and sauté for 1 minute.
• Add broth, and season with salt and pepper to taste; bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low.
• Simmer until rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 45-50 minutes. Check rice occasionally and add water if necessary.
• Uncover and let rice stand for 5 minutes before serving.

ALMOND CRANBERRY RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the almonds and cook, stirring constantly, until golden and nutty smelling, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and reserve.
• Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in the saucepan and add the onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and cranberries and cook, stirring, until well coated, about 1 minute. Add the chicken broth, 1 1/2 cups water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste, and increase the heat to medium-high. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook until all the liquid has been absorbed, about 18 minutes. Take off the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Stir in half of the reserved almonds and the parsley, and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with the remaining toasted almonds.

ARMENIAN RICE PILAF WITH RAISINS AND ALMONDS

Steps:

• In a 5- to 6-quart pan over medium heat, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Break or crush the vermicelli into 1-inch lengths. Add the pasta and rice to the butter and stir often until golden, about 5-8 minutes, being careful not to burn the vermicelli.
• Add the broth, allspice and salt and pepper. Bring to a full boil over high heat, then cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until rice is tender to bite, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a sauté pan over medium heat, melt remaining 1 or 2 tablespoons butter. Add the almonds and stir often until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the raisins and stir until they puff, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Stir peas if using, parsley and lemon juice into rice. Cover and simmer until peas are hot, about 3-4 minutes.
• Pour pilaf into a serving bowl or on a platter and sprinkle with the raisin and nut mixture over the top. (Diced dried dates, figs, apricots or chopped walnuts may also be used in this topping.)

RICE AND BARLEY PILAF

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine broth and wild rice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in barley and brown rice; cover and simmer for 40-45 minutes or until grains are tender and the liquid is absorbed., Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, saute the mushrooms, onion and celery in butter and oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the rice mixture, cheese, cream and pepper; heat through.

VERMICELLI RICE PILAF

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, heat butter over medium-high heat. Add vermicelli; cook and stir 4-5 minutes or until golden brown. Add rice, broth, water, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 15-20 minutes or until rice is tender. Remove from heat; let stand, covered, 5 minutes., Fluff with a fork. If desired, top with chives.

CURRIED RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Saute 1 chopped onion, 2 smashed garlic cloves, 1 cinnamon stick, a strip of lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon curry powder and a pinch of turmeric in a saucepan with butter and olive oil until lightly browned. Add 1 cup basmati rice and stir until toasted. Add 1 1/3 cups water, season with salt and bring to a boil, then cover and simmer 15 minutes. Let sit 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork and add a splash of lemon juice and some cilantro and cashews.

EASY LEMON RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Combine egg yolks, cream, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a bowl; whisk thoroughly.
• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add rice; cook, stirring constantly, until opaque, 3 to 4 minutes. Add chicken broth; stir quickly. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer until rice is tender and liquid has been absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Fold lemon-cream mixture into the rice; mix well. Stir in Parmesan cheese and parsley.

HOME-STYLE BROWN RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Bring 1-1/2 cups water to boil, add rice. Bring contents back to a boil, cover the pot and simmer for 45-50 minutes, or until rice is tender.
• Approximately 20 minutes before rice is finished cooking heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in onions and saute them, stirring frequently until they soften. Add the garlic and carrots and continue stirring for 5 minutes.
• Place mushrooms inside of skillet and cook until mushrooms begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the chickpeas and cook 1 more minute.
• When the rice is finished cooking pour the eggs into the skillet and cook the mixture, stirring constantly until the eggs are cooked. Remove the skillet from the heat, stir in pepper, parsley, and nuts.
• Spoon the cooked rice into the skillet and stir well. Serve the pilaf hot with soy sauce on the side for added flavor.

RICE PILAF WITH ALMONDS AND RAISINS

Steps:

• Put the rice in a bowl. Wash in several changes of water. Drain. Let the rice soak in water that covers it generously for 30 minutes. Drain through a sieve and leave in the sieve suspended over a bowl to drip. Pour the oil into a heavy, medium pan (that has a tight-fitting lid) and set over medium-high heat. When hot, put in the cinnamon. Let it sizzle for 10 seconds. Put in the onions. Stir and fry the onions until they start to brown. Add the almonds. Stir until they are golden. Add the raisins. Stir until they are plump, just a few seconds. Add the drained rice and salt. Stir very gently to mix. Add 2 2/3 cups water and bring to a boil. Cover tightly, turn heat to very, very low, and simmer gently for 25 minutes.