Indulge in the delightful aroma of fluffy, aromatic rice pilaf, a culinary masterpiece that tantalizes taste buds and elevates any meal. This versatile dish, deeply rooted in Middle Eastern cuisine, has captivated hearts worldwide with its irresistible blend of flavors and textures. Embark on a culinary journey as we explore two enticing variations of rice pilaf: the classic recipe, a harmonious symphony of fragrant basmati rice, toasted almonds, and savory spices; and the vegetarian delight, a vibrant medley of colorful vegetables, aromatic herbs, and wholesome brown rice.
Here are our top 12 tried and tested recipes!
ALMOND RICE PILAF
This Almond Rice Pilaf recipe calls for pantry staples and takes less than 30 minutes to prepare. An easy, delicious, versatile side dish!
Provided by Valerie Brunmeier
Categories Side Dish
Time 23m
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Melt butter in a 12-inch skillet with a lid over MEDIUM heat. Add rice, orzo and almonds and cook, stirring, for several minutes until they are lightly toasted.
- Carefully pour in the chicken broth. Add all the seasonings, except the parsley. Stir to combine and bring to a low boil. Reduce heat to LOW, cover the skillet and cook for 20 minutes or until the broth has been absorbed and the rice and orzo are tender and fluffy. Remove from the heat, stir in parsley, and serve.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 275 kcal, Carbohydrate 36 g, Protein 8 g, Fat 11 g, SaturatedFat 4 g, Cholesterol 15 mg, Sodium 233 mg, Fiber 2 g, Sugar 1 g, ServingSize 1 serving
CRANBERRY AND ALMOND RICE PILAF
I've been making this dish for years - it's different from typical rice pilaf dishes in that the cranberries add the sweetness and the tartness that you don't expect in a savory dish. Oh, and it's super hard to fumble.
Provided by BOGINIA2
Categories Side Dish Rice Side Dish Recipes Pilaf
Time 45m
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 10
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.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 212.6 calories, Carbohydrate 39.4 g, Cholesterol 1.5 mg, Fat 3.9 g, Fiber 1.6 g, Protein 5.1 g, SaturatedFat 0.6 g, Sodium 285.2 mg, Sugar 6.1 g
ALMOND RICE PILAF
Sharon Adamczyk of Wind Lake, Wisconsin writes, "With quick-cooking rice, this is a speedy side dish...but the almonds make it special enough to serve to company. It goes well with all kinds of meats."
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Side Dishes
Time 13m
Yield 6 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- In a large saucepan, saute onion and almonds in butter until onion is tender and almonds are lightly browned. Add broth; bring to a boil. Stir in rice. Cover and remove from the heat. Let stand for 5-8 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 185 calories, Fat 5g fat (0 saturated fat), Cholesterol 2mg cholesterol, Sodium 331mg sodium, Carbohydrate 30g carbohydrate (2g sugars, Fiber 2g fiber), Protein 5g protein. Diabetic Exchanges
ALMOND RICE PILAF
This tasty rice pilaf dish features slivered almonds. Cooking rice via the pilaf method brings out nutty, toasty flavors, and it's less sticky, too.
Provided by Danilo Alfaro
Categories Side Dish
Time 25m
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Gather the ingredients.
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Heat a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, then add butter. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring stock or broth to a boil.
- When butter gets foamy, add diced onion and almonds and sauté until onion is slightly translucent, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add uncooked rice and sauté, stirring constantly, for about a minute, or until rice is fully coated with the melted butter.
- Add hot stock or broth, bring back to a boil, then add bay leaf. Cover and place entire pot in the oven. Tip: Check seasoning of cooking liquid and make any necessary adjustments before pot goes into oven.
- Cook rice in oven for 18 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed. If after 18 minutes, there's still liquid in the pot or rice is still too moist, re-cover and return pot to oven for another 2 to 4 minutes.
- Remove pot from oven and gently fluff rice with a wooden fork. Remove bay leaf and discard. Then place a paper towel across top of pot, replace lid, and let rice stand for 10 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve right away.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 212 kcal, Carbohydrate 18 g, Cholesterol 18 mg, Fiber 2 g, Protein 6 g, SaturatedFat 4 g, Sodium 255 mg, Sugar 2 g, Fat 13 g, ServingSize 4 servings, UnsaturatedFat 0 g
DELICIOUS ALMOND RICE PILAF
A delicious side dish for beef or chicken. A great change from plain rice or boxed rice mixes. I like to serve this with grilled chicken or with saucy cube steaks.
Provided by DHANO923
Categories Side Dish Rice Side Dish Recipes Pilaf
Time 40m
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat; cook and stir onion until tender, about 5 minutes. Add rice and almonds, cooking and stirring until rice is lightly toasted, about 5 minutes more. Stir in water, bouillon, and parsley; cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until water is absorbed and rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and allow rice to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 212.2 calories, Carbohydrate 38.7 g, Fat 4.1 g, Fiber 1.2 g, Protein 4.2 g, SaturatedFat 0.6 g, Sodium 222.8 mg, Sugar 0.8 g
RICE PILAF WITH TOASTED ALMONDS
Simple last-minute touches like toasted nuts will liven up your side dishes.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Ingredients Pasta and Grains Rice Recipes
Time 40m
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Cook onion, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 8 minutes.
- Add coriander; season with coarse salt and ground pepper. Add rice; cook, stirring, until edges are transparent, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in 1 can chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Cover; simmer over low heat until liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand, covered, 10 minutes.
- Stir parsley into rice. Sprinkle with almonds, and serve.
APPLE RICE PILAF WITH TOASTED ALMONDS
Steps:
- In a medium saucepan, melt butter and saute onion and apples over medium heat until soft. Add apple juice, increase heat to high, and bring to a boil. Stir in rice. Cover and remove from heat. Let stand for 5 minutes. Remove cover and stir in toasted almonds. Serve.
ALMOND CRANBERRY RICE PILAF
Provided by Valerie Bertinelli
Categories side-dish
Time 45m
Yield 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 8
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.
SAFFRON RICE PILAF WITH TOASTED ALMONDS
This is a rice pilaf recipe that I make all the time. I started making it to avoid the sodium and preservatives in the boxed versions of rice pilaf. This recipe is healthy and the ingredients are inexpensive. It's one of my husband's favorite!
Provided by Jennigator3
Categories Long Grain Rice
Time 26m
Yield 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- In a medium saucepan on medium-low heat, toast almonds until they turn a golden-brown color. Remove from saucepan and set aside.
- In the same saucepan on medium heat, melt butter.
- Add vermicelli noodles and brown for 1 minute.
- Add rice and brown for 1-2 additional minutes being careful not to burn noodles or rice.
- Add seasoned salt, saffron, toasted almonds and chicken broth and bring to a boil.
- Cover saucepan and reduce heat to lowest setting. Cook covered for 16 minutes.
- Remove lid and fluff with a fork.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 192.9, Fat 5.4, SaturatedFat 2.2, Cholesterol 7.6, Sodium 401.2, Carbohydrate 29.6, Fiber 1.4, Sugar 0.5, Protein 5.6
RICE PILAF WITH ALMONDS
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Ingredients Pasta and Grains Rice Recipes
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Stir in coriander, and season with salt and pepper. Add rice, and cook, stirring, until the edges of the rice kernels are transparent, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in broth or water. Bring to a boil; cover, and simmer over low heat until liquid has absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and let stand, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, spread almonds in one layer on a baking sheet; bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
- Stir parsley into the rice mixture. Serve sprinkled with almonds.
RICE PILAF WITH PISTACHIOS AND ALMONDS
This dish is inspired by a number of Persian rice pilafs, but it's simpler, and calls for much less butter than an authentic Persian pilaf. There are sweet and tart flavors at play here, especially if you use barberries, but apricots also have a tart edge to them. Rose water makes the pilaf wonderfully fragrant.
Provided by Martha Rose Shulman
Categories side dish
Time 35m
Yield Serves 4
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Place rice in a bowl in the sink and rinse several times with water, or soak for 30 minutes to an hour. Drain.
- Heat water or stock to a bare simmer in a saucepan or in microwave.
- Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil, butter or ghee in a wide, heavy skillet or saucepan over medium heat and add onion and salt to taste. Cook, stirring, until the onion begins to soften, about 3 minutes, and add rice. Cook, stirring, until the grains of rice are separate, dry and beginning to crackle. Add hot water or stock, rose water and salt to taste and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes, until all of the liquid has been absorbed.
- Uncover rice and place a clean towel over the top of the pan (it should not be touching the rice). Replace lid and allow to sit for 10 minutes, undisturbed.
- Meanwhile, heat remaining tablespoon of oil, butter or ghee over medium heat in a medium frying pan or saucepan and add the nuts. Cook, stirring, until lightly toasted, and add spices and barberries or dried apricots. Continue to cook for another minute, until the spices smell fragrant, and remove from the heat. Immediately scrape over the rice.
- Pile the pilaf onto a platter or into a wide bowl and toss to incorporate the nut and spice mixture. Serve.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 343, UnsaturatedFat 13 grams, Carbohydrate 46 grams, Fat 15 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 7 grams, SaturatedFat 2 grams, Sodium 463 milligrams, Sugar 5 grams, TransFat 0 grams
ARMENIAN RICE PILAF WITH RAISINS AND ALMONDS
This traditional Armenian rice pilaf has been passed down through the generations of Christine Vartanian Datian's family. Peas, parsley and allspice have been added to the original for extra flavor and color.
Provided by Tara Parker-Pope
Time 45m
Yield Serves 4-6
Number Of Ingredients 11
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.)
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 573, UnsaturatedFat 10 grams, Carbohydrate 85 grams, Fat 20 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 14 grams, SaturatedFat 8 grams, Sodium 551 milligrams, Sugar 11 grams, TransFat 0 grams
Tips:
- Use high-quality rice. Long-grain rice, such as basmati or jasmine, works best for pilaf.
- Rinse the rice before cooking. This removes the starch and helps the rice cook evenly.
- Toast the rice in butter or oil before adding the liquid. This gives the rice a nutty flavor and helps it absorb the liquid.
- Use a flavorful broth or stock. Chicken broth, vegetable broth, or even water can be used, but a flavorful broth will add more depth to the dish.
- Add aromatics to the rice. Onions, garlic, and herbs like thyme or rosemary are all great additions to pilaf.
- Cook the rice over low heat. This helps the rice cook evenly and prevents it from burning.
- Let the rice rest before serving. This allows the rice to absorb all of the liquid and flavors.
Conclusion:
Rice pilaf is a versatile and delicious dish that can be served as a side dish or a main course. It is a great way to use up leftover rice, and it can also be made with a variety of different ingredients, making it a perfect dish for any occasion.
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