Go Back
+ servings

Pilaf

Rice Pilaf is about to become your holiday worthy, favorite easy, side dish that that goes with practically everything! Rice Pilaf is one of my favorite side dishes EVER! It’s a delectable one-pot wonder boasting fluffy, toasted rice and orzo cooked with onions and celery in herb infused chicken stock - on your table in less than 30 minutes! It’s wonderfully flavorful, simple, and 1000X times better than the boxed variety. This Rice Pilaf recipe is also extremely versatile - customize it to your tastes or cuisine with different seasonings or add-ins such as peas, carrots, raisins, almonds, etc. No matter how you mix it up, this no-fail Rice Pilaf recipe is guaranteed to become one of YOUR favorite recipes!
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 6 -8 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 medium onion chopped
  • 1/2 cup chopped celery
  • 1 cup uncooked jasmine rice thoroughly rinsed
  • 4 cloves garlic finely minced
  • 3 2/3 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons chicken bouillon
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1/2 tsp EACH dried oregano, salt
  • 1/4 tsp EACH dried thyme, pepper
  • 1/8-1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
  • 1/4 cup sliced almonds

Instructions

  • Melt butter in olive oil in a nonstick skillet with a tight-fitting lid over medium heat. Add orzo, onions and celery; sauté 3 minutes stirring often.
  • Add rice and cook an additional 3-5 minutes or until orzo is deeply golden and onions are softened. Add garlic and stir for one minute. Add chicken broth, bay leaf and all seasonings.
  • Cover and increase temperature to high. As soon as rice is simmering, reduce to LOW and cook for 10 minutes. Stir, replace lid and cook an additional 5-8 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. If the liquid absorbs before the rice is al dente, add up to 1/4 cup additional liquid.
  • Add peas to pot, and fluff to combine with a fork. Replace the lid, and let the rice sit for 10 more minutes.
  • Remove lid, add almonds and fluff with a fork to distribute. Add salt to taste, as needed. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley, if desired.

Notes

TIPS AND TRICKS

  • Rinse and drain rice thoroughly:  rice contains a lot of gluten which will cause the rice to stick together and can even make it mushy once cooked. To eliminate the mushy problem, it is crucial to remove the extra starch from the rice by rinsing it with cool water in a fine mesh sieve until the water runs clear – don’t shortcut this process!
  • Use a nonstick pan. It is essential your pan is nonstick because the rice will soak up all the liquid, evaporating the protective barrier between the rice and the pan.
  • Sauté rice until toasted:  toasting the rice adds another dimension of rich, complex, nutty flavor.  It also coats the rice in a protective toasted shell which helps them remain individual grains and not clump.   
  • If liquid evaporates before rice is done: then add just a little liquid, keeping in mind that the rice will continue to steam for 10 minutes once it’s removed from heat, so it doesn’t need to be 100% cooked once liquid is gone.
  • If rice is still wet: don’t worry, it will continue to absorb the 10 minutes while it is steaming.  When you remove the lid after 10 minutes, you can let the rice sit an additional 5-10 minutes to dry out.
  • Let it steam:  don’t shortcut the 10-minute steaming process as it gives the rice time to finish cooking and firm up which in turn, makes it fluffier. 
  • Use a fork to fluff the rice: instead of a spoon or a spatula because the tines help separate the rice grains whereas a spoon can mash or break the grains.
  • Salt and pepper to taste: rice soaks up salt so if you feel like your Rice Pilaf is missing something- it is probably salt.  I add additional freshly cracked salt and pepper to my rice be sure you taste your rice first before seasoning!
  • Make it YOUR Rice Pilaf: keep your Rice Pilaf as simple or as adventurous as you would like when it comes to add-ins. 

STORAGE

  • Refrigerate:  Let Rice Pilaf cool to room temperature then transfer to a tightly covered airtight container or to several small containers for meal prep. Store in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days.
  • Freezer: Rice Pilaf can also be frozen.  Take care to let the rice cool completely before transferring to a freezer bag (recommended) or freezer-safe airtight container.  If using a bag, squeeze out as much excess air as possible to prevent freezer burn. Label and freeze for up to 3 months. Let Rice Pilaf thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat in the microwave or stove as directed.

Rice Pilaf Recipe VARIATIONS

This recipe is for more classic Rice Pilaf featuring minced onion, garlic, celery, peas and almonds, but it is SO versatile.  Make it your own by swapping out spices, adding protein, veggies, currants, etc. to make it YOUR favorite rice pilaf!

Swap the seasonings

You can swap the more Italian seasonings with other favorites for more exotic Rice Pilaf. For example:
  • Make Thanksgiving rice pilaf by adding a touch of orange zest, cinnamon, craisins or pomegranate seeds and swapping the almonds for roasted pecans.
  • Make Greek rice pilaf by stirring in 2--4 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, lemon juice to taste (1-2 tablespoons) and ¼ cup feta.
  • Make Indian rice pilaf by adding curry powder, coriander, turmeric, and/or cinnamon.  Fennel would also be a welcome addition.  You can also add raisins or cashews.
  • Another exotic favorite Rice Pilaf combo is to add cinnamon, mint and pistachios.

Add fresh herbs

Fresh herbs always enliven a dish and, in this case, can change the flavor profile.  Think about adding:
  • Cilantro
  • Parsley
  • Mint
  • Chives

Swap stock

Chicken stock is readily available and will give you the classic taste, but you can also swap it for:
  • Seafood stock
  • Beef stock
  • Vegetable stock

Add protein

Rice pilaf can instantly become a meal-in-one by adding protein.  For an easy dinner, consider adding:

Add More veggies

You can swap the celery and peas for your favorite veggies or add additional veggies.  You’ll want to sauté longer cooking vegetables like carrots and broccoli with the orzo, shorter cooking vegetables like zucchini and bell peppers with the rice and of course add spinach at the very end of cooking.
  • Carrots
  • Broccoli
  • Zucchini
  • bell peppers
  • mushrooms
  • spinach
  • tomatoes
  • Frozen vegetable medley:  Like the frozen peas, you can use a frozen, corn/carrot/pea medley and stir them into your rice after it has cooked but before you recover and let the pot sit 10 minutes.

Swap nuts or seeds

I love Rice Pilaf with CRUNCH!  This easy Rice Pilaf recipe use slivered almonds (my fav for this), but most nuts or seeds will work great:
  • Pecans
  • Pistachios
  • Cashews
  • Peanuts
  • Pine nuts
  • Sesame seeds

Add currants or Pomegranate Arils

I love sweet pops in my savory sides such as:
  • Raisins
  • Craisins
  • Chopped dried apricots
  • Pomegranate seeds: especially festive for Thanksgiving!

Add cheese

Cheese makes everything better!  Try stirring in some Parmesan cheese for an Italian flair or feta for more of a Greek flair.  Reduce the amount of salt if you know you are going to be adding cheese.