Vegetable rice pilaf is a classic dish made with sauteed veggies and rice cooked in broth with mild spices. Pair it with your favorite protein for a complete meal.
Heather's recipe summary
Flavor: Tender white rice is cooked in broth with mild seasonings and sauteed veggies.
Pair with anything: Rice pilaf is a classic side dish that goes with chicken, beef, lamb, salmon, shrimp, and more.
Serves: 4 people
Similar to: Sesame Rice and Parmesan Orzo and Peas
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Broth - Chicken or vegetable broth works in this recipe.
- Mirepoix - A blend of carrots, celery, and onion add mild, savory flavor to the rice. Use a bag of frozen mirepoix to save on prep time!
- Rice - Any long grain white rice works great. I used jasmine rice. If you'd like to use brown rice, keep in mind that takes about double the time to cook and requires more liquid.
- Butter - Can be substituted with olive oil if desired.
- Seasoning - Garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper add a mild, savory flavor to your rice.
How to make vegetable rice pilaf
- Sauté veggies in butter until lightly browned around the edges.
- Add rice and toast for 2-3 minutes.
- Add remaining ingredients to the pan and bring to a simmer.
- Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for 18-20 minutes, or until rice is tender.
Tips and tricks
Rinse your rice - Before beginning, rinse your rice to remove surface starches. This helps the rice cook up fluffy with individual grains. Otherwise, rice can turn out sticky or gummy.
Simmering rice - Once the broth comes to a simmer, cover and reduce the heat to low/almost off. As long as the lid is secure, there's no need to leave your rice over high heat. This can cause excess steam to escape and rice to turn out dry or burned to the bottom of the pan.
Rice looking dry? - Add a splash of water, stir gently, and cover to continue cooking.
Rice sticking to the bottom of the pan? - Your heat is too high. Add a splash of water, stir gently, and reduce the heat.
Stir sparingly - Stirring rice too much can cause it to stick together and get mushy.
Don't lift the lid too often - This lets out steam and heat, drying out the rice and elongating the cooking process.
Frequently asked questions
Serve your rice pilaf with chicken, beef, lamb, salmon, or shrimp. It's a highly versatile side dish that goes with just about any savory main course.
Try adding some chopped broccoli florets, frozen peas, or green beans halfway through the cooking time to add more bulk to the dish.
Yes, but with changes to the recipe. Brown rice takes about 45 minutes to cook through, and you may need to add a splash of additional water partway through cooking. I've included instructions for brown rice in the recipe card below.
Leftovers will keep for 3-4 days in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer.
Recommended
📖 Recipe
Vegetable Rice Pilaf
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium carrot, diced
- 1 celery rib, diced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 cup white rice
- 16 ounces chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add carrot, celery, and onion and sauté until lightly browned around the edges and soft, about 4-5 minutes.
- Add rice to the pan and toast for 2-3 minutes.
- Add chicken broth, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper and stir to combine.
- Bring to a simmer, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook for about 18-20 minutes, or until rice is tender.
- Gently stir and fluff rice with a fork. Optionally, top with fresh chopped parsley. Serve warm.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Substituting with brown rice: If you'd like to use brown rice, it will take significantly longer to cook - up to 45 minutes instead of the listed 18-20 minutes. Consult your rice's package directions for best results. You may also need to add an additional splash of water partway through cooking if it begins to look dry.
- Storage: Leftovers will keep for 3-4 days in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator or 3 months in the freezer.
I had so much fun creating this recipe! I hope you give it a try and love it as much as I do. If you have a question, check out the post above, which is packed with information about the recipe. Tried the recipe? I'd love to hear your thoughts — leave a comment and a star rating to share your feedback!