Here’s an easy, Classic Rice Pilaf Recipe for you:
Call me addicted to Rice-a-Roni. Guilty, as charged. I’ve always love the stuff a little too much. I know that eating rice from a package isn’t as good as making it homemade, so I decided to go for it. I made some homemade rice pilaf. It was so easy!
Once you make this easy rice recipe once, you’ll never want to buy a box again.
All that’s involved is toasting some orzo pasta in butter with onions and garlic. Regular white rice and broth are added in later and cooked until tender. I like to use chicken broth. If you want to keep it vegetarian, use vegetable broth instead. No more Rice-a-Roni for me! And hopefully for you too 🙂
Variations on Classic Rice Pilaf:
Here are some great suggestions from readers who have made this:
- Use olive oil instead of butter for sauteing, then add butter to the rice when it’s done cooking to finish it off.
- Add in 4-ounces of broken-up vermicelli to the recipe.
- Add in celery, slivered almonds and golden raisins.
- Add in some chicken bouillon for more flavor.
- Really good with Parmesan cheese and chopped tomatoes.
Here are a few more rice recipes you might like:
- Spanish Rice
- Fiesta Rice
- Easy Coconut Rice
- Brown Butter Rice
- Fried Rice
- Baked Parmesan Rice
- Cranberry Rice Pilaf
- Lemon Rice with Capers and Parsley
Classic Rice Pilaf Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup orzo pasta
- 1/2 cup finely diced onion
- 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup uncooked white rice
- 2 cups chicken broth
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley, optional
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add the pasta and onion; cook until the pasta is golden brown and the onion has softened. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant (1 minute). Mix in the rice and chicken broth, turn heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes (until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender).
- Remove from heat, stir, and add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in parsley, if using.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What type of rice? Minute rice or regular white rice
regular white rice
Never, ever buy boxed rice pilaf again. Making this recipe for the second time in eight days.
Oh good!
I second adding the vermicelli, just measure of 4 oz into a ziplock and crunch it with your hands to make the pieces smaller.
I find it adds a nutty quality to the taste. Then I mix in slivered almond, golden raisins, and finely diced celery, about 4 oz each. I really like that combo.
Made the recipe as written and it was great! Big hit with my husband. I’ll be adding it to our regular dinner rotation.
Is the pasta precooked first?
No, use dry uncooked pasta.
By the way, do you have a good recipe for white minnestrone? Not the red.
thx
hopefully you did understand my commentary regarding the vermicili?
it is part of the mix, that is; flat macaroni, rice and the vermicili. The flat
macaroni is much more flavorful than the orzo you speak of…..good luck!
i have been making pilaf for years…..a little different from this recipe.
Never use orzo pasta, it just does not have that rounded flavor that
flat macaroni has. Also, i always use fine vermicili in the mix. Toasting
the rice somewhat releases that flavor needed, as well the other two
ingredients. I do not use chopped onions either, finely mashed garlic
is awesome. Assuming you like onions, then you should like garlic.
I use evoo in place of the butter, of course when this is fully cooked the
butter is added in the end result. Believe me, nothing else compares
when this is served piping hot…..
Sounds good- I personally love the orzo, but I do like vermicili so I can’t wait to try that!
I find putting a little chicken bouillon in makes it even better.
great tip!
I’ve never made Rice Pilaf but that looks really good. I think with some Parmesan cheese on top and maybe some diced tomatoes, this would make a great lunch for me.
sounds good!