This Homemade Rice Pilaf is a simple weeknight side dish that is crispy, buttery, and super easy to make! A healthier version of Rice a Roni and Near Eastern Pilaf made with brown rice, angel hair pasta, and a few pantry staples.
Why it’s worth making your own rice pilaf
Rice pilaf is not only a dish, but also a cooking technique. The main difference between rice and rice pilaf is that the rice in pilaf is fried first and then the liquid is added. Roasting rice gives it a more nutty, roasted flavor, and the coating makes it less sticky.
- Customized Flavors: You can add different seasonings to create Italian, Mexican, or Indian versions. You can make vegetable rice pilaf with your favorite vegetables, or you can make it a meal by adding your favorite protein. The options are endless!
- It’s healthier than store-bought. Using whole-grain pasta and brown rice provides more nutritional benefits than white rice and regular pasta, and canned chicken broth is generally a cleaner ingredient than the flavor packets that come in boxes.
- Quick and easy: Making your own rice pilaf doesn’t take any more time than a box mix! It goes from stovetop to table in about 20 minutes with virtually no prep work required.
- Budget-Friendly: Inexpensive ingredients and pantry staples add great flavor to this recipe.
materials needed
Below are the ingredients for this pilaf. See recipe card above for exact measurements..
- butter It adds richness and helps toast the pasta. Olive oil is a great dairy-free option.
- Angel Hair Spaghetti It is broken into small pieces to mimic the traditional Rice-a-Roni texture. I use whole wheat pasta, but gluten-free would work too.
- Instant brown rice It cooks quickly and adds a nutty flavor.
- chicken broth It adds more flavor than using water alone. Or use water Chicken Bouillon.
- parsleyFor optional decoration.
How to make rice pilaf
The process of making rice pilaf at home is very similar to the process of cooking a box of Near East or Rice-a-Roni pilaf. See recipe card for printable instructions.
- Melt the butter: Heat the butter in a deep skillet until melted.
- Toast pasta and rice. Add the broken pasta and rice and stir until lightly golden. It should also have a roasted smell.
- boil: Pour in the broth, bring to a boil, cover and cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until the broth is absorbed.
- Rest and fluff: Let the pilaf sit for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork and serve.
Tips and Variations
- Use the right rice: I don’t normally cook rice half-boiled, but I don’t mind brown rice at all. Especially brown rice because it takes a while to cook in a frying pan. I tried all the brands sold in the supermarket and found that the yield and amount of liquid were not the same. For the same results, we recommend using Uncle Ben’s instant brown rice, which cooks in 10 minutes. If you use regular brown rice, you must adjust the amount of water and time according to the package directions.
- Add vegetables: If you want to add more vegetables, you can add chopped carrots, diced broccoli, peas, or cauliflower rice to the mixture after adding the stock. You can also add garlic, onion, etc. Have fun and let me know what variations you come up with!
- Eat: Add a protein like chicken, ham, shrimp, or sausage to make it a one-pot meal.
produce:
Serving Size: 1 /2 cups
Melt the butter in a covered deep skillet over medium heat.
When the butter melts, add the cut spaghetti noodles and rice. Cook, stirring constantly, until slightly toasted, 2 to 3 minutes.
Add chicken broth and boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until the rice is tender and the broth has been absorbed.
Turn off the heat, let it sit for 5 minutes, and then whip it with a fork.
Final step:
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** To get closer to the taste of Rice A-Roni, use 1 cup. Better than chicken bouillon or bouillon.
clothing material: 1 /2 cups, calorie: 87 calorie, carbohydrate: 13 g, protein: 3 g, province: 2.5 g, Saturated Fat: 1 g, Cholesterol: 5 mg, sodium: 292.5 mg, fiber: 1 g, sugar: 0.5 g
Storage and reheating
- Refrigerated storage Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- hang tightly Rice pilaf can be stored in a freezer bag after removing the air for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
- reheat Restore moisture by adding broth or water to your microwave or stovetop.
