This easy rice pilaf takes only about a half-hour to make and makes a great side dish for so many different kinds of entrées! It’s been in hubby’s family for years – his mom made something very like it. Here I’ve updated it to the way we make it now.
When it comes to side dishes, here in the Midwest potatoes are the common go-to. But how many ways can you make them? Baked, mashed, fried, boiled, scalloped… quite a few, actually. But it does get a tad monotonous after a while.
And I know – it seems sometimes that half the world is on the Keto diet or some variation of it. To my mind, carbs aren’t all that bad for you, at least in moderation. And this simple rice pilaf offers some great flavors that compliment many kinds of main dishes.
About the Ingredients
The two biggest parts of this dish are the rice and pasta. For the rice, we almost always use Thai-style jasmine rice. It’s considered an aromatic rice, and it has a delicate, almost floral scent to it. Plain ole long-grain rice will work too. I haven’t tried it with others.
For the pasta, in recent years the Barilla pasta company came out with a product they call fideo, or cut spaghetti, that’s a big timesaver. As an alternative, you can break regular or thin spaghetti (a.k.a. vermicelli) into one-inch pieces by hand, but it will add a few minutes to the preparation for this dish.
I’ve never used orzo pasta in this rice pilaf, but I don’t see why you couldn’t. It’s a much smaller pasta shape and will pack more densely in the measuring cup, so I’d suggest trying 1/4 cup in place of the cut spaghetti.
How to Make this Easy Rice Pilaf
This all goes together in one medium-sized pot. Start by melting the butter or margarine over medium heat, then add the pasta. Stir it around a bit to coat it with the butter/margarine, then let it fry while you prep the onion and garlic.
After about 5 to 7 minutes, the pasta should be just starting to brown. Add the chopped onions and minced garlic, and continue until the onion is translucent and the pasta is a nice, toasty brown, like in the photo below.
Add the rest of the ingredients, bring to a boil, then simmer about 20 minutes or until the rice is tender. Because of the butter or margarine, this pilaf has a tendency to stick to the bottom of the pan a bit. Just give it a quick stir at least once during the cooking time to help prevent that.
Note that I’ve included directions for using a rice cooker to make this pilaf, if you’d prefer. Enjoy!
PrintEasy Rice Pilaf
This easy rice pilaf takes only about a half-hour to make and makes a great side dish for so many different kinds of entrées!
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: side dish
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/2 cup Barilla fideo (cut spaghetti) or vermicelli or spaghetti broken into 1-inch pieces
1/2 medium onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup jasmine or long-grain rice, rinsed and drained
1 1/4 cups chicken broth
1 cup water
3/4 teaspoon salt
dash of ground black pepper
Instructions
Over medium heat, melt the butter or margarine in a medium-size saucepot. Add the pasta and sauté about 5 minutes until it begins to brown.
While the pasta is cooking, chop the onion and mince the garlic. Add both to the pot and sauté until the onion is translucent and the pasta is a toasty brown.
Add the remaining ingredients, stirring to combine. Cover the pot and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer about 20 minutes, stirring once or twice. Check toward the end of the cooking time to be sure there is enough liquid to keep the mixture from sticking or scorching.
Notes
If you’re using a rice cooker, sauté the pasta, onion, and garlic as above in a separate small skillet. Pour the mixture into the rice cooker, add all remaining ingredients, and set the rice cooker for the White Rice or regular cycle.
Keywords: rice, pilaf