Rice Pilaf is an easy side dish that goes with pretty much anything and a great way to make a side of rice that’s not plain or lacking flavor. My recipe is flavored with onion and garlic and simmered in chicken broth until tender and fluffy.
One of the best things about rice pilaf is how easy it is to customize. You can serve it as written in this recipe, or you can add a bunch of different flavors using herbs and spices to complement whatever main dish you’re serving. For more rice recipes, try my coconut rice, Mexican rice, and fried rice.
What you need to make this recipe
Oil — I used olive oil for extra flavor, but you can use your favorite cooking oil.
Aromatics — onion and garlic are vital for giving this rice dish delicious flavor and the signature flavor components of a pilaf.
Rice — you need long-grain rice for the best pilaf. You can use basic long grain rice or another variety you love.
Broth — both chicken broth and vegetable broth would work. If you want to make vegetarian rice pilaf, opt for vegetable broth. The broth adds so much flavor to the rice instead of cooking it in water. You can also use vegetable or chicken stock.
Seasoning — salt, black pepper, and parsley are the only additional flavorings needed to make this pilaf perfectly seasoned.
How To Make Rice Pilaf
1. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the yellow onion and garlic, and cook until the onion starts to soften.
2. Add the rice and toast, until the rice begins to turn lightly golden. Stir constantly during this step.
3. Stir in the chicken or vegetable broth, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes. Remove the rice from the heat and let it stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Do not lift the lid to peek.
4. Remove the lid. Fluff with a fork while adding the parsley. Enjoy immediately with a main dish or protein of your choice.
What Is Rice Pilaf?
Pilaf is simply a rice dish with a special method for cooking rice. Instead of simply being boiled in water like plain rice, in a classic rice pilaf recipe, the rice is toasted in oil with aromatics like onion and garlic before being cooked in a liquid (broth or water). What I love about homemade rice pilaf is that you can dress it up in so many ways to complement a variety of different cuisines.
What Is The Best Rice To Use For Rice Pilaf?
Long-grain white rice is perfect because it becomes tender and fluffy while not becoming clumpy. Basmati rice also makes a delicious pilaf. Jasmine rice tastes great but becomes very soft when cooked using the pilaf method. You can use it, but keep the texture in mind.
Can I use brown rice?
Yes! To make brown rice pilaf, you need to cook the rice for about 40 minutes. You will also need about ½ cup more cooking liquid so the rice doesn’t dry out as it cooks. Brown rice generally requires more cooking liquid than white rice, so the same rule applies to using it in pilaf.
Can I make this using a rice cooker?
You can make it in a rice cooker! Cook the onions and garlic and toast the rice in a skillet as written in the recipe. Transfer the mixture to a rice cooker, add the broth, pepper, and salt, and start the rice cooker! Check your rice cooker’s recommendations for the amount of liquid per cup of rice to confirm how much broth to add.
Can I add meat or vegetables?
I love adding vegetables to my pilaf for a bit of color. Peas, chopped carrots, and diced celery all add delicious flavor. Toss them in after the onions have softened. If you want to make this meaty, choose your favorite ground meat or sausage and brown it for a few minutes in the skillet before doing anything else. Remove it with a slotted spoon, discard excess fat, and then follow the recipe as written from step 1 (add the meat back to the skillet after you toast the rice).
Pro tips for making this recipe
- Flavor options: My recipe is a great starting point, but you can get creative and add more flavor! Turmeric, cumin, and cinnamon would be great additions for Middle Eastern/South Asian flair, for example. You can also change up the herbs and use fresh mint and cilantro instead of (or in addition to) parsley.
- When toasting the rice: Make sure to stir constantly so the onion doesn’t start to burn.
- Do not peek at the rice while simmering. Keep the lid on the whole time. Lifting the lid causes steam to escape.
- Don’t stir the rice while it simmers. This activates the starch in the rice and will yield sticky rice.
- Let the rice stand after cooking. Keep the rice covered for 5 minutes after it is done simmering. It will continue to steam during this time so you end up with gloriously fluffy rice.
Frequently asked questions
This is a great side dish for so many things! Make this easy rice pilaf recipe to serve alongside chicken curry, air fryer salmon, honey garlic chicken, garlic shrimp, or my perfectly roasted chicken.
Regular rice is cooked in water only (with salt for flavor). This recipe has a lot more savory flavor from oil, onions, garlic, broth, and various herbs and spices.
It is best served fresh as it will begin to dry out as it sits in the refrigerator. Leftovers will keep for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge. You can add a sprinkle of water or more broth before reheating it to add a little moisture. You can also freeze it in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Defrost it in the fridge overnight and before reheating.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this rice pilaf recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Rice Pilaf
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion diced (225g)
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1½ cups long-grain white rice (270g)
- 3 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth (720mL)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly, until the rice begins to turn lightly golden, about 4 minutes.
- Stir in the broth, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then cover with the lid, and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.
- Remove the lid, and the parsley, and fluff the cooked rice with a fork, stirring in the parsley as you fluff. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Flavor options: My recipe is a great starting point, but you can get creative and add more flavor! Turmeric, cumin, and cinnamon would be great additions for Middle Eastern/South Asian flair, for example. You can also change up the herbs and use fresh mint and cilantro instead of (or in addition to) parsley.
- When toasting the rice: Make sure to stir constantly so the onion doesn’t start to burn.
- Do not peek at the rice while simmering. Keep the lid on the whole time. Lifting the lid causes steam to escape.
- Don’t stir the rice while it simmers. This activates the starch in the rice and will yield sticky rice.
- Let the rice stand after cooking. Keep the rice covered for 5 minutes after it is done simmering. It will continue to steam during this time so you end up with gloriously fluffy rice.
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