What exactly is rice pilaf? It is actually a rice dish in which the rice is lightly browned in oil or butter before it is cooked in a broth – most often with vegetables and sometimes with meat or poultry. There are several hundred ways to prepare this staple, but the key is to end up with light and fluffy rice that has an excellent flavor throughout every bite.
Typically it is made with white rice – and sometimes with jasmine or basmati rice. In our house, we prefer to use brown rice in our recipes because it has a slightly lower calorie and higher fiber count than long grain white rice. However, brown rice does taste a little bit nuttier when cooked, so I was worried when I went to make rice pilaf using our traditional long grain brown rice.
After much concern, it turned out perfect! The flavor was outstanding and it ended up absorbing the moisture perfectly to allow for light and fluffy rice that can be used as a stand alone side dish or as the base to a chicken and rice dish. Feel free to add any vegetables that you want – this time I added peppers and onions because the whole family was eating it tonight, and that is one combination that everyone can agree on!
Rice Pilaf Recipe
Add green peppers and onions and cook until tender.
Toast the rice just until it begins to turn brown.
Chicken broth is the key to this flavorful dish!
Each grain is light and fluffy and not sticking to each other.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium green pepper. diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 1/4 cup long grain brown rice
2 cloves of garlic
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions:
1. In a large saucepan over medium heat add olive oil. Once olive oil is hot, add green pepper and onion and saute until onions are translucent.
2. Add the rice and garlic, stirring frequently for 3-4 minutes or until the rice just begins to brown.
3. Add the water, broth, thyme and black pepper and stir.
4. Bring a boil, cover and simmer for 35-40 minutes until the rice is tender. **Do not remove the lid to stir if at all possible.
5. Remove from heat and let sit with the lid on for 5 minutes.
6. Fluff with a fork and serve.
Enjoy!
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Mary and Jim
Rice Pilaf
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium green pepper. diced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 1/4 cup long grain brown rice
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
Instructions
- In a large saucepan over medium heat add olive oil. Once olive oil is hot, add green pepper and onion and saute until onions are translucent.
- Add the rice and garlic, stirring frequently for 3-4 minutes or until the rice just begins to brown.
- Add the water, broth, thyme and black pepper and stir.
- Bring a boil, cover and simmer for 35-40 minutes until the rice is tender. **Do not remove the lid to stir if at all possible.
- Remove from heat and let sit with the lid on for 5 minutes.
- Fluff with a fork and serve
Notes
Recipe courtesy of Old World Garden Farms
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size:
1 gramsAmount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g