Our traditional Rice Pilaf is the perfect side dish to serve with any main course! Made with real, simple ingredients that all come together in one pan. Everyone is going to love this easy classic rice pilaf recipe at the next family dinner!
The Best Rice Pilaf
Table of Contents
On busy weeknights, we love to make grilled steaks or grilled chicken thighs and we need a quick and easy side dish to serve with them. Enter this homemade rice pilaf recipe! We love the grain and fresh veggies combination. Rice pilaf dishes keep it easy and the kids usually eat their veggies a little better when it is all mixed together with a ton of great flavor! This basic rice pilaf recipe has become a family favorite and we are so excited to share it with you.
Do you need another delicious rice side dish? If so, you should try adding wild rice to make our Wild Rice Pilaf or some flavorful Salsa Rice!
What You Will Need
- unsalted butter – a little bit in the hot pan to help sauté the aromatic ingredients and veggies.
- fresh garlic, yellow onion, & red onion – everything is better with garlic and the onion combination bring so much flavor!
- carrots, celery, mushrooms, & frozen peas – a variety of fresh and frozen vegetables that we love! Feel free to change it up with your favorite veggies or what you have on hand.
- chicken stock – option to add even more flavor with homemade chicken broth or use any store-bought version! Or swap it out for vegetable broth.
- lemon zest & lemon juice – a little acidity helps to amplify the great flavor.
- soy sauce & worcestershire sauce – simple but delicious flavor additions.
- kosher salt & Italian seasoning – you can pick-up Italian seasoning at the grocery store or make your own!
- long grain rice – we used long grain white rice, but you can use any type of rice – brown rice, basmati rice, jasmine rice, basically any variety. Just check those cook times.
How To Make Rice Pilaf
The first steps to making this easy recipe are to bring a large braising pan or deep skillet to a medium heat on the stove top. Melt butter and then sauté the garlic and onions. Next, add in the diced carrots, celery, and mushrooms.
Now add in the frozen peas and mix everything together. Then add the uncooked rice, lemon zest, lemon juice, seasonings, soy sauce, and worcestershire sauce to the hot pan. Gradually pour in the broth.
Mix everything together and cover. Let everything simmer on a medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes of cooking time. Remove the pan from the heat and let the rice rest with the cover on for 10 minutes. Fluff this perfect rice pilaf with a fork and serve!
Best Ways To Serve Rice Pilaf
This simple rice pilaf is a great side dish can be served with just about any main dishes. Enjoy as part of a Sunday supper, a busy weeknight dinner, or add it to your next holiday table spread. We love to serve it with our Grilled Prime Rib and House Salad (+ Creamy Italian Dressing) for the most amazing dinner! And if prime rib isn’t your thing, try our Whole Roasted Chicken, Baked Pork Chops, or Smoked Beer Can Chicken.
Recipe FAQ
It is a basic side dish recipe that is made by cooking rice in a stock or broth, along with some spices and vegetables. Varieties have originated from various regions, like the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and Latin America.
A traditional pilaf is made up of flavorful rice, broth, warm spices, and vegetables. Some of the rice pilaf ingredients can easily be changed or omitted. Other ingredients that you might want to try are chopped bell peppers, brussels sprouts, or slivered almonds for some added crunch to this delicious side dish.
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Other Rice Recipes You Might Like
Rice Pilaf Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
Description
The BEST rice pilaf recipe that is packed with flavor and easy to make. The perfect side dish for any meal!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter (regular or dairy-free)
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup sweet yellow onion, diced
- 1/4 cup red onion, diced
- 1 cup carrot, diced
- 2–3 stalks celery, sliced
- 1 cup mushrooms, diced
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/3 cup long grain white rice
- 2 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- garnish: fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Bring a large braiser or cast iron skillet to medium-high heat. Add butter and let melt. Swirl to coat the pan. Add garlic, yellow onion, and red onion. Move around pan until garlic is fragrant and onion has softened. Add carrots, celery, and mushrooms. Move around pan approx. 3-5 minutes, adding more butter as needed. Add peas and stir to combine.
- Add broth, lemon zest, lemon juice, soy sauce, worcestershire, salt, rice, and Italian seasoning. Stir to combine.
- Bring to boil and then reduce to simmer. Cover and let cook 15-18 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let sit 10 minutes, covered.
- Fluff with a fork and serve with fresh chopped parsley.
Notes
- Storage: store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Mushrooms: feel free to use whatever you would like, we used baby bella in the photos and they worked great.
- Broth: vegetable broth or chicken broth work here.
- Braiser: we used a 3 1/2 qt. braiser for this recipe and it was the perfect size.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6 oz
- Calories: 119
- Sugar: 2.1 g
- Sodium: 385.9 mg
- Fat: 2.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 21.4 g
- Protein: 3.1 g
- Cholesterol: 6 mg
Gretchen says
So yummy! I followed the recipe for the most part, but I only had red onions on hand and used a salt free harvest blend seasoning mix instead of the italian.
Erin says
So glad you enjoyed this one, Gretchen!