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Best vegetable rice pilaf – light and fluffy, easy to make one pot savory meal perfect for any night of the week. Naturally gluten free, vegan and good for you, this dish is delicious served with a fresh tomato salad and crispy vegan chicken cutlets!
My go to weeknight meal this hearty rice pilaf recipe is brimming with flavor and can be adapted with the seasons. Expand on the base recipe with seasonal veggies, whatever is having a moment or needs using up in your kitchen.
Rinse the Rice
A really simple but important detail, rinsing the rice well will result in an extra fluffy pilaf with perfectly separated grains. Once removed from heat it’s important to let it rest covered and continue cooking in its own steam for 10 minutes or so. Fluff with a fork and enjoy hot.
What is the best rice for pilaf? – Traditionally a long grain rice is used, I prefer a healthy whole grain variety like brown rice, (jasmine or basmati) or a wild rice mix. Short grain rice will also work but in my experience it won’t be quite as light and fluffy as a long grain. The rice can also be mixed with orzo pasta or broken up vermicelli noodles, lentils or farro.
What makes rice a pilaf? – It’s all about the method of cooking. It starts by sauteeing onion and other veggies in a little olive oil before adding in the rinsed rice to coat and toast together with all those aromatics and fats before being boiled together in a seasoned broth. Toasting the rice grains brings out their nutty and earthy aroma and elevates the dish. In a nutshell, a pilaf is an upgraded rice dish but simple enough to throw together last minute on a weekday.
Things to add to rice pilaf – Along with the onion you can add any root vegetables of your choosing together with some sweet dried fruit like chopped apricots, raisins, gooseberries or currents. You can also sautee mushrooms, green peas or fennel with all your aromatics and finish with toasted pine nuts, salted pistachios or almonds. Or give it a mediterranean flair with a sprinkle of vegan Greek feta crumbles and sliced black olives.
Seasoning Variation – A saffron infused broth together with lemon peel and a couple of bay leaves will also lend a lovely flavor profile to your dish.
Vegetable Broth – Use it if you like but there is a lot of flavor here so water works great, it’s what i use most of the times. Between the aromatics, spices and herbs the final flavor profile is absolutely lovely.
Best vegetable rice pilaf - light and fluffy, easy to make one pot savory meal perfect for any night of the week. Naturally gluten free, vegan and good for you!
Place the brown rice in a mesh sieve and rinse under cold running water. Drain well and set aside.
2 cups long grain brown rice
Preheat a heavy bottom skillet over medium low heat with a drizzle of olive oil, about one tablespoon or so. Add the onion with a pinch of salt and sautee until translucent. Add the diced carrot and celery and cook until they begin to soften.
Add the brown rice to the skillet with the vegetables and stir well making sure to coat it all over. Toast for a few minutes then stir in the bell pepper, nutritional yeast, onion powder, salt and chili flakes.
2 cups long grain brown rice, 1 red bell pepper, 1.5 tsp onion powder, 1 Tbsp celery flakes or dried lovage, 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast, 1 pinch red chili flakes for heat, 1 tsp sea salt
Pour in the vegetable stock or water and bring to a simmer. Add the bay leaves, half of the parsley and lovage or celery leaves. Cover with a lid and cook on medium low heat for 35 to 45 minutes according to the directions on the rice package you are using.
2 bay leaves, 3.5 cups vegetable stock or water, 1 Tbsp celery flakes or dried lovage, 1/2 cup Italian flat leaf parsley
Remove the pan of rice pilaf from heat but allow it to sit covered for 10 minutes to continue cooking in its own steam. (Do not remove the lid).
Discard the bay leaf and use a fork to fluff up the rice pilaf. Mix in the remaining fresh parsley, adjust seasonings with salt and pepper and enjoy!
1/2 cup Italian flat leaf parsley
Notes
What is the best rice for pilaf? - Traditionally a long grain rice is used, I prefer a healthy whole grain variety like brown rice, (jasmine or basmati) or a wild rice mix. Short grain rice will also work but in my experience it won't be quite as light and fluffy as a long grain. The rice can also be mixed with orzo pasta or broken up vermicelli noodles, lentils or farro.
What makes rice a pilaf? - It's all about the method of cooking. It starts by sauteeing onion and other veggies in a little olive oil before adding in the rinsed rice to coat and toast together with all those aromatics and fats before being boiled together in a seasoned broth. Toasting the rice grains brings out their nutty and earthy aroma and elevates the dish. In a nutshell, a pilaf is an upgraded rice dish but simple enough to throw together last minute on a weekday.
Things to add to rice pilaf - Along with the onion you can add any root vegetables of your choosing together with some sweet dried fruit like chopped apricots, raisins, gooseberries or currents. You can also sautee mushrooms, green peas or fennel with all your aromatics and finish with toasted pine nuts, salted pistachios or almonds. Or give it a mediterranean flair with a sprinkle of vegan Greek feta crumbles and sliced black olives.
Hi, I'm Florentina! I'm the voice behind the easy Plant-Based recipes here at the Veggie Society. Peluci is our COO and taste tester in chief! Continue reading…
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