Herbed Rice Pilaf
Herbed rice pilaf is a flavorful and aromatic side dish made with rice, herbs, and a variety of seasonings. It is delicious paired with a variety of grilled and baked proteins. And can be made ahead for busy nights. When it comes to sides, this is a go-to for ease, versatility, and flavor.
Serve with Baked Breaded Chicken and Roasted Asparagus Oven Baked for a great meal.
Herbed Rice Pilaf, The Perfect Side
Herbed rice pilaf has been my go to side of late for a variety of reasons, and no one is complaining. But here’s why you should add it into your dinner rotation as well:
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It’s easy to make: rice pilaf is a simple side dish that only takes a little more effort to prepare than plain white rice, but offers huge extra flavor. It can be made stove top, and with just one saucepan. Easy and low mess make it a no-brainer.
- It’s versatile: You can use herbed rice pilaf a variety of ways, and can customize it a variety of ways as well. Add in different herbs to flavor it, and even some vegetables like diced carrots or peas. Customize the flavor to suit your taste with just small tweaks. And then the versatility for serving it is huge too. You can serve this side with any number of main dishes, such as baked shrimp, grilled greek chicken, or roast beef tenderloin.
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It’s flavorful: Rice pilaf is so much yummier than just plain rice. And while the combination of butter, herbs, and broth gives herbed rice pilaf a rich and flavorful taste, it stays subtle enough to not steal the show, and be a great side for your main dish.
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It’s a healthier option: There are a lot of options for sides, but this herbed rice pilaf is a great one, it is made with whole grains, has no added sugars, or unhealthy fats, and can be loaded with extra veggies very easily too!
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It’s convenient: Let’s face it, chances are you already have just about everything you need to make this in your pantry. With the exception of the vermicelli pasta, which is easy to find, even online. And to add to the convenience, herbed rice pilaf can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator or freezer. Just reheat the pilaf in the microwave or on the stovetop before serving, making it extremely convenient for busy nights.
What You Need to Make Herbed Rice Pilaf
Intro to what you need with focus on it is eazy peazy and ingredients are easy to find
- Basmati rice or other long-grain white rice:
- Unsalted butter:
- Vermicelli: You can get the pieces or the nests, if you get the nests you will want to break it into pieces.
- Onion
- Garlic
- Herbs: Dried thyme and Dried rosemary and Fresh parsley
- Chicken broth
- Kosher salt
Recommended Equipment
How to Make Herbed Rice Pilaf
Making herbed rice pilaf is a fairly simple process, and only requires one saucepan for cooking. But it does take a little planning to get the best texture and flavor. Here’s what you do:
Step One: Rinse the Rice
This step is really important, and should not be overlooked. Rinsing the rice, and letting it sit with water covering it will help remove the excess starch in the rice. This is going to result in a much better texture, where it won’t be as gummy. So to do this:
- Place rice in a medium bowl and pour hot water (from the tap) over the top, covering it by about 2 inches, set aside, let stand for about 15 minutes. After 15 minutes is up, use your hands or a spoon to gently stir the rice, and help it release the excess starch.
- Pour the water off, leaving just the rice in the bowl.
- Fill with cold water, swish it around, and pour it off, repeat this 4-5 times until the water is almost clear.
- Then drain the rice in a fine-mesh strainer and set aside.
Step Two: Build the Flavor
Once your rice is ready, it is time to start the base for your herbed rice pilaf, which will be the flavor base. This means toasting the vermicelli, and adding onion and garlic.
- In a saucepan, over medium heat, melt butter then add the vermicelli pasta and cook about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is browned.
- Add grated onion and minced garlic to the pan and cook for about 4 minutes, until onion is softened but not browned, stirring occasionally.
- Add the rinsed rice and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until edges of rice begin to turn translucent.
Step Three: Add Liquid and Cook
Now that you have the flavor base in place, it is time to add some herbs and broth, and let the rice start to cook.
- Add broth, thyme, rosemary, and salt and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover your saucepan, and cook until all the liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes.
Step Four: Let it Sit
Yes, this really is a step. To get perfectly fluffy rice, you have to give it a chance to sit, finish absorbing liquid, and dry out some so it can be fluffed.
- Remove pan from heat, remove lid, fold a clean dish towel in half, and it place over the pan; replace lid.
- Let rice stand for 10 minutes.
Step Five: Fluff, Herb, and Serve
At this stage, the herbed rice pilaf is essentially done. You just need to fluff it, add in the herbs, and serve.
- Fluff rice with fork
- Stir in parsley
- Serve
Simple Herb Rice Pilaf Variations
We love rice pilaf, and have several variations, like this Easy Rice Pilaf, Wild Rice Pilaf, and Mushroom Rice Pilaf. But you can also just switch things up with this recipe for herbed rice pilaf.
Here are a few simple variations on the basic herbed rice pilaf recipe that you can try:
- Lemon herb rice: Make as you would for basic, but add the zest and juice of 1 lemon to the rice after cooking, and instead of just adding parsley at the end, add a handful of chopped fresh dill too.
- Garlic herb rice: This recipe already calls for garlic, but up the flavor by adding 2-3 more cloves of minced garlic. And then change up the herbs with a mixture of chopped fresh basil, parsley, and oregano.
- Cilantro lime rice: Skip the parsley, and instead add the juice of 1 lime and a handful of chopped fresh cilantro to the rice. Or make my recipe for Cilantro Lime Rice, and use it for your Taco Tuesdays.
- Rosemary and thyme rice: This recipe already calls for both rosemary and thyme, but you can really play up those flavors by adding a few sprigs of fresh rosemary and thyme to the rice after cooking, and a pinch of ground black pepper.
- Parmesan herb rice: Make as directed, then stir in a handful of grated Parmesan cheese and swap the parsley for fresh basil! Yum.
These are just a few ideas, but as you can see, it is possible to adjust the flavor profile of your herbed rice pilaf by switching up the herbs and seasonings. So experiment with different herbs and seasonings to create your own unique variations on herbed rice pilaf, or customize it to your preference.
Serve With
This recipe is so perfect for your dinners as a side, and pairs well with a host of proteins and vegetables. Here is an idea for how to serve it:
Tips and Tricks
Here are a few tips for making the perfect herbed rice pilaf:
- Use the right rice. Use basmati or long grain white rice for the best texture and flavor. Other types of rice, such as jasmine, will work as well. You want a rice that has individual grains which are long and slender. The long grain white rice contains a type of starch that helps the grains stay separate and fluffy as they cook. Giving you the best texture for pilaf.
- Remove excess starch. I know we covered this, but it is worth repeating, you do not want to skip this step. Make sure to rinse the rice well before cooking to remove any excess starch. Letting it sit for 15 minutes is helpful, and a good rinse will help the rice cook evenly and prevent it from becoming sticky or mushy, which is not ideal for rice pilaf recipes.
- Be precise. The method of pilaf is cooking rice in a stock, but you want to be sure to drain all the water from the rice, and measure the liquid carefully to ensure that the rice cooks properly. This herb rice pilaf will be fluffy and delicious, but too much liquid will result in mushy rice, and too little will cause the rice to be undercooked and crunchy. Neither scenario is ideal.
- Let it cook. One of the hardest things as a cook is not checking on your work, but do not give in to temptation. You don’t want to lift the lid on the pan while the rice is cooking. The steam will escape and it can make the rice not cook as quickly, evenly, or well. So trust the time, and let it do its thing.
- Add at the right time. The thyme and rosemary help flavor the broth and infuse your rice with a nice earthy herb flavor. But the fresh herbs like parsley, or basil, as best added at the end of the cooking process so they retain their flavor and fragrance.
- Serve hot. While this recipe is awesome reheated, and can be made ahead, it is best served hot. If making ahead, save the fresh herbs to be stirred in after it is reheated.
Make Ahead and Storage
How to make this recipe ahead of time:
- Cook according to recipe directions, but do not stir in the parsley.
- Let the rice cool completely.
- Package in an airtight container and either refrigerate (up to 5 days) or freeze.
- When ready to serve, let defrost in the refrigerator, then reheat in a saucepan with a little bit of water.
- Once warmed through, stir in fresh parsley.
- Serve hot.
How to store:
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Other Great Rice Recipes:
- Red Beans and Rice
- Easy Mexican Rice Skillet
- Baked Coconut Shrimp with Cilantro Lime Rice
- Chicken Fried Rice
- Easy Rice Pilaf
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Herbed Rice Pilaf
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups basmati rice or other long-grain white rice
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 ounces vermicelli broken into 1-inch pieces
- 1 onion grated
- 1 garlic clove minced
- ¼ tsp dried thyme
- ¼ tsp dried rosemary
- 2 ½ cups chicken broth
- 1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
Instructions
- Place rice in a medium bowl and pour hot water (from the tap) over the top, covering it by about 2 inches, set aside, let stand for about 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes is up, use a spoon to gently stir the rice, to help release excess starch. Pour the water off, leaving just the rice in the bowl. Fill bowl with cold water, swish it around, and pour it off, repeat this 4-5 times until the water runs almost clear. Drain the rice in a fine-mesh strainer and set aside.
- In a saucepan, over medium heat, melt butter then add the vermicelli pasta and cook about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is browned.
- Add grated onion and minced garlic to the pan and cook for about 4 minutes, until onion is softened but not browned, stirring occasionally.
- Add the rinsed rice and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until edges of rice begin to turn translucent.
- Add broth, thyme, rosemary, and salt and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover your saucepan, and cook until all the liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes.
- Remove pan from heat, remove lid, fold a clean dish towel in half, and it place over the pan; replace lid. The dish towel will absorb some of the steam, giving you fluffy rice.
- Let rice stand for 10 minutes. Fluff rice with fork, then stir in parsley, and serve.
Notes
Our recipe card software calculates these nutrition facts based on averages for the above ingredients, different brands, and quality of produce/meats may have different nutritional information, always calculate your own based on the specific products you use in order to achieve accurate macros for this recipe.
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