Rice Pilaf With Orzo | The Recipe Critic

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The mixture of tender rice, toasty orzo, savory rooster broth, and fragrant inexperienced onions creates a mouth-watering medley that may have you ever coming again for seconds (and perhaps even thirds!). Belief me, this rice pilaf will turn into a staple aspect dish in your kitchen when you give it a attempt. It’s good for pairing with your entire favourite meals!

A very good rice dish is the spine of any hearty meal. This rice pilaf is tremendous scrumptious and versatile, however when you’re seeking to swap issues up, do this cheesy zucchini rice, lemon rice, or cranberry pecan sweet potato rice pilaf subsequent!

What’s Rice Pilaf?

Rice pilaf is a tasty dish made with rice that’s been cooked in broth and seasoned to perfection. It’s versatile sufficient to be served alongside many major programs, which makes it certainly one of my go-to aspect dishes! Rice is nice by itself, however even higher when it’s filled with taste. Whether or not you’re having a household dinner or internet hosting a giant social gathering, rice pilaf is all the time a success. It’s heat, comforting, and goes effectively with nearly any protein you possibly can consider. (Do this garlic roasted chicken!) Plus, it’s straightforward to organize and may be prepared in beneath half-hour. That appears like a win to me!

In at present’s recipe I additionally add orzo, which is a rice-like pasta. It helps make the pilaf good and fluffy and soaks up the entire scrumptious flavors! I exploit rooster broth as a base for the pilaf after which add in just a few different easy substances like inexperienced onions and salt and pepper to offer it a refined, savory taste. You possibly can positively customise yours and add extra seasonings when you want. (I’ve some concepts beneath!) That’s actually one of many issues I like most about rice pilaf, it’s so versatile and you need to use it for nearly any meal! Let’s get began!

Components You’ll Want

It solely takes a handful of easy substances to make restaurant-worthy rice pilaf. I needed one thing that was subtly savory and never too overpowering so it might go along with quite a lot of major programs, however be happy to season yours nevertheless you’d like! Additionally, try the recipe card beneath for measurements of every ingredient.

• Lengthy Grain White Rice: Fluffy, tender, and completely cooked in a flavorful broth. In the event you don’t have lengthy grain rice, you could possibly additionally use basmati rice or jasmine rice in its place.
• Orzo Pasta: Subsequent up is the orzo, often known as “rice-shaped pasta.” It provides a enjoyable and distinctive texture to the dish that you just gained’t discover in a conventional rice recipe. In the event you don’t have orzo, you could possibly use small pasta like couscous and even quinoa as a substitute.
• Additional-Virgin Olive Oil: Additional virgin olive oil is used for sautéing the rice and orzo till it’s golden brown and aromatic. You would additionally use butter when you want.
• Chopped Inexperienced Onions: Added for a contemporary burst of taste and shade. They add a refined onion style that gained’t overpower the opposite substances. Chives work, too!
• Hen Broth: Hen broth is the liquid that offers the rice pilaf its signature taste. It’s essential to make use of an excellent high quality broth to make sure the dish is scrumptious and never bland. In the event you don’t have rooster broth, you could possibly use vegetable broth, beef broth, mushroom broth, and even water with a bouillon dice.
• Salt and Pepper: Add as you go and season to style!

Rice Pilaf Recipe

Now that you’ve got your substances prepared, right here’s make this straightforward rice pilaf recipe! It takes lower than half-hour to prepare dinner up! You’ll have a heat, fluffy aspect dish very quickly. You can also make this Instant Pot roasted chicken whereas it cooks!

1. Wash Rice: Wash your rice, in a advantageous mesh strainer run your rice beneath chilly water till the water runs clear, then put aside and permit the water to empty off.
2. Sauté Rice and Orzo: Pour your olive oil into a big pot and warmth up over medium warmth. Add in your rice and orzo, stirring often, toast the rice and pasta till they start to barely brown and turn into aromatic.
3. Add in Inexperienced Onions: Add in your inexperienced onions and prepare dinner for an extra 2 minutes.
4. Pour in Broth: Pour your broth into the pan and improve the warmth to medium excessive, deliver to a boil. As soon as your broth is boiling, scale back the warmth to low and canopy your pilaf.
5. Simmer: Go away the pilaf to simmer, coated and undisturbed for 18-20 minutes. After 18 minutes, test your pilaf, the rice and pasta ought to have absorbed all of the liquid. Give it a fluff and a stir with a fork. If there may be nonetheless liquid, cowl and permit to proceed cooking for an extra 3-5 minutes.
6. Serve: When the liquid is all absorbed and your pilaf is tender, add in your salt and pepper to style. Serve contemporary. In case your pilaf appears dry you possibly can add 2-3 tablespoons of further liquid, cowl and simmer once more till the rice and pasta have absolutely cooked and there’s no remaining liquid.