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This is the BEST ever rice pilaf, if you ask me! Rice is sautéed in butter then baked with stock and aromatics for the perfect, super flavorful side dish. I got this recipe from my mother, who’s been making it for decades. The aromatics make it different and better from most rice pilafs, and that’s why it’s a family favorite!
Why This Recipe Is So Good
- This rice pilaf is so easy, but so delicious and fragrant! Buttery rice with fresh, aromatic celery, carrots, and parsley, with slivers of almonds and tangy lemon juice make this the perfect side dish.
- My mom has been making this dish for as long as I can remember. The warm, comforting aroma of this rice pilaf brings back so many wonderful memories, and I’m sure it will become a staple side in your household, too!
- Pilaf is the perfect way to dress up rice. The simple ingredients in this recipe are easy to find (you may already have them!) and are an amazing way to kick your pantry staple up a notch!
Chef’s Tips
- To make vegetarian, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
- For vegan, use vegan butter instead of regular butter, as well as subbing vegetable broth for the chicken broth.
What Is Pilaf?
Pilaf refers to how the dish is prepared, which is with broth instead of in water like traditional rice. While rice pilaf is made with rice (obviously), pilaf can also be made with other ingredients like wheat or orzo. Paella, pilau, and biryani all evolved from pilaf.
More Simple-Yet-Delicious Recipes
- Mom’s Best Tuna Noodle Casserole
- 5 Minute Lemon Garlic Shrimp
- Instant Pot Brown Rice
- Almond Flour Banana Bread
- Marry Me Chicken (Chicken in a Sun Dried Tomato Cream Sauce)
- Air Fryer Pecan Crusted Chicken with Honey Mustard Sauce
- BBQ Chicken Salad
Rice Pilaf
Rice is sautéed in butter then baked with stock and aromatics for the perfect, super flavorful side dish.
servings
Equipment
- 2.5-quart casserole dish
- Large skillet
- Aluminum Foil
Ingredients
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 ½ cups uncooked rice
- 3 ¼ cups chicken broth
- 6 tablespoons chopped celery ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons
- 6 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons
- 6 tablespoons chopped carrots ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons
- 6 tablespoons sliced almonds ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons, plus more to garnish if desired
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper more or less to taste
- 1-2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice juice from ½-1 lemon, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° Fahrenheit. Lightly grease casserole dish with butter or cooking spray and set aside.
- Add butter to large skillet over medium-high heat. When butter is melted, add rice and stir well. Cooking, stirring frequently, until rice is lightly browned.
- Pour chicken broth into skillet. Stir to incorporate, then bring to boil. Once rice mixture begins to boil, transfer mixture to greased casserole dish.
- Cover dish with aluminum foil and place in oven. Bake 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, remove casserole dish from oven and uncover. Add celery, parsley, carrots, and sliced almonds. Season with pepper to taste, then stir well to distribute ingredients.
- Cover dish with foil and return dish to oven, baking another 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, remove dish from oven and uncover. If desired, squeeze lemon juice over pilaf then stir to incorporate. Garnish pilaf with additional sliced almonds (optional) and serve immediately.
- Make it Vegetarian: Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
- Make it Vegan: Sub vegetable broth for chicken broth and use vegan butter instead of regular butter.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Serving Size: 1servingCalories: 340calProtein: 8gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 555mgPotassium: 282mgTotal Carbs: 43gFiber: 3gSugar: 2gNet Carbs: 40gVitamin A: 3119IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 75mgIron: 1mg
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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I am thinking of using this recipe for 100 people. Can it be made ahead a left in the ref^ridge until heating up?
You probably could, but the texture most likely won’t be as desirable as when it’s freshly cooked. Cooking, cooling, refrigerating, and reheating rice changes its texture, and you risk it being very dry (if you don’t add liquid) or very mushy (if you do add liquid), especially by the time it’s reheated thoroughly. I would absolutely recommend trying this out with a smaller batch first to see if you’ll be happy with the results before scaling it up.
If you try it, please let us know how it turns out!
Made this recipe for a crowd of 50. Everyone complimented the cooks. A man commented that it was the best rice he had since leaving Louisiana 13 years ago!
Wow, what a compliment! Thanks so much for sharing, Carol!
This is my favorite rice ever! I make it all the time! My husband loves it too. So good!
We’re so glad y’all love it! Thanks for sharing, Samantha!
Can green peas be added as well?
Sure! 😊