This easy rice pilaf is soft, fluffy and easy to make! It’s a flavorful side dish that can be served with just about anything making it a recipe that’s perfect for your weekly rotation.
While we love white rice as a side dish recipe, coconut rice and cilantro lime rice are a few other homemade recipes that add so much flavor to meals.
Why I Love This Recipe
- Flavorful: Rice pilaf has to be hands down one of the best rice recipes out there! It has amazing flavor and is super soft and fluffy.
- Versatile: Whether you’re pairing it with steak in the oven, easy chicken recipes, fish, pork recipes or Hawaiian haystacks you can’t go wrong. This easy rice pilaf goes with just about anything.
Variations
- Type of rice: Any long grain rice works such as basmati rice or jasmine rice.
- Veggies: Sneak in extra vegetables when sautéing the onions. A few delicious options would be chopped bell pepper, celery, carrots, mushrooms and peas.
- Almonds. Mixing in sliced almonds is a great way to add some crunch to this dish. I’d recommend toasting the almonds first for even more flavor.
- Chicken. Turn this side into a main meal by mixing in some cooked rotisserie chicken right before serving. It’s an easier take on the classic chicken and rice!
- Garlic herb butter. The addition of fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme to your butter is an easy and delicious way to boost the flavor up a notch.
How to Make Rice Pilaf
In a pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add in onions and cook until lightly browned. Next add in the minced garlic and rice. Cook for 3 minutes, or until the rice has turned golden brown. Stir often, don’t let it burn.
Pour in chicken broth, salt and pepper then bring to a slight boil. Once at a boil, turn the heat to low and cover the pan with a lid. Cook for 15-20 minutes, or until rice is tender. Fluff with a fork and enjoy!
Make Ahead and Storage
- Store: Pilaf will keep in the refrigerator for about 3-4 days. Just make sure to store in an airtight container.
- Freeze: You can also freeze it if you have extras. Let cool completely then add to freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: Add leftovers to a saucepan with a couple of Tablespoons of chicken broth (so it doesn’t dry out). Then cover with lid and cook on low, stirring occasionally until warm.
We love to serve this easy rice pilaf recipe with Parmesan ranch chicken, crockpot Italian chicken, chicken marsala or roasted pork tenderloin.
More Rice Recipes
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Rice Pilaf
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup onion , finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic , minced
- 1 cup long grain rice
- 15 ounce can chicken broth , or vegetable broth
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- In a pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add in onions and cook until lightly browned. Next add in the minced garlic and rice. Cook for 3 minutes, or until the rice has turned golden brown. Stir often, don’t let it burn.
- Pour in chicken broth, S&P and bring to a slight boil. Once at a boil, turn the heat to low and cover the pan with a lid. Cook for 15-20 minutes, or until rice is tender.
- Fluff with a fork. S&P to taste and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: American, Nut-Free, One Pot, Rice, Side Dishes, Stovetop, Vegetarian
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
Love the tip to toast the rice in the pan first, such a great and easy side dish!
This recipe is so good. I find myself adding it as a side dish to many of my meals!
I’m so glad you love it! :)
I love making rice pilaf and this recipe is one of my favorites!!
This looks to die for. Rice is a great item to have for any meal.
One of our favorite side dishes. Yum
The best rice pilaf ever – so easy and so much flavor!
So glad you enjoyed it!
This is so easy, and it goes with just about anything!
this rice pilaf is super yummy!
This is absolutely amazing! Really easy and so flavorful!
One of my favorite sides! I love to make a big batch of rice pilaf to use throughout the week!
I made this AMAZING rice tonight!! I seriously want to make another pan and hide in a closet and eat it all! HAHAHA! (I will refrain though) My daughter who is not a lover of rice said it was good and my husband scraped the pan clean and piled all the leftovers on his plate (huge compliment!). This will be my new “go-to” side when I want rice! The only thing I did differently was I used 1/4 cup of butter because I buy the “half sticks” and it was just easier to throw the entire thing in the pan and not measure a little more from another stick. Then I didn’t use the onion because my family does not like the texture of cooked onion. Instead I just seasoned with onion powder. Then when I added the rice, I let it sauté in the butter for a minute or two before adding the chicken stock. I did need a little extra chicken stock at the end to finish it off. Perfect!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the rice Deborah! Thanks so much for your sweet comment. Xo. :)
I’ll have to try this. My kids LOOOVE the Near East Rice Pilaf, and I’ve been wishing I could find a recipe to make it from scratch. I’ll have to give this a try!
Thanks for commenting! :D My kids love it too!! It’s so good! This is an easy recipe, give it a try.
I think Rice Pilaf is my most favorite side dish over potatoes. I love using the Thai Jasmine long grain rice! Thank you for sharing this yummy recipe! And hope you start feeling better! (=
ooo me too! the thai jasmine long grain rice makes all the difference. oh and the butter. ;)
This looks great. I hope you are feeling better soon.
Thanks Kim! Much better. Hope you have a nice weekend!