This almond rice pilaf is such a simple side dish, but it's absolutely delicious! Made with just a handful of ingredients and ready in just over thirty minutes, it's perfect for everything from holiday dinners to busy weeknights.
When it comes to side dishes, simple doesn't have to mean boring! This almond rice pilaf is about as simple as it gets, but it's also so delicious. You can't go wrong an indulgent mix of rice and orzo, savory aromatics, and crunchy almonds.
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I have a couple other rice pilaf recipes on this site, including my wild rice pilaf and my butternut squash jeweled rice, and while they're delicious, they're a bit on the complicated side. This almond rice pilaf on the other hand is just as flavorful, but only requires ten ingredients and can be ready in about thirty minutes!
Ingredients You'll Need
- Olive oil. Other high-heat oils will technically work in this recipe, but I recommend using olive for the best possible flavor.
- Onion.
- Garlic.
- Vegetable broth. You can use just about any variety of vegetable broth in this recipe, but I like it best with a chicken style veggie broth, such as Better Than Bouillon's No Chicken Base.
- Long grain white rice. I LOVE making this recipe with basmati rice, but other types of long grain white rice will also work. Prefer brown rice? You'll need to increase the amount of liquid to about 3 ½ cups and the simmer time to about 45 minutes.
- Orzo pasta.
- Almonds. You can use sliced or slivered almonds for this recipe. Personally, I prefer sliced, as the skins add more texture and color variation, but it's totally up to you!
- Salt and pepper.
- Fresh parsley.
How It's Made
Below is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you'd like to skip right to the recipe!
Step 1: Heat your olive oil in a large pot, then add diced onion. Sweat the onion until it becomes very soft and starts to brown.
Step 2: Add minced garlic, along with your rice, orzo, and almonds to the pot. Toast everything for about three minutes, stirring constantly.
Step 3: Stir the broth into the pot, then raise the heat to high.
Step 4: Lower the heat until the liquid is just cooking at a low simmer. Cover the pot and let the mixture simmer until all of the liquid has been absorbed.
Tip: Consider using a pot with a clear lid, so you can see when all of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice.
Step 5: Remove the pot from heat and let it sit with the lid on it for about five minutes after it has finished cooking.
Step 6: Take the lid off of the pot, then fluff the rice pilaf with a fork. Add salt and pepper, if needed, along with some fresh parsley.
Your almond rice pilaf is ready to enjoy! I love pairing this dish up with a savory vegan main, like my vegan meatloaf or vegetable wellington.
Leftovers & Storage
Leftover rice pilaf will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for about three days, or in the freezer for about three months. The best way to reheat it is to transfer it to a microwave-safe bowl and cover it with a damp paper towel. Microwave it in one minute increments, stirring in between each zap, until hot. If you're reheating it from frozen you may not be able to stir it until after the first couple of zaps, and that's fine!
Variations
- Add dried fruit. Stir in some dried fruit, such as raisins, dried cherries, apricots, or cranberries.
- Lemony rice pilaf. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and a bit of lemon zest after the pilaf has finished cooking.
- Herbed rice pilaf. Add a sprig of rosemary and/or thyme to the pot during cooking. Be sure to remove it before serving!
Frequently Asked Questions
It can! Use gluten-free orzo pasta, or swap the orzo out with an additional half cup of rice.
Yes! The dish obviously won't be almond rice pilaf, but it will still be delicious. Try walnuts, pecans, or hazelnuts.
If there's still liquid in the pot, just let it continue to cook. If all of the liquid is gone but the rice is still crunchy, then something went wrong. Usually this means either the ingredients were mis-measured, or too much steam escaped from the pot. You should be able to save the dish by stirring in some additional broth and letting it continue to simmer with the lid on.
More Rice Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Easy Almond Rice Pilaf
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup dried long grain white rice
- ½ cup dried orzo pasta
- ½ cup sliced or slivered almonds
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Coat the bottom of a medium pot with the olive oil and place it over medium heat. Give the oil a minute to heat up, then add the onion. Sweat the onion for about five minutes, until it becomes soft and translucent, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the garlic, rice, orzo, and almonds. Toast the mixture in the oil for about three minutes, stirring often, until it starts to smell nutty.
- Stir in the broth. Raise the heat to high and bring the liquid to a boil.
- Lower the heat until it's just at a low simmer. Cover the pot and let the mixture cook until the liquid has all been absorbed, about twenty minutes.
- Take the pot off of heat and let it sit with the lid on for about five minutes.
- Remove the lid from the pot and fluff the mixture with a fork. Season it with salt and pepper to taste, and stir in the parsley.
- Serve.
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