My mother at all times made rice pilaf for us as children, and this brown rice pilaf, with toasted almonds, nutty rice, candy shallots, and parsley, remains to be an excellent facet dish! Make it in a single pan in 20 minutes to serve with weeknight dinners and vacation meals.
Easy components are all it takes to show plain rice right into a flavorful facet dish. Strive my mushroom rice, lemon rice, and Jollof rice, too!

This brown rice pilaf is the facet dish that modified my opinion of brown rice from “meh” to “WHOA!” Additionally referred to as pilav or pilau, this rice pilaf recipe includes slowly simmering buttery rice in a wealthy vegetable broth with garlic and shallots, completed off with toasted almonds and contemporary herbs. I’ve made this brown rice pilaf a gazillion occasions, and I not often change it. It’s different to white rice with dinner, and it’s prepared in 20 minutes or much less.
Issues to Know About This Brown Rice Pilaf Recipe
- One skillet. You’ll sauté the veggies and simmer the pilaf all in the identical pot.
- Fast. This simple rice dish is able to eat in below half-hour. There’s loads of time to whip up a fast hen and vegetable skillet or garlic butter steak bites whereas the pilaf simmers.
- Tasty textures. The tender rice paired with candy shallots and crunchy slivered almonds creates the right steadiness of textures. It’s the kind of facet dish that you may pair with all the things!
What Readers Are Saying
“What a tremendous facet dish!! And I like the addition of crunchy almonds!” – Olivia


You’ll Want These Components
Right here’s a fast take a look at the components on this simple brown rice pilaf recipe. Scroll to the printable recipe card for the total recipe with actual quantities.
- Olive Oil and Butter – I exploit half olive oil, half butter, however you should utilize all of 1 or the opposite, or your most well-liked cooking oil.
- Shallot – You may substitute the chopped shallots with finely diced delicate onions if wanted.
- Garlic – Finely minced. Should you don’t have contemporary garlic, substitute ½ teaspoon of garlic powder per clove.
- Prompt Brown Rice – You too can make this recipe with white rice, preserving in thoughts the cooking time might be shorter. I even have an orzo pilaf recipe made with rice-shaped orzo pasta.
- Vegetable Broth – I wish to prepare dinner with low-sodium broth or inventory and regulate the seasonings to style. Rooster broth additionally works on this recipe.
- Almonds – Sliced and toasted. I’ll generally crush up honey-roasted almonds so as to add in as a substitute for a sweet-savory distinction. You may swap almonds for walnuts or pecans when you’d like.
- Contemporary Parsley – Chopped, for garnish.
Suggestions and Variations
- Use on the spot rice. The cooking time on this recipe relies on on the spot rice. Should you’re utilizing regular brown rice or long-grain rice, the cooking time might be longer and extra liquid could also be required.
- Amp up the greens. Sauté diced bell peppers or mushrooms alongside the shallots. Or, stir in spinach leaves or frozen peas on the finish and allow them to warmth by.
- Fluff earlier than serving. Tossing the completed brown rice pilaf with a fork earlier than serving helps break up any lumps.


Pin this now to seek out it later
-
Sauté the aromatics. Warmth olive oil and butter in a nonstick pan over medium warmth. Add chopped shallots and saute for 1 minute or till crisp-tender. Add garlic and saute for 20 seconds, or till aromatic.
-
Add rice and broth. Stir in rice and proceed to prepare dinner for 1 minute. Add hen broth, salt, and pepper. Carry combination to a boil; scale back warmth and simmer for 10 minutes, or till liquid is absorbed.
-
End and serve. Take away from warmth and add toasted almonds and parsley; stir and fluff with a fork. Style for seasonings and regulate accordingly. Serve.
Serving: 1cup | Energy: 233kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 5g | Fats: 10g | Saturated Fats: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 1g | Monounsaturated Fats: 6g | Trans Fats: 0.1g | Ldl cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 45mg | Potassium: 139mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 172IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 3mg
Dietary data is an estimate and offered as courtesy. Values could fluctuate in line with the components and instruments used. Please use your most well-liked dietary calculator for extra detailed data.
The way to Make Brown Rice Pilaf
The steps for making ready rice pilaf are similar to risotto. The distinction is, you gained’t have to hover over a scorching pan, stirring whereas the broth absorbs. The ensuing texture is fluffier than risotto, and never as creamy, however scrumptious nonetheless.
- Sauté the aromatics. Begin by heating the oil and butter in a skillet. Sauté the chopped shallots over medium warmth for a minute, then add the garlic.
- Add the rice. Subsequent, stir within the rice. Let that toast within the pan for a minute or so.
- Add the broth. Add the hen broth, season to style, and produce the rice to a boil. Decrease the warmth and simmer for 10 minutes, till the rice absorbs a lot of the liquid.
- End and serve. Lastly, take the pan off the warmth earlier than stirring within the toasted almonds. Garnish with parsley and fluff the rice with a fork, then serve.


Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Refigerate inside 2 hours. Retailer rice pilaf inside 2 hours of cooking and hold it hermetic within the fridge for 1-2 days.
- Reheat. Heat up the rice in a skillet on the stovetop or within the microwave till it’s piping scorching.

