Vegetarian Rice Pilaf

What Makes A Pilaf A Pilaf

Pilaf is actually more of a cooking method than a dish. In cooking pilaf, the distinct step is toasting the rice, also called cracking, and sauteing the vegetables first before adding any liquid.

Cracking forms a crust on each grain that prevents them from sticking to each other. That’s also how pilaf gets its distinct fluffy texture. 

❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Whether it’s a special occasion or just a normal day, this vegetable rice pilaf surely deserves a spot on your menu!

• It’s super easy to make even for beginners.
• It’s cheap but it feeds a crowd, making it perfect for big gatherings.
• It looks oh so pretty on a plate! Those pops of colors from the rice and cranberries will surely bring a festive touch to your dinner table.
• You can customize it to whatever ingredients you have on hand.
• It comes together in 30 minutes, prep time and cook time combined.

Looking for more rice dishes? You might want to check out cilantro lime rice, a simpler rice dish made with fewer ingredients but also big in deliciousness!

Want to make this in your electric pressure cooker? You might prefer this recipe for Instant Pot Rice Pilaf.

🥘 Ingredients

There are no special or difficult to find ingredients needed to make this recipe. They’re all easy to find in your local grocery.

• Wild Rice Blend: There are different kinds available in the market, like long grain blend and quinoa medley. You can use any.
• Butter: It’s the fat we use to saute the vegetables. It adds a nice richness to the overall taste of the dish.
• Onion and Carrots: These aromatics add umami and a subtle sweet flavor. 
• Cranberries: You can use fresh or dried cranberries to add sweetness and a beautiful pop of color to your rice pilaf.
• Pecans: For added crunch. I recommend toasting them first to really bring out the aroma of the pecans.
• Parsley: For a touch of fresh herby taste to the pilaf.

See recipe card for quantities.

🔀 Substitutions

• Wild Rice Blend: You can purchase pre-made ones or make your own blend like I did. I used a mix of wild rice, brown rice, and long-grain white rice. See exact quantities in the recipe card below.
• Butter: I really like the richness that butter adds to the dish. But if you’re out of butter, olive oil or any cooking oil will do.
• Cranberries: You can also use golden raisins. 
• Pecans: You can substitute almonds, walnuts, or even a combination of nuts of your preference.
• Parsley: It adds a nice green color to the dish and also a fresh taste. But if you don’t have parsley, you can use cilantro or green onions. Do note that the flavor will slightly vary.

🌈 Variations / Options / Add-Ins

What’s great about making your own dishes is that you are the chef—you can customize them! Here are ways to give your rice pilaf your very own personal touch.

• Grains: Add other grains to the rice mixture like quinoa, pearl barley, and even corn.
• Veggies: If you want, you can experiment with other veggies like bell peppers, frozen peas, or leftovers that you have in the fridge for more nutrients and pops of color.
• Aromatics: Onion and carrots are good enough. But you can try putting in some minced garlic, celery, and/or bay leaf to elevate the flavor of your dish, or if the other aromatics are not available. You can also add minced shiitake mushrooms for more umami and added protein to your pilaf.
• Vegan: Simply remove the butter and replace it with vegan butter or olive oil.
• Liquid: Instead of using water, you can use vegetable broth as the flavoring liquid. Non-vegetarians can also use chicken stock.
• Buddha bowl: This rice pilaf also makes a great base for a Buddha bowl! Simply put some in a bowl and top it with fresh vegetables like alfalfa, red bell pepper, bean sprouts, or kale. Add protein like chickpeas (or one of these substitutes for chickpeas) or tofu, and your choice of sauce. 

Check out this red beans and rice recipe. You can do something similar to your rice pilaf.

🥄 Equipment Needed / Helpful Tools

You will need only a handful of tools to make this recipe.

• skillet
• sauce pan
• spatula

🔪 How to Make Vegetarian Rice Pilaf

The instructions for making this vegetarian pilaf rice recipe are so easy to follow, even for beginners.

Step 1: Toast rice

In a preheated skillet on medium high heat, toast the rice, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes until slightly brown and fragrant. You will need to stir the rice constantly to make sure the bottom doesn’t burn and that all the grains of rice will cook evenly.

Step 2: Add liquid

Place rice in a saucepan and add 3-4 cups of water. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover the pot and let it simmer for about 12 minutes.

Do note that 3-4 cups is just an estimate as the amount of liquid may vary depending on the type of rice used. Refer to the package instructions.

Step 3: Saute vegetables

Place butter in a skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the onions and carrots and cook for 4-6 minutes until soft and the onions are golden. You do not want to overcook them as they might turn mushy.

Step 4: Combine everything together

Lastly, combine everything together—rice, vegetables, cranberries, pecans, and parsley. Don’t forget to season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve and enjoy your vegetarian pilaf!

🍽️ Serving Suggestions

Serve your rice pilaf with these Air Fryer Roasted Vegetables on the side. These Lobster Cakes would also go nicely with this rice.

👩‍🍳 Pro Tip

Use non-stick cookware to help make sure the ingredients won’t stick.

❓ Recipe FAQs

🙏 Pairing

These are my favorite dishes to serve with Vegetarian Rice Pilaf: