Rice Pilaf with Orzo
Buttery rice pilaf with toasted orzo, onion and garlic simmered in chicken broth. A classic one-pot side in 40 minutes that beats the boxed kind.
13% of it needs you at the counter
- Hands-on
- 5 min
- Cooking
- 30 min
- Resting
- 5 min
- Serves
- 6
- Calories
- 215
- Protein
- 6 g
- Per serving
- $0.55
Why this recipe works
Pilaf simply means rice that's toasted in fat before it's simmered in broth. Adding orzo (or broken vermicelli) is the version many American families grew up with, and it's the one most people are looking for.
It goes with almost anything: roast chicken, salmon, pork chops or a weeknight steak.
- Browning the orzo in butter before the rice goes in gives the nutty, toasty flavor people love in boxed pilaf, without the seasoning packet.
- Cooking in broth instead of water seasons every grain from the inside.
- The rice and orzo share one liquid ratio, so both finish tender at the same time.
Ingredients
To serve
You will need
- 3-quart saucepan with a tight-fitting lid
Method
Tap a step number to mark it done.
Toast the orzo
Melt the butter in the saucepan over medium heat. Add the orzo and stir constantly until most of it is golden brown.
Soften the onion
Add the onion and cook, stirring, until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds.
Toast the rice
Add the rice and stir until the grains look slightly translucent at the edges and are coated in butter.
Simmer
Pour in the broth, add the salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Cover, turn the heat to low and simmer without lifting the lid until the liquid is absorbed.
Rest and fluff
Off the heat, leave it covered to steam. Fluff with a fork and stir in the parsley.
Cook's notes
- Keep stirring while the orzo browns. It goes from golden to burnt in under a minute.
- Regular broth is saltier than low-sodium; if that's what you have, skip the added salt and taste at the end.
- Stir in toasted sliced almonds or a handful of frozen peas (during the rest) for a fuller side.
Nutrition per serving
215 calories
$0.55 estimated cost per serving
Where the calories come from
| Protein | 12% of calories | 6 g |
|---|---|---|
| Carbs | 71% of calories | 37 g |
| Fat | 17% of calories | 4 g |
| Fiber | 1 g | |
| Sodium | 360 mg |
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients and amounts; not lab-tested. Cost estimated from average US retail prices.
Questions people ask
What makes a pilaf a pilaf?
The rice is toasted in fat before any liquid goes in, then simmered in a measured amount of broth so the grains absorb it all and stay separate.
Can I make rice pilaf without orzo?
Yes. Leave out the orzo and reduce the broth to 1¾ cups. Everything else stays the same.
Is rice pilaf gluten-free?
Not with orzo or vermicelli, which are wheat pasta. Without the orzo, and with a gluten-free broth, it is.
