Description
This easy vegetable rice pilaf recipe offers a flavorful, aromatic, and comforting side dish made with white rice, fresh vegetables, and fragrant herbs. Perfect for a quick weeknight meal or a wholesome accompaniment to your favorite main dishes, it uses simple ingredients and straightforward stovetop cooking.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- ½ cup carrots, shredded
- 1 large or 2 small zucchini, cut into quarter moons
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
- Black pepper, to taste
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked white rice, rinsed and drained
- 1½ teaspoon chopped sage (or ½ teaspoon dried)
- 1½ teaspoon chopped thyme (or ½ teaspoon dried)
- 1½ teaspoon chopped rosemary (or ½ teaspoon dried)
Fat and Liquid
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter (or oil)
- 1 ¾ cups hot broth (vegetable or other broth)
Instructions
- Prepare Aromatics: Heat the vegan butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the diced onion and ½ teaspoon salt. Sauté until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Toast Rice and Vegetables: Add the rinsed rice, minced garlic, shredded carrots, and chopped herbs (sage, thyme, rosemary) to the skillet. Stir frequently and cook until the rice is lightly toasted and fragrant, about 3 minutes.
- Add Broth and Simmer: Pour in the hot broth and stir to combine. Increase heat to medium and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover, and let it simmer gently for 10 minutes.
- Add Zucchini and Continue Cooking: Stir in the quartered zucchini pieces, cover again, and cook on low heat for another 5 minutes until the zucchini is tender and rice is cooked through.
- Let Rest: Remove the skillet from heat and keep it covered. Let the rice pilaf sit and steam for 10 more minutes to absorb the flavors fully.
- Finish and Serve: Uncover and fluff the rice with a fork. Mix in the fresh lemon juice and chopped parsley. Season with additional salt and black pepper to taste. Serve warm, garnished with extra parsley if desired.
Notes
- You can substitute shredded sweet or white potatoes for the carrots to introduce a different flavor and texture to the pilaf.
- Nutrition information does not account for added salt and black pepper used for seasoning.
- Use vegetable broth to keep this recipe vegan and enhance the flavor.
- Rinsing the rice before cooking removes excess starch and prevents clumping.
- Cooking time and liquid ratio are designed for stovetop simmering of white rice; adjust if using other rice varieties.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
