Rice Pilaf Recipe (With Vermicelli)

This fluffy, buttery Rice Pilaf, infused with incredible flavor from sauteing in butter and cooking in seasoned chicken broth with vermicelli (or orzo), creates a classic side dish for a holiday meal or weeknight dinner.

Rice Pilaf makes a wonderful side dish for many main dishes. You could add shredded chicken and vegetables to the rice to make it a meal.

Since I published my Oven Baked Chicken Breast recipe, I have received numerous recipe requests for the rice photographed with the chicken. (See photo below.)

It is this Rice Pilaf that is photographed. Today, I am sharing my recipe for this classic rice dish.

Table of Contents

• What Is Rice Pilaf?
• Why You’ll Love This Recipe
• Why This Recipe Works
• What You’ll Need To Make This Recipe
• Rice Pilaf Ingredients
• How to Make Rice Pilaf
• Tips for the Perfect Rice Pilaf
• Variations of Rice Pilaf
• What to Serve with Rice Pilaf?
• FAQs
• Why is rice pilaf so much more flavorful than regular rice?
• Other Rice Recipes
• Recipe
• Reviews

What Is Rice Pilaf?

Rice pilaf is a flavorful, buttery rice mixture made with long-grain rice and either vermicelli or orzo pasta, sauteed in oil or butter and cooked in seasoned chicken broth.

The vermicelli pasta is an extra-thin, quick-cooking Italian pasta that can be used like spaghetti, only it is much thinner.

In Italy, the noodles are slightly thicker than spaghetti, but in the US, vermicelli is thinner than spaghetti.

In Mexico, they often refer to vermicelli as fideo, often used in soups.

Some recipes call for orzo pasta, a rice-shaped Italian pasta often used in rice pilaf.

After reading up on the history of Rice Pilaf, I learned that the variation I make is an Armenian Rice Pilaf. This one sautes vermicelli and rice in butter first.

It seems that every country has its own version of rice pilaf! So you might have Armenian Rice Pilaf, Lebanese rice pilaf (Lebanese vermicelli rice, if you prefer), Italian Rice Pilaf, or Mexican Rice Pilaf.

This version is the one I’ve eaten all my life and have loved since I was a kid, so I’m sharing this variation of Rice Pilaf.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Easy Recipe – This recipe is easy to make with a few ingredients.
• Inexpensive – This rice recipe is budget-friendly; one might even say that it is cheap to make.
• Simple ingredients – You likely already have many of these ingredients in your pantry or kitchen, or you can easily find them at your local grocery store. It should have everything that you need for this simple rice dish.
• Goes With Everything – Rice Pilaf is the perfect side dish because it goes with everything, whether for a casual weeknight dinner or a fancy holiday dinner. This delicious side dish is one the whole family will love.

Why This Recipe Works

• Tried and true Recipe – This is my favorite recipe of all rice pilaf recipes because it tastes so good. I have made it many times, and everyone loves it. I never have any leftovers.

What You’ll Need To Make This Recipe

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• Large saucepan or large pot
• Large serving bowl
• Wooden spoon
• Serving Spoon

Rice Pilaf Ingredients

Below, I discuss the ingredients and possible substitutions if you don’t have a specific ingredient. However, if you are looking for the specific measurements of each ingredient, scroll down to the bottom of this article, just above the comments, for the printable recipe card, which includes all the ingredients and the specific amounts of each one.

You’ll need the following ingredients to make this delicious, savory butter rice pilaf.

• Rice. I use long grain rice in this dish. You can use Jasmine or Basmati rice for the best results. However, you can use Arabic rice as well.
• Vermicelli. Vermicelli pasta is a long, very thin pasta, like skinny spaghetti. It should be available at most grocery stores. However, if you can’t find Vermicelli noodles, you can use angel hair pasta instead.
• Broth. You need liquid for this recipe to work. You can use water or broth. I like to use chicken broth or chicken stock to add more flavor, but you could use vegetable or beef broth.
• Butter. For this recipe, I highly recommend using real butter, not margarine. It provides the best buttery flavor that is so distinctive in a rice pilaf recipe. You can use olive oil to be healthier, but the rice won’t have the same rich buttery flavor.
• Garlic. Almost as important as the butter in this recipe, minced garlic adds amazing flavor. Please don’t skip it.
• Onion. I used half an onion. It provides additional flavor to compliment the butter and garlic.
• Seasonings. I use salt, pepper, paprika, and a little cayenne. If you don’t like spicy foods, then just omit the cayenne. It is optional. 

How to Make Rice Pilaf

1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, add butter, chicken broth or chicken stock, salt, pepper, and paprika, and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

1. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute some chopped onion in butter until it is soft and translucent.
2. Add vermicelli and cook for about 4 or 5 minutes.
3. Add rice and cook for about 5 minutes or until it looks bright white.
4. Add minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute.

1. Pour broth into the skillet with rice, cover, and cook until rice is cooked about 15-20 minutes, or until it is a deep golden brown.

Tips for the Perfect Rice Pilaf

1. Butter. Yes, this rice can cook up deliciously using oil instead of butter. But if you want to ramp up the flavor of this rice, I recommend sauteeing the onions, garlic, vermicelli (or orzo), and rice in butter.
2. Flavored Broth. You could cook this rice in water, but the flavored broth differentiates the rice pilaf from regular rice. I use chicken broth with butter and seasonings. However, you could also use beef or vegetable broth if you like. Don’t forget the butter. See Tip #1.
3. Add Seasonings. Include sauteed onions, garlic, plenty of salt and pepper, and paprika. You could add other seasonings and herbs such as basil or oregano, or spice it up with a little cayenne. It is flexible enough so that you can customize it to your taste. (See Rice Pilaf Variations below.)
4. Don’t Forget to Fluff. Say What??? Yes. It is not enough to cook the rice. You have to be patient and remove it from the heat, fluff the rice with a fork, cover it with a towel, and then the lid and wait, but only for about 5 minutes. Why go through this extra step? The towel absorbs the excess moisture and allows the rice to stay fluffy.

Variations of Rice Pilaf

This recipe is for the classic rice pilaf. However, you can certainly add your flair to this dish by adding additional ingredients for a variation on this rice pilaf.

Below are some popular variations.

1. Almonds – Toast the almonds while cooking the rice in butter to add flavor and crunch. Almonds are popular, but you could use pecans or walnuts, or any other nut.
2. Orzo – Orzo is often used either instead of vermicelli or in addition to vermicelli. It is a rice-shaped pasta that gives the rice pilaf some extra flavor and texture.
3. Herbs – Add even more flavor by including your favorite herbs, such as basil, oregano, rosemary, cilantro, and mint, to name just a few. Combine these with other ingredients listed in the variations to create your unique version of rice pilaf.
4. Vegetables – Include your favorite vegetables, such as chopped or shredded carrots, peas, chopped spinach, kale, or chopped broccoli. It is a great way to increase nutritional value and add texture and flavor.
5. Bacon – I don’t think I need to say anymore. Everything is better with bacon. It adds that rich, smoky flavor to the rice.

What to Serve with Rice Pilaf?

However, here are some of my favorite dishes to serve with rice pilaf.

Oven Baked Chicken Breast – This is one of my most popular recipes that initiated this recipe for rice pilaf because so many people requested the recipe for the rice shown in the picture with the chicken. Round out the meal with your favorite vegetable, such as these Creole Green Beans.

Rotisserie Chicken Breast Tenders – I think the seasoning in this chicken dish will pair well with the rice pilaf flavor. Add your favorite vegetable, such as this

Beef Tips and Rice – Switch the regular rice with the rice pilaf served with these Beef Tips. This is another one of my most popular recipes on the blog.

Honey Glazed Carrots – These Honey Glazed Carrots pair perfectly with the rice pilaf for a holiday or weeknight dinner. 

FAQs

Rinse The Rice

To remove excess starch from the rice, place the rice in a fine mesh strainer and rinse the rice under cold water.

Why is rice pilaf so much more flavorful than regular rice?

It is because of the sautéing of the rice, vermicelli, or orzo, along with onions and garlic in butter, and then cooking the mixture in seasoned chicken broth. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

It takes a little more effort than regular rice, but it is worth it!

Other Rice Recipes

If you like this rice pilaf recipe, check out these other rice recipes to change dinner every now and then.

Lemon Asparagus Asiago Brown Rice – A unique variation on rice for Spring that adds the freshness of lemon and healthy asparagus as well as the nutty flavor of Asiago cheese.

Perfect White Rice – Sometimes you want to go with the tried and true and stick to the basic rice recipe to let the other dishes shine through.

Mango Spinach Rice Salad – Turn rice into a summer salad with this Mango Spinah Rice Salad.

Ricotta Rice Tomatoes Florentine – Brown rice, combined with ricotta and spinach stuffed inside tomatoes. This makes an excellent side dish or vegetarian main dish.

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