You will love the delightful blend of flavors and textures in our Orzo Rice Pilaf recipe. This versatile side dish marries the softness of rice with the slight bite of orzo pasta. With its simple yet flavorful ingredients, this dish is sure to add a tasty twist to your meal.
Orzo rice pilaf is quickly becoming a go-to easy side dish in my house. It's more exciting than plain rice but just as easy to prepare. While I can find a boxed version of this flavorful side dish recipe in my grocery store, I prefer to make my own as it is a great way to have control over ingredients.
With its simple ingredients and straightforward instructions, this dish is a breeze to make. Whether you're serving it alongside grilled chicken, roasted vegetables, or even as a bed for your favorite curry, this fluffy rice will hit the spot.
The combination of rice and orzo creates a unique texture that makes your meal more interesting. Plus, the addition of sautéed onions and garlic gives this easy rice pilaf recipe a depth of flavor that's hard to resist. It's the perfect side dish to serve when you want to elevate a simple weeknight dinner or impress guests at a dinner party.
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Ingredients
- Olive oil – Use your favorite light, neural flavored olive oil.
- Yellow Onion – Yellow onion adds a sweet and savory flavor to the pilaf. You can use red or white onion if that's what you have on hand.
- Rice – White Long grain rice is the base of the pilaf, providing a fluffy texture and mild flavor.
- Orzo – This rice-shaped pasta is perfect in this orzo pilaf recipe.
- Garlic – Freshly minced garlic adds a robust, aromatic flavor to the pilaf.
- Chicken Bouillon – I prefer Better Than Bouillon, a concentrated paste used to enhance the chicken flavor in the pilaf. It adds depth and richness. Use your favorite bouillon or chicken broth.
- Water – Used as the liquid to cook the rice and orzo. You can use chicken broth or chicken stock as well.
- Salt and Pepper – They will enhance the flavors of the dish.
- Fresh Parsley (optional) – Freshly chopped parsley adds a pop of color and freshness to the finished dish. You can use other fresh herbs like basil or cilantro too.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
- In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and saute the onions until softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Add in the rice and the orzo and stir constantly until golden brown, while it heats up for about 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic and mix constantly for another 30 seconds or until fragrant.
3. Add in the better than bouillon, water, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
4. Continue to cook over medium low heat until the cooking liquid is absorbed and the rice is cooked, about 20 minutes.
Hint: Fluff the cooked rice and orzo with a fork and garnish with parsley just before serving.
Variations/ Substitutions
- Vegetarian/Vegan – Replace the chicken bouillon with vegetable bouillon and use vegetable broth instead of water to make this dish vegetarian or vegan.
- Spicy – Add chili pepper flakes or a dash of cayenne pepper for a bit of heat.
- Citrus – Stir in some lemon zest or a squeeze of lemon juice before serving for a bright, citrusy flavor.
- Cheesy - Toss in some parmesan cheese for extra flavor.
- Nuts – Toasted pine nuts, almonds, or pecans can add a crunchy texture and nice nutty flavor to the pilaf.
Storage/ Leftovers
To store the leftover rice pilaf, allow it to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. Refrigerate it for up to 2 days.
To reheat the pilaf, you can use the microwave or stovetop:
- Microwave – Place the desired amount of pilaf in a microwave-safe dish, cover it with a damp paper towel to prevent drying out, and microwave on high in 30-second intervals until heated through, stirring in between.
- Stovetop – Heat a small amount of olive oil or butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the leftover pilaf and stir occasionally until heated through.
Before serving, you may want to add a splash of water or broth to the pilaf to help rehydrate it if it has dried out slightly in the refrigerator.
Top Cooking Tips
- Ensure the onions are softened and translucent before adding the rice and orzo. This helps to develop their flavor and sweetness.
- Toasting the rice and orzo in the pan for a couple of minutes after adding them helps to enhance their flavor.
- Better Than Bouillon is recommended for its rich flavor, but you can use any high-quality chicken bouillon for best results.
- Taste the pilaf before serving and adjust the salt and pepper if needed. You can also add other seasonings to suit your taste.
- Fresh chopped parsley adds a pop of color and freshness to the dish. You can also use other herbs like cilantro or dill.
- Use a fork to fluff the pilaf to separate the grains of rice and orzo for a light and fluffy texture.
- A squeeze of fresh lemon juice just before serving can brighten up the flavors of this orzo rice recipe.
Serving Suggestions
Orzo Rice Pilaf is a simple side dish that pairs beautifully with a variety of main dishes. For a classic pairing, serve it alongside grilled or roasted chicken. The pilaf's savory flavors complement the mildness of the chicken, creating a well-rounded meal.
If you prefer fish, consider serving this pilaf with my sheet pan salmon and asparagus recipe. The richness of the salmon pairs wonderfully with the light and fluffy texture of the pilaf, creating a satisfying and flavorful meal. My family loves this homemade rice pilaf next to grilled BBQ pork chops too.
For a vegetarian dinner option, use veggie bouillon in the pilaf and serve it as a main dish with a big salad loaded with fresh vegetables and a tangy vinaigrette.
FAQs
You can make the pilaf ahead of time and reheat it when ready to serve. Store the cooled pilaf in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
You can customize the pilaf by adding vegetables such as diced carrots, bell peppers, or peas. Simply sauté them along with the onions before adding the rice and orzo.
No, this pilaf is not gluten-free due to the use of orzo pasta, which is made from wheat. You can use a gluten-free pasta in place of the orzo if you'd like.
You can make this with white rice, jasmine rice, basmati rice or brown rice. If using brown rice, you may need to adjust the cooking time.
More Side Dishes
Looking for more side dish recipes to serve with dinner? Try these:
If you like this Orzo Rice Pilaf recipe, please leave a 5-star rating.
RECIPE
Simple Orzo Rice Pilaf
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup yellow onion diced
- 1 cup long grain white rice
- ½ cup orzo
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon better than bouillon chicken
- 3 cups water
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 Tablespoons fresh chopped parsley (optional) for servinge
Instructions
- In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and saute the onions until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add in the rice and the orzo and stir constantly while it heats up for about 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic and mix constantly for another 30 seconds or until fragrant.
- Add in the better than bouillon, water, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Continue to cook over medium low heat until the water is absorbed and the rice is cooked, about 20 minutes.
- Garnish with parsley before serving, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
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