Finally, a rice pilaf that I love. It's an easy dish to make, but I wanted the flavors to be just right. Even Russ liked Brown Rice Pilaf, and he's not a fan of rice unless it's yellow rice or plain old jasmine rice. I served this as a side for our salmon dinner, but the serving possibilities are endless. It also freezes well and reheats well, so don't be worried about making too much. You'll end up with a few extra servings of an easy side dish for busy week nights.
Brown rice does take a bit longer to cook than white rice, but the healthier grain is worth the wait. My Brown Rice Pilaf was inspired by Alton Brown's Rice Pilaf. And, you can feel good about adding some extra veggies to everyone's plate. If you want to keep the dish gluten-free, skip the orzo. You'll still have a great tasting side.
PREPARE BROWN RICE PILAF:
Begin by dicing the carrots, onion, and red pepper. Then, add a pinch of saffron to a quarter cup very hot water, and let it steep. Add three tablespoons of butter to a large skillet, and sauté the veggies for about three minutes. Add the rice and orzo to the skillet, and continue to sauté for about five to six more minutes, or until the rice and orzo begin to slightly brown.
Next, add the vegetable broth, saffron and its water, garlic, thyme, and pepper to the skillet. Stir to combine all ingredients. Bring the broth to a boil, then cover and simmer for about forty to forty-five minutes. Stir occasionally so the rice doesn't stick and to check for doneness. When the liquid is absorbed and the rice is soft, Brown Rice Pilaf is ready to serve.
(Note: I know I've mentioned this before, but you can make and freeze your own vegetable broth by saving all your vegetable scraps in a gallon size freezer bag. When the bag is full, simply dump it into your slow cooker, fill with water, and cook on low over night. Allow the broth to cool, then strain out the liquid. I freeze mine into two cup portions simply because that is the most common measurement I use.)
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PIN BROWN RICE PILAF FOR LATER:
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Brown Rice Pilaf
Finally, a Brown Rice Pilaf that I love. It's an easy dish to make, but I wanted the flavors to be just right. It also freezes well and reheats well, so don't be worried about making too much. You'll end up with a few extra servings of an easy side dish for busy week nights.
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown rice
- ⅓ cup orzo (Omit for gluten-free.)
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- ¼ teaspoon saffron steeped in ¼ cup hot water
- ⅓ cup carrots, diced
- ½ cup onions, diced
- ⅓ cup red pepper, diced
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon thyme
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Begin by dicing the carrots, onion, and red pepper. Then, add a pinch of saffron to a quarter cup very hot water, and let it steep.
- Add three tablespoons of butter to a large skillet, and sauté the veggies for about three minutes. Add the rice and orzo to the skillet, and continue to sauté for about five to six more minutes, or until the rice and orzo begin to slightly brown.
- Next, add the vegetable broth, saffron and its water, garlic, thyme, and pepper to the skillet. Stir to combine all ingredients. Bring the broth to a boil, then cover and simmer for about forty to forty-five minutes.
- Stir occasionally so the rice doesn't stick and to check for doneness. When the liquid is absorbed and the rice is soft, Brown Rice Pilaf is ready to serve.
Nutrition Information
Yield 6 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 125Total Fat 6gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 15mgSodium 275mgCarbohydrates 16gFiber 1gSugar 2gProtein 2g
Note: Nutritional information is an approximation. Different brands and/or quantities will change the nutrition profile.
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