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The best Rice Pilaf recipe has rice toasted in butter until golden then cooked in chicken broth with seasonings. It pairs perfectly with any main dish and is picky-eater approved!
The easiest upgrade to plain white rice is this Rice pilaf.
It's embarrassing how much this simple rice pilaf recipe has stolen the show at dinner; it's such a basic side dish dish but so GOOD and so dang versatile to serve with basically any main dish. The flavor hits in all the right ways, and it's so comforting. Best of all is I always have what I need to make it; toasted white rice, butter, chicken broth, and a few spices.
If you love this recipe, make sure to try Coconut Rice, Wild Rice Pilaf, Authentic Mexican Rice, or Breakfast Fried Rice.
How to make Rice Pilaf:
Combine: Rinse rice well in a fine mesh strainer. Toast the rice in a saucepan with butter until it's golden. Add onion, garlic, salt, and pepper. Add chicken broth, bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes (until liquid has absorbed). Remove from heat and let rest, with the lid still on, for 10 minutes.
Serve: Remove lid and gently fluff rice with a fork. Stir in chopped parsley and serve seasoned rice pilaf immediately with any meal like Honey Mustard Chicken, Air Fryer Salmon Bites, Roast Chicken, and Steak Kabobs.
Rice Pilaf
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup onion, (71g), finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, , minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice, (297g)
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth, (711g), or vegetable broth
- ¼ cup fresh chopped parsley, (15g)
Instructions
- Rinse rice: Add rice to a fine mesh strainer or colander and rinse really well, until the water runs clear. Set aside to drain.1 ½ cups long-grain white rice
- Sauté and season: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the rice and cook, stirring often, until lightly golden. Add onion, garlic, salt, and pepper and cook until onion has softened.2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, ½ cup onion, 3 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Cook: Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Cover pot with a tight fitting lid and reduce heat to a simmer. Don't remove lid during cooking. Cook for 18 minutes. Remove pot from heat and allow to rest, with lid on, for 10 minutes.3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- Fluff rice with a fork and gently stir in chopped parsley.¼ cup fresh chopped parsley
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I originally shared this recipe February 2020. Updated October 2022 and May 2025.
I must have done something wrong. I couldn’t get my rice to brown. I suppose I tried sauntering too long, as my finished rice was mushy.
I’m sorry this one was frustrating. The rice isn’t meant to get deeply browned, just lightly golden before the broth goes in, so that part sounds right. If it turned out mushy, I’d guess it simmered a little past the 18 minutes or the lid wasn’t fully sealed – next time try pulling it right at 18 minutes and letting it rest with the lid on for the full 10.
Do you have a suggestion for salt replacement for low sodium diets to keep good flavor?
I’d cut back the added salt and lean on extra garlic, onion, a bay leaf, or a splash of lemon juice to boost the flavor instead. A salt-free herb blend works well here too.
Delicious and so easy.
Yum!! It was just what I hoped for. I will make this again.
Step #2 is confusing.
Sorry for the confusion! In step 2, the rice should be sautéed in the butter first until lightly golden, then the onion, garlic, salt, and pepper are added and cooked until the onion softens.