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Rice Pilaf With Carrots and Parsley
![Rice Pilaf With Carrots and Parsley](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2012/10/04/health/nutrition/04recipehealth-pic/04recipehealth-pic-articleLarge-v2.jpg?width=1280&quality=75&auto=webp)
- Total Time
- 1 hour
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
- 1cup basmati rice
- 2cups water or stock (chicken or vegetable)
- 2tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1small onion or 1 medium leek, finely chopped
- ¾pound carrots (2 large), peeled, cut in half lengthwise if large, and thinly sliced on the diagonal
- Salt to taste
- ½cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Preparation
- Step 1
Place the rice in a bowl in the sink and rinse several times with water, or soak for 30 minutes, to wash away some of the starch. Drain through a strainer.
- Step 2
Heat the water or stock to a bare simmer in a saucepan or in a Pyrex measuring cup in the microwave.
- Step 3
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a wide, heavy skillet or saucepan over medium heat and add the carrots, onion or leek, and salt to taste. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 3 minutes, and add the rice. Cook, stirring, until the grains of rice are separate and beginning to crackle. Add the hot water or stock and salt to taste and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes, until all of the liquid has been absorbed.
- Step 4
Uncover the rice and place a clean towel over the top of the pan (it should not be touching the rice). Replace the lid and allow the rice to sit for 10 minutes, undisturbed. Add the parsley and gently fluff the rice, then pile the pilaf onto a platter or into a wide bowl and serve.
- Advance preparation: The pilaf can be cooked ahead and reheated. After the 10-minute rest with the towel over the pan, spread in a lightly oiled 2-quart baking dish and allow to cool completely, uncovered. To reheat, cover with foil and place in a 325-degree oven for 20 minutes.
Private Notes
Cooking Notes
Very plain recipe. First off, you need to use Stock (not water as indicated as optional). Basmati is a good choice but use any rice you have on hand. I've done it with Jasmine and even converted. I think finely chopped veggies work better than having big chunks of vegetables in the pilaf. Chopped toasted nuts like pecans add a nice texture element. Whole pine nuts would work too. 1/2 poblano, Jalapeno or bell pepper kicks it up too. Reduced homemade stock works great.
So easy and so delicious! I followed the recipe exactly, using chicken stock and leeks. My 5 and 3 year old kept asking for more. I served it with pan seared grouper with a butter sauce and steamed broccolini. This will be my go to side/starch!
It was too hot to pick the parsley so we forgot that. With local leeks and multicolored carrots. this was both delicious and beautiful. So sweet that it tasted like it had honey in it.
What a wonderful dish! I amended the recipe to included two celery stalks. I also cooked the rice first in my rice cooker before following the written recipe, and added (1/4 tsp. smoked cinnamon to the veggies as they were being cooked in the oil. When the dish was completed, I put it under the broiler for a few minutes to crisp up the surface and added a pinch of turmeric.
I served the pilaf with Chicken Shawarma, White Sauce, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, and feta, and warmed pita.
For whole grain basmati, keep proportions the same but cook for 30 to 40 minutes, then check liquid content. May need to add up to 2/3 cup more stock and simmer another 10 minutes before covering with towel.
This was fresh-tasting and so pretty, really a lovely side dish. I added a handful of slivered almonds and used it under lemon chicken.
I added lemon zest and some fresh dill to the parsley.- it was the ‘make ahead’ note that sold me, though - I made it the night before guests were coming, brought it to room temperature the next day, drizzled some melted butter and stock on it, then reheated it when the roast was finishing in the oven, left rice to continue heating while roast rested. Easy no fuss time saver!
I didn’t have carrots so I used roughly the same amount of sweet bell peppers, delicious! Definitely trying with carrots next.
Delicious. Served with grilled eggplant and verlasso salmon. Definitely make with a stock, and added a few chopped crimini mushrooms.
Very tasty needs something more. Toast rice longer. Add pine nuts.
This was fun to make and was very good! Thought I had an onion (no...) so I substituted 2 shallots instead.
This is a great canvas! Used stock and added pine nuts per some others’ suggestions and added some sausages for a meal. Would also be with like feta and chickpeas.
Really too simple, but adding some garbanzos, and whatever other vegetables to it and fresh cut chives and marjoram made it a great dish for leftover rice!
Loved this! Made it in the instant pot using sautée and then pressure cook on high for 4 minutes, slow release for 10 minutes, then the towel for 10. Delicious!
I ran out of EVOO so I used a blood orange and Chile olive oil. Added some great flavor. I also used long grain brown rice and added 15 minutes to the cook time. At the end I added some toasted pistachios. It was wonderful, almost upstaged the halibut I was cooking.
I liked the recommendation to cut the carrot small. Used 4 ounces carrot, same amount onion, veggie broth, and unrinsed jasmine rice. VERY pleased with this pilaf. Great flavor and the rice was perfect.
Excellent! I tripled the recipe to feed a small crowd and the result was perfect. I like the step of covering the pilaf with a towel and the lid when at rest. The dish was so moist.
I doubled the recipe using white basmati rice. Do not double the water or the rice will be mush. Live and learn!
Add some wild rice, toasted almonds and dried fruit.
This one of favorite side dishes. It’s delicious and pretty so it’s great to take to a party/dinner with friends. Use jasmine rice and it’s fine. Leeks are the unsung heroes of the Allium world.
Beef broth and onion worked great. Finished with chopped green onion along with the parsley. Will add nuts for texture next time.
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