13 rice pilaf recipes

Indian vegetable rice pilaf with potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, peas, green beans, and cashews bloomed in mustard seeds, ginger, garlic, and curry powder. A one-pot oven-baked pilau ready in 35 minutes.

This savory and scrumptious pilaf is the perfect side dish for a summer barbecue.

Spiced Indian Coconut Rice Pilaf with Ghee and Cashews recipe

This is one of our favorites. I add more lemon (yes, with the rind!). It's sooo good! Not bitter. I looked online to find it because I misplaced my "Award winning recipes" cookbook in the move. I use vinegar instead of wine (about half the amount) because we don't stock wine.

A showstopping Persian jeweled rice (javaher polow) layered with saffron-glazed carrots, barberries, currants, pistachios, almonds, orange peel, and rose water. Topped with a golden tah dig crust.

Rice pilaf salad tosses diced turkey, brown rice, chickpeas, kidney beans, apples, celery, and green olives into a protein-loaded chilled salad. Perfect for Thanksgiving leftovers or make-ahead lunches.

Polo havidge loobia is a Persian layered rice pilau with sweet carrots, kidney beans, cinnamon, and a crisp potato tahdig crust. Aromatic, vegetarian, and deeply comforting.

Persian-style pilaf with basmati rice, red lentils and sour cherries perfumed with turmeric and cumin, finished with a buttery golden crust. A sweet-tart, aromatic side or vegetarian main with real character.

Creamy wild rice and brown rice pilaf cooked in blended tofu and water with sauteed celery, onion, rosemary, and lemon juice. A protein-rich side dish with a silky, creamy texture.

Polygrain pilaf with brown rice, kasha, millet, and arame seaweed baked in vegetable stock. Topped with steamed carrots, peas, and daikon for a hearty vegan grain bowl.

Curried rice with lentils, raisins, and apples: a vegan Indian-inspired one-pot pilaf with turmeric, ginger, curry, and sunflower seeds. Fat-free, high-fiber comfort with sweet and savory in every bite.

Italian pistachio pilaf with basmati rice, seitan, sweet bell peppers, fennel, scallions, and a generous cup of pistachios. A vegetarian Mediterranean main with serious Italian-sausage flavor.

Tender veal cutlets and sautéed mushrooms in a paprika-Marsala cream sauce, spooned over a nutty barley pilaf with shallots and zucchini. A complete one-hour dinner with serious depth.