Lebanese Rice Pilaf

Lebanese Rice Pilaf, Middle Eastern Rice, or Arabic Rice is a staple side dish in Arabic households. It’s nutty, fluffy, and delicious and comes together in less than 40 minutes!

Lebanese Rice Pilaf

Lebanese Rice Pilaf, Middle Eastern Rice, or Arabic Rice is a staple side dish in Arabic households. It’s nutty, fluffy, and delicious and comes together in less than 40 minutes!

Course

Side Dish
Prep time

10 Mins
cook time

25 Mins
servings

8
Author

@chahinez_tbt

Ingredients

2 cups Lotus Foods Regenerative Organic White Basmati Rice
1 cup vermicelli
2 tbsp butter (or olive oil to make this recipe vegan)
⅛ tsp cinnamon
2-3 tsp salt
4½ cups very hot water

Optional Toppings

toasted pistachios
pine nuts
cranberries

product used in the recipe

Regenerative Organic White Basmati Rice

1

Rinse the rice with cold water until the water runs clear then set it aside.
2

In a large pot, melt the butter or oil over medium heat, add in the noodles, and stir to toast them. Continue stirring the vermicelli noodles frequently to avoid burning them as they will brown quickly. You will know they are ready when they turn a golden-brown color with a deep nutty fragrance. This step will take ~4-5 mins total.
3

Add the rice to the pot, top with cinnamon and salt, then stir to coat the rice with the melted butter. Toast the rice for an extra 2-3 mins to develop those deep flavors, making sure to stir frequently.
4

Add the hot water to the pan and stir to combine everything. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer, cover with a lid, and cook for 15 mins.
5

Turn off the heat and let the rice rest for 5-10 mins with the lid on, this will allow the steam to finish cooking the rice. Then uncover the pot and fluff the rice with a fork.
6

Enjoy this rice as is or top it with some toasted pistachios, pine nuts, and cranberries for a show stopping side dish.