Sarah's Rice Pilaf

Just average. While I wanted something more subtle to go with the main dish, I still was looking for something more flavorful than this. Surprising, since one would have thought that since I used a flavored, specialty orzo medley along with the onion, garlic and chicken broth, that wouldn't have been the case. Definitely needs a hint of seasoning of some sort. Still, a perfectly acceptable companion to a heartier, more robustly flavored main dish.

Outstanding recipe! Certainly proof that "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts." Served plain with roast chicken, turned the leftovers into fried rice the next day. Used organic chicken broth and brown basmati rice. To reduce cooking time for basmati rice, soak it in warm water to cover for 20 minutes, then drain & add to the pot.

Don't be mad; I wanted to rate this recipe even though I made changes. I used spaghetti broken into 1 inch pieces because I didn't have orzo. I left out the garlic and onion because I wanted it to taste "plain" so that it didn't compete with my flavorful main dish. So all I used was pasta, butter, rice, and broth and it was delicious!! Greater than the sum of its parts for sure, and very easy.

This recipe is delicious with a few additions! I always double the recipe but follow the steps exactly, except when it comes time to add the onion I also add diced carrots and mushrooms (I never measure this but its probably about 1/2-3/4 cup each). Then, when I add the stock I also include about 1/2-3/4 c. of frozen peas. After everything has cooked and the rice has absorbed all the liquid, I gently stir in about 1/4-1/2 lb. of slivered toasted almonds (I always end up buying the almonds raw and dry toasting them myself). With these additions my family and friends love this recipe, and I get requests for it all the time!

Perfect! I searched everywhere for a simple Rice Pilaf recipe with Orzo. This was exactly what I had in mind. So simple, yet SO flavorful. I did use long grain brown rice and low sodium chicken broth to make the dish slightly healthier. We will absolutely be making this a staple in our home :)

When I made this recipe, I found it to be a little, O.K., alot bland. But, I did use homemade chicken broth, and while very tasty, it was not overly salted. Perhaps using store bought broth would be more flavorful. I followed the recipe exactly, and I did feel the measurements are spot-on. It makes enough for four people, and the liquid ratio is perfect with the dry ingredients. Once I salted at the stove and the table, I found this to be a really tasty side dish I plan to serve again.

I was looking for a rice pilaf recipe to go with fish and found this. It was excellent. I made it exactly as written except I used just one can of chicken broth which is a little less than 2 cups. I usually scale back the water called for in rice recipes as I don't like wet rice. Also I added a pinch of salt and some dried parsley at the end for a bit of color. It was really delicious and had a depth of flavor I was not expecting. It is extremely important to really brown the pasta though, I think a lot of people skip that part when making pilaf.

tasted better than any box pilaf and I used broken spaghetti noodles because i didn't have any orzo pasta...tasted GREAT!

My husband and I both loved this recipe. I added half a green pepper like one of the other reviewers suggested, but other than that I followed the recipe exactly and it was perfect! Thanks for sharing!!

You cannot get any easier than this and the best part is that it is absolutely delicious. This is 100x better than any boxed rice can be. The only thing I added was a little salt, because of the low sodium broth I used. I also don't measure the onion, just chopped half of a big onion and threw it in. It pairs quite well with roasted chicken and butternut squash. Thanks for the delicious recipe!

I would consider this a perfect side to a complex main dish. Nich subtle flavors and very easily personalized. I followed the recipe exactly and my husband and son were very pleased. Served with a chuck roast that I had given a spicy flare and sauteed veggies. Yum!

Although I didn't use onions and I added some parmesan, this was a really big hit in my family. I had doubled the recipe and had to make more! Very simple to make and really a nice side dish.

I've been making a rice pilaf for more years than I care to remember. Instead of orzo I use angel hair or thin spaghetti, broken into 2-inch pieces, and since I usually make it to go with a roast, I use beef bouillon granules or cubes, 1 tsp or cube, plus one for the pot, for each cup of water, do not use garlic, but lots of onions, and salt and pepper to taste, plus a sprinkle of minced parsley. I also use instant rice, gets the dish to the table sooner. Other then those few changes, I saute the onions and pasta in butter until the onion is tender and the pasta nice and brown, stir in the rice to coat with the butter and add the water, bring the water to a boil, put on the lid and turn off the heat, let it stand for 10 minutes, and serve. My family loves it so I alway have to at least double the recipe. It's good the next morning, fried and topped with an egg.

We liked it but the order you add ingredients seems off to me. I've made other pilafs and always start with the onion because that takes longest to cook. After the onion softens then I added the rice and orzo and when those were almost done toasting I added the garlic for a couple minutes, then the broth. But the proportions were good.

I looked at the different recipes for rice pilaf on this site, and settled on this one because of its simplicity. I followed it exactly, using my trusty non-stick heavy skillet. It turned out EXACTLY as I expected, based on the simple ingredients. Thanks for a wonderful recipe! This is now a standard at my house.

Yum! Doubled the rice and Orzo. Used instant (Minute) rice and upped the chicken broth to 3 cups. Take the time to brown the Orzo pasta. Added some fresh parsley and grated parmesan at the end. Delicious!! Will be making this again and again!

Absolutely delicious! I steamed some broccoli, chopped it up finely, and tossed that into the pilaf. Outstanding! It's a very flexible side dish that would go well with just about any meal!

I've made this twice now and we really like it. After reading the ingredient list on the Uncle Ben's Rice Pilaf box, I added a little turmeric the second time I made it. Of course I didn't add the msg that was also listed! It is very easy to make and is moist and flavorful! Thank you, Sarah!

I needed a quick side... so I made plain rice in the rice cooker and then followed this recipe. Sauteed little star pasta (didn't have orzo) til brown and toasty. Separately (so pasta doesn't burn) saute onions, garlic and I added a can of drained mushrooms. Everyone loved it!

Easy to make and delicious. The key is to cook the orzo and rice till it gets brown, then add water and other ingredients. Browning the orzo and rice gives it a deep nutty flavor. Made this multiple times tried with/without garlic or onion. Also use vegetable bullion because my daughter is a vegetarian. Always comes out great and easy to make.

Very nice, Sarah. thank you. I used whole wheat orzo and jasmine rice (what I had) Jazzed up the flavor a tiny bit with a light sprinkle of spicy seasoned salt and True Lemon. Served with Moroccan Chicken Stew (from this site) and brussel sprouts. Very yummy meal.

This is a very simple basic recipe that turns out everytime. This recipe is versatile and can be used as a base for many rice pilaf dishes. I highly recommend using either chicken or beef stock, and then whatever veggies etc... you like. The slivered almonds are a must for the texture contrast.

Great basic pilaf! Hubby loves Rice-a-Roni and I don't care for boxed "foods," so this is PERFECT!!! And about 1% of the price to make it yourself to boot!!! I added some parsley, parm, and a pat of butter after tasting as written, and it still needed salt (but I used low-sodium bouillon base, standard broth called for would have added a lot of saltiness). Made with salmon this time, but it could go with anything... and can be EASILY altered to compete with all the Rice-a-Roni flavors. Might even add golden raisins and almonds for something similar to a dish my mom made as a kid. Love it! THANKS!!!

delicious. tastes just like chicken rice a roni.

This was really good. Perhaps a bit more seasoning but not sure what I would use... the rice came out very well along with the orzo.... completed the chicken dinner.

Really good, creamy, garlic, gentle favor. My changes: water with chicken boullion, didn't have orzo so used broken spaghetti in it's place. Will be serving with fried shrimp and brussel sprouts. Thanks!

This recipe was excellent! I did make some changes. I used Basmati rice in place of long grain white rice and I added cremini (baby bell) mushrooms and some thyme to this recipe. My husband, who is on a low carb diet, wolfed down his small portion and went back for seconds! That's saying something!

I don't know why it has taken me so long to review this recipe. I make it ALL the time! It goes so well with so many dishes, its simple and everyone loves it! I have tried it with wild rice too, it is very good you just have to cook it a little longer. The only thing is it seems like it always needs salt. So I usually add a little garlic salt in when i add the rice. I skip that step though if there is going to be some kind of sauce that i am serving with the meal.

Easy...addictive. Like Rice-a-Roni on steroids.

I agree with all the other posters- the sum is equal to more than the parts- I made it exactly as written and t really is a delicious, simple recipe. This will be a go-to. Those who say it was bland, I agree- just add salt and pepper and you should be good.

This was very good! The only change I’d make is to stir in some chopped parsley to give it a little color. I froze half and I’m sure it will reheat beautifully in the microwave.

This is a really good and easy rice pilaf recipe. I gave 4 stars only because I thought it was a little bland. I added some xtra chicken bouillon to it and it was perfect.

Excellent! I added lots of parm cheese & topped with green onions.

This was on the "good" side of "OK". I debated 3 stars but went with 4 because I think this is a good base recipe, I just require more seasoning than this, because mine came out bland (to me). I typically sub either chicken base & water or chicken bouillon & water for "chicken broth", and I did bouillon here. (2 tsps for 2 cups water, as is normal for Knorr brand.) I think that the pasta must have sucked up most of the flavor because I do a rice-only dish like this and it comes out more flavorful than this one, so my guess is that the pasta makes you need more seasoning. Easy enough to change to my taste in the future. Thanks for the recipe!

tasted just like homemade rice a roni... very easy to make. will never make from the box again! served it with shrimp scampi. yum.

Great recipe and so much healthier than the boxed pilaf. I added 1/4 tsp. turmeric, 1/4 tsp. paprika and 2 tsp. parsley. This will definitely become a staple in our household. I did not add any salt so the only sodium came from the chicken broth.

We loved it

This is my go-to recipe anytime I make rice. Sometimes I add some toasted sliced almonds to it.

Great rice pilaf! I made it almost as stated - toasted the rice with the orzo instead of adding at the end - and it was so good! I doubled the recipe and it made a LOT. We had it with grilled salmon - it was a good combo, but next time I think I'll try it with roasted chicken.

We loved this recipe. The only thing I did different was added almond slivers the last few minutes. Could have used some salt, but I needed a mild side to go with the Spicy Lime Grilled Shrimp recipe from this sight and it paired really well. This was easy enough that I'll make it again.

This is great for a basic rice dish! We loved it, even with changes I had to make-my kids hate onion so I used dried minced onion so they wouldn't notice. Would have been so much better with fresh but I really wanted the onion flavor and no complaints so subbed the dried stuff with success. Also used veggie bouillion to keep it vegetarian. Perfect side dish, we love rice and I loved the orzo in it. Great!! Will definitely make it again. Thanks!

I used instant rice, but think that it would have been been with regular long grain. I also added about 2 tbsp grated carrots for color. Very good!!

I came across this recipe a few years ago and it is my go-to, we love it. The one thing I noticed is that it will also depend on the kind of rice you use - basmati, jasmine, par-boiled, will dictate how much water to use. Our preference is basmati/jasmine, we didn't care for it with par-boiled. Not quite sure how others found it bland, we think it's fantastic and a favourite. What we've also done is use 2 cubes of chicken bouillon in 2 cups of hot water, and just topped up with plain hot water if extra water is needed. Works like a charm. Thanks, Sarah, absolutely love~!

Such simple recipe and so delicious, I used a combination rice w/ wild grains in it and orzo pasta and it turned out to be so perfect, the rice is nutty and chewy, and made the recipe healthier I think. I also used my home made broth that was made from the remains of the thanksgiving dinner.

I thought this was okay. When I make white rice, I usually make Brazilian rice from this site which is basically cooked by the same method. I decided to try a different recipe. This badly needed salt when it was done. I added a little sea salt and that helped. The other recipe just seems to have more flavor. I will have to compare the difference. I did like the two different textures between the rice and pasta.

Wife and I think this is a great side for chicken. I use sweet onion and homemade broth/stock. Have never had trouble with undercooked or sticky rice like other reviewers. Thanks for the recipe!

I love this recipe. It is so simple and tasty. I make it a couple of times a month. I do add some salt with the broth, but other than that, I follow the recipe exactly. I also will adjust the servings to six and it still turns out perfectly.

Delicious! I doubled the recipe, used beef broth, added mexicorn and tex mex tomatoes. Yummy!!

THE perfect basic rice pilaf recipe ever!

This is really easy and tastes surprsingly good. I make it with Brown rice instead of white. I will consider adding some veggies to it next time. This will be a frequent side dish at our house.

I love rice, my kids not so much. I made a double batch of this for the four of us. Had I made a single batch, there would be no leftovers - so I'm glad I made extra, for my lunch tomorrow. I read all 101 reviews and considered adding some veg due to reports of blandness, then compromised by using vegetable broth, a brand likely only available in Quebec though, a dry mix chock-full of dehydrated vegetables, and that's how I'm making it from now on. Thanks for a great idea, and my apologies to the SF treat people - this is as someone already said 100X better.EDIT JAN 4: I've made this again and again, and we've found that we like it even better using fine egg noodles (like in Ricearoni) although of course orzo is excellent too. At different times I've used curry, coriander, dill, garlic, no garlic, onion, no onion, chicken bouillon, veg bouillon, beef bouillon --whatever suited the main dish, and it's really a flexible, go-to recipe in our house. In fact, my kids now love rice and ask for this. Thanks again for posting!

This is REALLY good even just as a meal by itself. I added 1 tsp of Worstchire sauce + 1tsp of Soy sauce, and a couples pinches each of Oregano, Thyme, ground Sea Salt, and Basil. I also used an extra tbsp of Butter. Turned out AMAZING and I are the entire pan by myself (whoops)

Wow-dee-lish! And easy! Just quadrupled and made as a GF option to go with Thanksgiving turkey. Thanks!

Delicious! To have the rice cooked all the way I added slightly more than 2C of broth and I cooked it for 24 minutes. Make sure the rice comes to a rolling boil before you cover it and turn down the heat. Wonderful recipe, won't use the box again :)

Absolutely delicious! Forget about those boxed rice pilafs. This recipe is great prepared as is, or it can be dressed up in many different ways. Be sure to brown the orzo. Just makes it even better.

I made this for a dinner party and it was a hit. When I make it again I will add a few more spices.

Great recipe, I have made this so many times and you can do so much with it. I just add vegetables, or whatever during the last 10 minutes of cooking and it comes out perfect every time.

Simple and satisfying, especially with few and easy ingredients. Not the best pilaf I've ever had, but for the simplicity it is awesome. Can easily adjust taste to add more depth with additional veggies and/or spices.

This was a big hit. I usually use the boxed rice pilaf but had run out and didn't feel like going to the grocery store. I found this recipe, didn't change a thing and it came out great. No more boxed stuff at my house!

Overall the recipe was good but the pilaf was bland. Next time I will add some spices to make it more interesting.

Loved it! It's way better than the boxed stuff and it takes about the same time to cook!

I'd have this every night if I could! I served it with Slow Cooker Lemon Garlic Chicken also found on this site. The next night I chopped the leftover chicken, added it and a little of the leftover sauce from the chicken into the rice - PERFECT!

I have fixed this recipe twice now and absolutely love it. I use a tri-color Orzo. I made this for my mother's birthday dinner along with Tilapia and it was a hit with everyone. So easy and delicious.

This came out GREAT! It will definitely make it onto my regularly scheduled recipe list! I did reduce the onion a little to make it more palatable for my kids who are 7 & 5.

I had a dinner for 235 people and made this with kabobs. It was delicious! I added parsley for color and almond slivers for texture. I also baked mine in the oven and it came out wonderfully!

This is a wonderful, simple side dish! I used homemade chicken broth, so I did add some salt at the end for flavor. I'm looing forward to trying it with beef broth also! Bravo.

This recipe was awesome. It is similar to one my family has used for years, except it adds the onion and garlic. I used chicken bouillon, as that is what I had, otherwise, everything was the same. I will be using this recipe from now on. Thanks for sharing!

Quick & easy side!

Excellent pilaf - I use this as my standard recipe because it never fails to please. I pretty much keep to the recipe though use chicken 'better than bouillon' w/out additional salt rather than stock if that's what I have on hand. At the end of cooking it may be a bit too liquid so I put a paper towel over the pot and return lid for it to sit a couple more minutes and all is well. Thanks for the recipe!

Loved it!! Only thing I did differently was I diced a small shallot instead of an onion only because I had one in the fridge. This is definitely a keeper. Thank you.

Awesome quick and easy to make. We did add a little salt but otherwise delicious. Thanks!

Easy to make and great tasting, just made it again for the third time, I used organic brown rice and it was wonderful!

This recipe was excellent. I've never made rice pilaf before but I will continue to use this recipe every time. Just follow what the directions tell ya and you will have no problems. Delicious!

This recipe was fantastic! I made the rice in the rice cooker because I have a horrible habit of burning rice if I make it on the stove. But I followed the rest of the recipe as is, and added the orzo and onion to the rice during the last 10 minutes of the rice cooking. This went well with the baked chicken and green beans for our dinner. And I would imagine the pilaf would go wonderfully with pretty much any meal, or even if you added some veggies it would make a nice light lunch or dinner on it's own. Great recipe, thanks for sharing, Serenamoon!

So easy and so good. I used brown rice and just cooked it longer. It was great!

other than doubling this recipe, I didn't change anything or amounts, but i did add some grated ramano cheese at the end. I really liked this a lot. wait, I guess I did change something..I used brown rice instead of white which increased the cooking time by another 25 mins. or so, but the taste was fantastic. I will be making this again and can't wait to have left-overs for lunch!

We loved it. A nice neutral accompaniment to any meat or fish dish, and MUCH better than any of the pre-made boxed rice pilaf. Will make again and again.

Made as stated. 3 yr old had 3 servings. Great basic recipe that allows for tweeking. Some add ins to try would be parmesian cheese, peas, lentils.

This was really good. I felt like it could have been just a little better though. I'll make it again, but maybe add some additional seasonings. Thanks for a good recipe!

This was okay. It needed a little more liquid, as the noodles and rice were still a little crunchy after all the water was gone, so I had to add a little more. I would also add more seasonings to it.

Oh so good! I cooked exactly as written except I seasoned to our liking with salt pepper and cayenne and added a half a cup of frozen peas with the white rice. This is my first time making anything with orzo and I'm not sure why....very good!

My family all loved this. I don't make white rice and white pasta very often, but it was a nice change. Very flavorful.

We enjoyed this recipe. It was my first attempt at rice pilaf. I think I overdid it on the butter but I'll definitely make it again :-) Thanks for posting!

For onions I used onions from the roast I cooked so they were already soft, for the broth I used the liquid from the roast (water, seasoning salt, miso, onion, rump roast). Otherwise, no changes. It outcome was amazing!!

We LOVED this dish in our house! I made it exactly as written, except I added some sliced sautéed mushrooms because I needed to use them up. I love the texture of the orzo-rice mix and it has a nice nutty flavor from toasting the pasta. It's so easy, quick and versatile, you could add all kinds of veggies to it if desired. The cooking time for me was a little less than stated, about 16 or 17 minutes. I'm definitely adding this to my repertoire.

Made this last night for first time. Good flavor, easy to make. A wonderful side dish. This is a keeper. If you don't like onions, you may want to cut back to 1/4 cup. I used jasmine rice instead of plain white rice.

My family and I really liked this rice, even better than Rice A Roni! I added some chopped zucchini and the kids didn't even notice. We had the rice as a side with Balsamic Tilapia.

Bye, bye boxed rice mix - hello this pilaf! Very good!

Love mixing the orzo with the rice -- so easy and so different! I doubled the recipe but will use a little less onion next time. Also needs a bit of salt.

I chose this recipe to accompany a very flavorful, marinated beef dish. I chose it specifically because of the mild flavors. However, I felt it needed, at the very least, salt and pepper. When simple seasoning was added to the final product, it was perfect. I'll make this again, but I'll definitely throw in the seasoning with the broth next time.

Loved this rice and it's so easy! Used ramen noodles because had no orzo - the kids loved it! Doubled up on garlic because of personal preference - YUM!

I usually just make white rice in my rice cooker but I love the taste of rice pilaf and this is great! Easy to make too.

Added 1/2 tsp salt, finished off with chives and sprinkle of parmesan cheese. Good taste!

I prepared as directed, but we did not care for this recipe. Very bland.

This is a great base for developing your own style of rice pilaf. This is good as is, but you can also add whatever else you might want to try. This was quick and easy (and easy to remember). I know I'll use it again. Thanks!

WOW! This was simply fantastic!!! Both my hubs and I loved the delicate flavor of this easy side dish. If you're looking for BOLD flavors, this might not be for you.... The onion, garlic and butter add a very subtle note to this simple, basic pilaf. Toasting the orzo also adds another layer of flavor, so don't skip that step! On that note, get your orzo good and brown. Don't burn it (stir every now and then, adjusting the heat as necessary), but do be SURE it is a nice golden brown color. Thanks SO much for sharing your recipe, Sarah! This was the best part of our meal. :-)

Absolutely delicious. I will never buy a box of rice pilaf again! Served this alongside grilled chicken kabobs for company and they were raving!

This was excellent. A nice change to rice. I will make this again.

LOVE THIS RICE PILAF RECIPE! So easy, very few ingredients and wonderful everytime.