Italian herb rice pilaf recipe with butter, garlic & vegetables

Italian herb rice pilaf recipe with step by step pics: this rice pilaf is a kind of continental rice recipe prepared by tossing rice in butter with garlic, assorted veggies, herbs, & little spices. Long grain rice, garlic, dried herbs(mostly italian herbs) and butter are main ingredients of this rice dish. Though three types of bell pepper and carrot have also been used in this preparation.

Italian cuisine is completely influenced by the herbs and being their own recipe this rice is not out of it too. This rice pilaf is a very easy and simple main course, where veggies and garlic are first sauteed in butter and then rice has to be added with it, lastly addition of all the italian herbs simply lift up its aroma and taste both, but except pepper no more spices are added to it.

Though veggies are not mandatory for making this herb rice pilaf. However, because of adding veggies, this italian rice looks more colorful and healthy too. Here long grain basmati rice was used with dried herbs, so it can be described as herbed basmati rice recipe too. But if you don’t want to use veggies in your herb rice, can skip that step. Even basmati rice is not mandatory, can use any rice, however, long grain rice is highly recommended for its good texture.

I had this herbed rice a few years back in a restaurant accompanied by a baked fish preparation and loved it. Since then this italian rice is common in my kitchen. Though I generally love to serve this rice with my chicken in mushroom sauce. That goes wonderfully with this herbed rice recipe.

Try this italian herb rice pilaf in your kitchen and let me know how it worked by leaving your valuable comment in the comment section below.

You can serve this rice with chicken with mushroom recipe from my website even check one more Italian main course, white sauce pasta recipe.

Italian herb rice pilaf recipe with butter, garlic & vegetables

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Served in: 30 mins

Served for: 6 people

Course: Main course

Cuisine: Italian

Author: Moumita

Ingredients

• 3 cups of any long grain rice or basmati rice
• 1/4 cup red bell pepper(small cubes)
• 1/4 cup yellow bell pepper(small cubes)
• 1/4 cup green bell pepper(small cubes)
• 1/4 cup carrot(small cubes)
• 1/2 tsp chopped garlic
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp basil
• 1/2 tsp parsley
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• salt (as required)

How to make Italian herb rice pilaf step by step with pictures

Instructions

• First, cook the long grain rice or basmati rice or brown rice, but rice should not be overcooked.
• Then wash all the vegetables thoroughly and then cut it into small cubes. Keep it aside.
• Take a pan place it on medium heat and make it hot.
• Then add butter to the pan and let it melts down first.

• Then add all the veggies to the pan and saute the veggies for few minutes.

• Then add 1/2 tsp black pepper and little salt to make veggies soft.

• Now add the chopped garlic to a side of the pan and saute it for few seconds.

• When the aroma of roasted garlic starts coming from the pan, add the precooked long grain rice to it. Mix it nicely.

• Now add 1/2 tsp oregano, 1/2 tsp basil, and 1/2 tsp parsley to it. And gently mix it together.

• Then more salt to it as per your taste to make it perfect. Mix it slowly.
• When the combined aroma of herbs, garlic & butter come out from the rice, then turn off the heat.  Serve this Italian herb rice pilaf with any continental side dish contains gravy.

Tips

• Even you may use leftover rice to make recipe.
• Though for making it spicy, you may use paprika or chilli flakes.  Though only pepper was used among all spices as italian cuisine generally avoid using much spices in their food.
• After adding the rice in pan, gently mix it with other ingredients to avoid getting broken rice grains.
• If you are using basmati rice or long grain rice then cook the rice upto maximum 80-90 percent not more than that. Or else rice grain will be easily broken and wouldn’t able to get that exact texture of this herbed basmati rice.