Easy Rice Pilaf in a green bowl with a striped napkin

Every week when we go to the store, we always do a little meal check before we head to the check out line. See, although I love cooking food, I really don’t like going to the grocery store. Is that weird? I just don’t like it. So, we plan our meals for the week and make sure we have everything we need for each meal so that we don’t have to make multiple grocery runs during the week. And with each main dish, there is always a discussion about side dishes! And whenever we don’t know which side to make, this rice pilaf is always a good back up plan.

Side dishes are always kind of tough for me. Aside from maybe Thanksgiving, sides are usually a last minute thought. Basic steamed veggies, salad, maybe some rice or noodles, potatoes, etc.. I like to keep it simple, but I actually don’t think side dishes need to be too complicated to be good. And this rice pilaf is no exception!

This rice pilaf is probably one of our favorite side dishes ever. We almost always go for seconds. A lot of rice pilaf recipes require some onion chopping, maybe some other veggies, but I have found that it’s not necessary if you are wanting a quick and easy, but delicious side dish. I don’t even bother with the onion. The broth along with some salt and pepper and a little butter are all you need to flavor this rice pilaf. We often eat it with grilled or baked chicken, but it also goes really well fish.

Easy Rice Pilaf in a green bowl with a striped napkin

Easy Rice Pilaf in a green bowl with a striped napkin
Yield: 4-6 servings

Easy Rice Pilaf

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes

Easy Rice Pilaf - Done in less than 30 minutes and no chopping required! The perfect side dish for any meal!

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 1 cup fine egg noodles
  • 1 cup long grain rice
  • 3-4 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • fresh chopped parsley (for garnish)

Instructions

  1. In a deep skillet, melt two tablespoons of the butter over medium high heat. Add the egg noodles and stir to coat them in the melted butter. Continue cooking the noodles until they begin to turn a light golden brown. Then stir in the rice. Pour in about 3 cups of the broth. Lower the heat to low to medium heat and cover.
  2. Allow the rice and noodle mixture to cook until the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Check to see that the rice is cooked. If not, add a little more broth from the remaining cup until it is cooked. Fluff the rice with a fork and gently stir in the remaining tablespoon of butter. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley if desired.

Notes

Nutrition (for 4 servings): Calories: 134.4; Fat: 9.2 g; Carbs: 10.1 g; Sugars: .1 g; Protein: 2.8 g; WW Points Plus: 4

Easy Rice Pilaf in a green bowl with a striped napkin