Almond Rice Pilaf

Almond Rice is one of my favorite childhood recipes. I would literally eat myself silly when my mom made this classic side dish.

Almond Rice Pilaf is an easy side dish made with crunchy almonds, mushrooms and savory chicken broth and lemon juice to give it loads of flavor! An easy rice recipe the whole family will love.

Almond Rice Pilaf is an easy side dish made with crunchy almonds, mushrooms and savory chicken broth and lemon juice to give it loads of flavor! An easy rice recipe the whole family will love. #ricepilafrecipe #easysidedish www.savoryexperiments.com


 

Almond Rice Forever!

When I got to college, I virtually lived off Almond Rice for at least 3 months. I suppose when I got to the point of being able to make it myself, I just couldn’t get enough.

It was easy, satisfying and reminded me of home. It soon became a favorite of my roommates too, so I made it at least once a wheen, if not more.

Almond Rice Pilaf is an easy side dish made with crunchy almonds, mushrooms and savory chicken broth and lemon juice to give it loads of flavor! An easy rice recipe the whole family will love. #ricepilafrecipe #easysidedish www.savoryexperiments.com

Side Dish to Main Entree

You can also transform Almond Rice Pilaf into a one-dish meal by adding shredded rotisserie chicken and vegetables.

Veggies can be fresh or frozen. Personally, cubes zucchini or roasted red peppers work well.

Toasted almonds serve as protein, but shredded chicken, either cooked and store bought or even leftovers, are delicious. My favorite is lemon pepper. I’ve also added sliced sausage.

Rice Pilaf

What is rice pilaf?

I used to think of rice pilaf being any rice with little grated bits of vegetables in it. You know the type of rice with flecks of carrot and red bell pepper?

Well, I was wrong. Really rice pilaf is nothing but rice simmered in in some sort of broth.

Almond Rice Pilaf is an easy side dish made with crunchy almonds, mushrooms and savory chicken broth and lemon juice to give it loads of flavor! An easy rice recipe the whole family will love. #ricepilafrecipe #easysidedish www.savoryexperiments.com

What makes this rice dish different from others? A couple of things, but the first is that the rice is browned before cooking. This give it a different flavor profile, almost nutty, which complements the almonds.

The second is that I use chicken broth or chicken stock instead of plain water. This trick can be used for any rice pilaf recipes, couscous or even grain recipe.

They soak up liquids and flavor! Wine works wonders too.

Ingredients

Almond Rice Pilaf is an easy side dish made with crunchy almonds, mushrooms and savory chicken broth and lemon juice to give it loads of flavor! An easy rice recipe the whole family will love. #ricepilafrecipe #easysidedish www.savoryexperiments.com
  • Slivered Almonds– I like using slivered because of the size and texture, but feel free to use sliced. I do not recommend whole.
  • Yellow Onion– or white.
  • Long grain white rice– long grain works best for this recipe. I’ve used brown rice, but since it is so different, you can’t sub it perfectly without also adjusting the liquid.
  • Unsalted butter– if you use salted butter, omit additional salt. You can also use olive oil.
  • Fine sea salt and pepper– to taste.
  • Chicken broth– for flavor- soak it up into every little rice grain!
  • Lemon juice– balances the flavors and adds a splash of acidity.
  • Canned sliced mushrooms– one of the only occassions where canned mushrooms are actually better. Raw have a ton of water and it will mess up the balance of dry rice to liquid.

Instructions

  1. Toast onions, almonds and rice in a saucepan. This will bring out maximum nutty flavor in the rice. Don’t skip this step, it is what makes it better than the rest! Saute until uniformly golden brown.
  2. Lightly season with salt and pepper. Add chicken broth and lemon juice.
  3. Just when mixture comes to a boil, lower heat to a simmer and cover for 15-20 minutes. Refrain from opening the lid too often. This will only slow down the cooking process. Also refrain from stirring the rice, this releases starch and can make the rice mushy.
  4. When fully absorbed, toss in mushrooms and allow to sit for 3 minutes (lid on) with no heat.
Almond Rice Pilaf is an easy side dish made with crunchy almonds, mushrooms and savory chicken broth and lemon juice to give it loads of flavor! An easy rice recipe the whole family will love. #ricepilafrecipe #easysidedish www.savoryexperiments.com

This easy rice pilaf can be made ahead and reheated in the microwave or on the stove.

Rice typically doesn’t freeze well and neither do mushrooms, so I don’t recommend freezing. It will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Tools:

Heavy Bottom Sauce Pan– this will be one of your most used kitchen tools. Having something that is heavy bottom will distribute heat better and prevent burning whether you are using an electric or gas range.

Wood cutting board – wood won’t dull your knives like plastic and if treated properly, has natural antimicrobial properties.

Good knife – Global is my favorite! They are worth the price, I promise. I am kind of obsessed with them and store them tucked away so no one else can use them. Including hubby. Hands off my good stuff!

Almond Rice Pilaf for Pinterest

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Almond Rice Pilaf is an easy side dish made with crunchy almonds, mushrooms and savory chicken broth and lemon juice to give it loads of flavor! An easy rice recipe the whole family will love. #ricepilafrecipe #easysidedish www.savoryexperiments.com

Almond Rice Pilaf Recipe

4.55 from 11 votes
Almond Rice Pilaf is an easy side dish made with crunchy almonds, mushrooms and savory chicken broth and lemon juice to give it loads of flavor! An easy rice recipe the whole family will love. 
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a medium sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add almonds, onions and raw rice. This step is super important- you are going to sauté this mixture until the rice is fully browned, stirring frequently. 
  • After browning, lightly season with salt and pepper. Add water, bullion cubes and lemon juice. Stir together and bring to a boil over high heat.
  • Just when mixture comes to a boil, lower heat to a simmer and cover for 15-20 minutes. Refrain from opening the lid too often. This will only slow down the cooking process. Also refrain from stirring the rice, this releases starch and can make the rice mushy. Instead, use a large fork and fluff it to make sure all of the liquid on the bottom is filly absorbed.
  • Toss in mushrooms and allow to sit for 3 minutes (lid on) with no heat.
  • If you’ve tried this recipe, make sure to come back and let us know how it was! 

Nutrition

Calories: 281 kcal, Carbohydrates: 34 g, Protein: 5 g, Fat: 13 g, Saturated Fat: 5 g, Cholesterol: 22 mg, Sodium: 3 mg, Potassium: 130 mg, Fiber: 1 g, Vitamin A: 260 IU, Vitamin C: 2.2 mg, Calcium: 40 mg, Iron: 0.7 mg
Author: Jessica Formicola
Calories: 281
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: almond rice pilaf, rice pilaf recipe
Did you make this recipe?I’d love to see your recipes – snap a picture and mention @savoryexperiments or tag #savoryexperiments!
Jessica Formicola in her ktichen

About the Author

Jessica Formicola

Jessica the mom, wife and food lover behind Savory Experiments. She is obsessed with butter, salt and bacon and spends all her time in the kitchen and behind a camera. Jessica is a contributor to PopKitchen by Parade, Better Homes & Gardens, The Daily Meal Food + Travel and more!

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Recipe Rating




Questions and Reviews

  1. My picky husband ate two servings. I substituted macadamia nuts for the almonds; also reduced amount of broth to 1 3/4 cups. Really flavorful, thanks for the preparation tips!

  2. 5 stars
    This is a very interesting recipe. I’ve never seen rice cooked with almonds. Maybe a sweet rice dish but never savory rice. It’s definitely something to try.

  3. 5 stars
    My wood cutting board is like an extra limb, it feels like, ha! I am loving this as a great side for the pork chops I have planned tonight.

  4. Definitely something wonderful for when I don’t feel like cooking much but still want flavorful food. Thanks!