This pilau rice recipe is a simple and quick side dish that pairs perfectly with main dishes like beef, chicken, pork, lamb, and more! It is made from basmati rice, garlic, onion, and a blend of delicious seasonings, creating delicate, fluffy rice. One of the most exciting parts is that this rice will be on the table and ready to eat in 30 minutes!
Easy Indian Pilau Rice Recipe
Pilau rice is a mouth-watering side dish full of aromatic flavor and made with the right amount of boldness! This Indian-style rice is perfectly seasoned and comes together in just 30 minutes.
I like to saute my pilau rice with onions and garlic for an extra flavor kick. It's my go-to side dish for any time I'm craving Indian food, and I'm sure you'll love it just as much as I do!
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🥘 Pilau Rice Ingredients
You will need a handful of staple ingredients along with a few extra spices and herbs to make this special rice. All ingredients can be found at your local grocery store!
- Cooking Oil - 1 teaspoon of coconut oil.
- Butter - 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter (or try a butter substitute).
- Onion - 1 cup of yellow onion (finely diced or white onion).
- Turmeric - 2 teaspoons of turmeric (or try a turmeric substitute).
- Cumin - ¼ teaspoon of ground cumin.
- Cloves - ¼ teaspoon of ground cloves (or try a ground cloves substitute).
- Cardamom - ¼ teaspoon of ground cardamom (or try a ground cardamom substitute).
- Bay Leaves - 2 whole bay leaves (or try a bay leaf substitute).
- Rice - 1 cup of basmati rice (uncooked).
- Water - 2 cups of water (boiling).
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 How To Make Pilau Rice
My pilau rice is so easy to make and always delicious! Grab your measuring utensils, a knife and cutting board, a silicone spatula, and a skillet with a lid to get started.
This recipe will make 4 hearty servings of pilau rice.
- Saute. Heat the 1 teaspoon coconut oil and 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Once melted, add the 1 cup yellow onion and saute for 3-4 minutes until softened.
- Add seasoning and rice. Add the seasoning, 2 teaspoons of turmeric, ¼ teaspoon of ground cumin, ¼ teaspoon of ground cloves, ¼ teaspoon of ground cardamom, and 2 whole bay leaves and stir to coat the onion. Cook for 1 minute, then add 1 cup of uncooked basmati rice and stir to coat.
- Boil Rice. Pour in 2 cups water and bring it to a boil. Bring the rice back to a boil, stir, cover, and reduce heat to low. Use the lowest heat setting and let the rice cook for 20 minutes.
- Fluff and serve. After 20 minutes, turn the heat off and leave the dish covered. Allow the rice to continue steaming for 5 minutes, remove the bay leaves (and whole spices if using), then fluff the rice and serve immediately.
I love pairing pilau rice with hearty goat curry for the ultimate comfort food during cooler weather. Or try using up some of your holiday leftovers with my leftover turkey curry! Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Tips & Recipe Notes
- Using whole spices is a great way to make this dish (6 whole cloves and 6 cardamom pods). You can even toast the spices for a rich depth of flavor.
- If using whole cardamom pods, you can use a needle and cotton thread to band them together. This makes it much easier to remove the pods when the rice is cooked.
- If you have a microwave-safe liquid measuring cup, you can heat the water to boiling in about 2 minutes on high power.
🥡 Storing & Reheating
Cool the leftover cooked rice rapidly as bacteria grow quickly on rice. Spread the rice out on a large baking sheet to spread things along. Then transfer it into a shallow airtight container and keep it refrigerated for up to 3-4 days.
Freezing Pilau Rice
Store in a shallow airtight freezer storage container or freezer storage bag. Keep frozen for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
Reheating Pilau Rice
Pilau rice reheats well in the microwave. Cover with a paper towel and add a bit of broth or water if needed to keep the rice from being dry. Heat for 1 minute on high, then continue in 30-second increments until warm.
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❓ FAQ
Yes! Cook your rice, then cool it quickly and refrigerate for up to a day! You can reheat the rice in the microwave until nice and hot!
Yes, of course! You should cook your rice and let it cool fully. Put it into a freezer-safe container or bag when rice is at room temperature and freeze. To reheat, defrost overnight and reheat in the microwave!
Definitely not! The spices like turmeric and cumin load the dish with flavor, spice is not added at all. However, if we want a small hint of spice, I like to add a dash of cayenne!
😋 More Flavorful Rice Recipes
- Vermicelli Rice - This easy side dish is so flavorful with a mix between pasta and rice in only a few ingredients!
- Tomatoes & Rice - A classic side dish filled with both juicy tomatoes and fluffy rice!
- Dirty Rice - A savory Cajun rice that is filled with hearty ingredients and Louisiana-style flavor.
- Prime Rib Fried Rice - This incredible rice is the perfect way to eat your leftover prime rib!
- Red Beans and Rice - A quick and comforting Southern classic side dish with a Cajun touch!
- Curry Rice - A bold and flavorful rice that is perfect with all of your favorite proteins!
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📋 Recipe
Pilau Rice
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
- 2 tablespoon butter (unsalted)
- 1 cup yellow onion (finely diced, or white onion)
- 2 teaspoon turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- 2 whole bay leaves
- 1 cup basmati rice (uncooked)
- 2 cups water (boiling)
Instructions
- Heat the 1 teaspoon coconut oil and 2 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Once melted, add the 1 cup yellow onion and saute for 3-4 minutes until softened.1 teaspoon coconut oil, 2 tablespoon butter, 1 cup yellow onion
- Add the seasoning (2 teaspoon turmeric, ¼ teaspoon ground cumin, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom, 2 whole bay leaves) and stir to coat the onion. Cook for 1 minute then add the 1 cup basmati rice and stir to coat.2 teaspoon turmeric, ¼ teaspoon ground cumin, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom, 2 whole bay leaves, 1 cup basmati rice
- Pour in the 2 cups water and bring it to a boil. Bring the rice back to a boil, stir, cover, and reduce heat to low. Use the lowest heat setting and let the rice cook for 20 minutes.2 cups water
- After 20 minutes, turn the heat off and leave the dish covered. Allow the rice to continue steaming for 5 minutes, remove the bay leaves (and whole spices if using), then fluff the rice and serve immediately.
Equipment You May Need
Notes
- Using whole spices is a great way to make this dish (6 whole cloves and 6 cardamom pods). You can even toast the spices for a rich depth of flavor.
- If using whole cardamom pods, you can use a needle and cotton thread to band them together. This makes it much easier to remove the pods when the rice is cooked.
- If you have a microwave-safe liquid measuring cup, you can heat the water to boiling in about 2 minutes on high power.
- To store: Cool the leftover cooked rice rapidly as bacteria grows quickly on rice. Spread the rice in a large dish or baking sheet to cool quickly. Then transfer into a shallow airtight storage container and keep refrigerated for up to 3-4 days.
- To freeze: Cool quickly as noted above and store in a shallow airtight freezer storage container or freezer storage bag. Keep frozen for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
- To reheat: Pilau rice reheats well in the microwave. Cover with a paper towel and add a bit of broth or water if needed to keep the rice from being dry. Heat for 1 minute on high, then continue in 30-second increments until warm.
Nutrition
Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma's kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love!
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