Simple Rice Pilaf with Caraway Seeds is a delicately flavored rice dish that goes perfectly with a variety of family meals including casseroles and curries. It’s very versatile! Infused with spices like onion, garlic, caraway seeds and cumin, this simple pilaf is a delicious, subtle side dish. Quick to assemble and then oven baked in chicken broth until the rice is light and fluffy, it’s full of flavour and super satisfying.
Have you tried pilaf, or pilau? Pilaf is a dish in which rice is cooked in a seasoned broth, often with vegetables, meats, or spices added for flavour. The rice is sautéed in oil or butter before being cooked in the broth, which helps to separate the grains and infuse them with flavour. Pilaf can be found in lots of cuisines around the world, each with its own unique variations and ingredients. That’s why there are variations in spelling and pronunciation.
We can all agree that it’s delicious! And so much tastier than plain white rice. It’s kid-friendly too – the buttery, flavourful rice entices the pickiest of eaters! With this recipe in your collection, you’ll never need to buy packet-mix flavoured rice again 😊.
Ingredients in Simple Rice Pilaf
Just a few simple ingredients make up this delicate, savoury flavoured rice:
Basmati rice – Basmati rice is the preferred variety for pilaf, because the grains stay light, fluffy and separate.
Onion – Use brown/yellow onion.
Garlic – Substitute the garlic cloves for 2 teaspoons of minced garlic if needed.
Butter – Unsalted.
Caraway seeds – Caraway seeds have a warm, earthy, and slightly sweet flavour with a hint of anise or liquorice-like undertones. I love their distinctive flavour!
Cumin seeds – Cumin is common in Mexican, Indian and Middle Eastern cooking. It has a lovely warm and slightly spicy flavour.
Ground turmeric – This adds flavour and colour. If you substitute with fresh, use about 1/4 inch of fresh turmeric, grated.
Chicken stock/broth – Use no-salt or salt-reduced stock if serving to family under 2 years of age. If you’d rather a vegetarian side dish, substitute with vegetable stock/broth.
How to make this oven baked rice dish
Thermomixer? Chop the onion and garlic in your machine, and then sauté them in butter. Add the spices and rice and cook for just a minute, until the rice is coated and spices are fragrant. Transfer the rice mixture to a casserole dish with lid. Pour over chicken stock and then bake in the oven.
Conventional cook? Finelychop the onion and garlic. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, sauté them in butter. Add the spices and rice and cook for just a minute, until the rice is coated and spices are fragrant. Transfer the rice mixture to a casserole dish with lid. Pour over chicken stock and then bake in the oven.
See the recipe card below for ingredient amounts and detailed steps for both thermo cooker and conventional cooking methods.
Serving Simple Rice Pilaf
Serve this yummy rice as a side dish alongside grilled meats, casseroles and curries. It really adds to a meal, more so than plain white rice! I love serving it with Apricot Chicken. The savoury rice compliments the sweet sauce of the casserole perfectly.
Looking for more easy side dishes for family meals? Try this Cauliflower and Sweet Potato Mash. It’s a beautifully smooth mash, balancing the natural sweetness of sweet potatoes with a hint of garlic and a touch of butter.
If you make this Simple Rice Pilaf with Caraway Seeds please leave a 🌟 star rating and a 📝 comment below. I love hearing how my recipes work for you and your family! Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest too for more healthy side dish recipes.
Happy cooking,
Chloe x
Simple Rice Pilaf with Caraway Seeds
Category: SidesTap or hover to scale
Ingredients
- 1 brown/yellow onion peeled (Thermomixers: quartered)
- 2 garlic cloves peeled
- 30 g butter unsalted
- 1 tsp carraway seeds
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/4 tsp ground turmeric
- 190g basmati rice
- 375 g / 1 1/2 cups chicken stock/broth (low sodium, Note 1)
Thermo Cooker Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C.
- Put the onion and garlic into the mixing bowl. Chop for 6 seconds, speed 5, MC on. Scrape down the mixing bowl.
- Add the butter. Cook for 5 minutes, 100°C, speed 1, MC off.
- Add the rice, caraway seeds, cumin seeds and turmeric. Cook for 1 minute, 100°C, speed 1, reverse, MC off.
- Transfer rice to a casserole dish with lid. Pour over chicken stock and gently stir. Spread mixture evenly along the bottom of the pan. Cover with lid.
- Bake in oven for 25 minutes, until the stock has been absorbed and the rice is light, fluffy and starting to turn crispy around the edges. Fluff with a fork and serve!
Conventional Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C.
- Finely chop the garlic and onion.
- Heat the butter in a large skillet or saucepan, and sauté onion and garlic over medium-high heat until the onion is translucent.
- Add the rice, caraway seeds, cumin seeds and turmeric. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring until rice is fully coated.
- Transfer rice to a casserole dish with lid. Pour over chicken stock and gently stir. Spread mixture evenly along the bottom of the pan. Cover with lid.
- Bake in oven for 25 minutes, until the stock has been absorbed and the rice is light, fluffy and starting to turn crispy around the edges. Fluff with a fork and serve!
