Pilaf

Vibrant, earthy, and nutty achiote (also known as annatto) joins garlic, onion, oregano, and chili powder to create your favorite new rice spice blend.

Store-bought fried onions are the secret savory bonus in this easy recipe. Toasting the spices in butter makes for a fragrant, flavorful dish.

This easy rice pilaf recipe boasts aromatic spice inspired by garam masala. It’s a blank canvas you can amend to complement any meal.

Inspired by Middle Eastern mujadara, this rice and lentil pilaf gets a seasonal spin thanks to a tumble of spring-y green vegetables and flavorful tadka.

Slices of this bright and lemony greens-packed pilaf hold their shape once wrapped in a simple yogurt dough and baked until golden brown.

Normally we’d cook meat or fish with the rice so the flavors mingle, but because shrimp cook so fast, we like to pan-fry them and toss with the rice at the very end. 

This one-pot meal is cozier than your favorite bathrobe, with fragrant basmati rice, tender chicken, warm spices, and coconut milk.

Dry vermicelli is toasted in lots of butter to create extra nutty flavor and richness, a method used in pilaf traditions across communities.

A classic yakhni pulao is meticulously prepared by simmering basmati rice in an aromatic chicken, lamb, or goat broth. In this version, chicken thighs are simmered in a spiced tomato base along with rice and whole spices like cinnamon and bay leaf. 

It’s worth planning ahead for this vibrant, springy pilaf recipe that’s made all the better by day-old rice.

This cauliflower rice recipe is very adaptable; just use what you find in your cabinets.

You can fold all the toppings into the rice and it’ll still be delicious—but you won’t get as much of a wow factor.

A flavorful, curry-packed rice pilaf that's just as good for a main as it is a side.

This rice dish is based on one of the most famous Persian polos (pilaf), known as sabzi polo.

Look for basmati rice with a slightly golden hue—that indicates that the rice has been properly aged.

When you peel the kabocha squash for this recipe, use a vegetable peeler—not a knife. (Better to dull a $4 tool than your best kitchen blade.)

The addition of buttermilk gives the barley a sour cream and onion vibe. But if you're not into the tang, feel free to leave it out.

Turmeric or cinnamon? Nuts or raisins? The players may change, but the fundamentals of fluffy, fragrant jasmine rice pilaf are always the same.

Maitake mushrooms are a tasty addition to this meatless meal. Cooking them until they are crisp around the edges will give them a delicate crunch.

Lentils and rice pair together beautifully, and this hearty version gets subtlety from a bit of saffron and cinnamon.

The nutty, hearty texture of wild rice is fantastic with the turkey and all the trimmings.