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Recipes

Green Lentil and Brown Basmati Rice Pilaf

By Sarah DickermanPhotography by Kimberley Hasselbrink

3.7

(34)

Image may contain Plant Dish Food Meal Cutlery Fork Vegetable and Produce

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

Recipe information

  • Yield

    4 Servings

Ingredients

2

tablespoons olive oil

4

garlic cloves, sliced

1

small onion, finely chopped

1

teaspoon Aleppo pepper or hot paprika, plus more to taste

½

tsp ground cumin

¼

tsp ground cinnamon

1

cup brown basmati rice

1½

teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste

1

cup green lentils

2

teaspoons red wine vinegar

¼

cup chopped cilantro (for serving)

Need to make a substitution?

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Ingredient Info: Aleppo pepper, a slightly sweet Syrian pepper with a moderate heat level, is available at some specialty foods stores and wholespice.com.

    Step 2

    Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic, onion, Aleppo pepper, cumin, and cinnamon and cook, stirring, until vegetables begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in rice and 1½ tsp. salt and cook until rice begins to turn opaque, about 2 minutes. Stir in lentils and 4½ cups water. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook until lentils and rice are tender and water is absorbed, 35–40 minutes. Remove pan from heat and let sit, covered, 5 minutes. Add vinegar and fluff pilaf with a fork. Reserve ½ cup pilaf for Squash and Mustard Greens Salad.

    Step 3

    Serve pilaf topped with cilantro.

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