Pesto rice is an easy, but tasty alternative to regular plain rice. Long grain rice is cooked with a few spoons of pesto, making it more flavorful and filling. A perfect side dish for Mediterranean dishes!
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Pesto is such a simple way to make anything taste good. My popular pesto vinaigrette, chicken and pesto pasta or pesto baked salmon recipes are all go-to recipes perfect for quick and easy meals.
In this recipe, we simply boil rice with pesto added to it. You can use a store bought pesto, or your favorite homemade recipe. The result is a tasty Mediterranean style rice with plenty of flavor. Although plain rice is great, it's sometimes nice to add a bit more flavor!
Ingredients
You will need pesto, water and rice for this recipe. I recommend using long grain rice, like Basmati or Jasmine as these are best suited for this purpose. You can also use brown rice, but you might have to adjust the amount of water.
If you want to add even more flavor, you can add a chicken stock cube, or replace some water with chicken stock.
Instructions
Add all the ingredients to a pot. Cover with a lid, and bring it to a boil on medium high heat, then reduce it down to a simmer on very low heat.
Leave the rice to simmer gently for about 10 minutes. The water will now have completely absorbed. Remove the rice from the heat, but leave it covered with the lid for another 3-5 minutes.
Give the rice a stir with a spoon, then serve!
Top tips
Here are my top tips to succeed with this recipe:
- Rice should be cooked on low heat covered with a lid. This will result in perfect rice every time. If you don't have a lid to fit your pot, you will have to add extra water.
- Different types of pesto have different flavors. You should taste the rice when it's done cooking, and add more seasoning like extra pesto or salt if necessary.
Serving suggestions
I love to serve pesto rice as a side dish. Here are some of my favorite mains to serve it with:
Baked Turkey Meatballs - Healthy and easy meatballs with Mediterranean flair.
Chicken Spedini - Grilled or baked Italian chicken skewers.
Mediterranean Baked Cod - Light and lean white fish.
Chicken Marsala Without Wine - Chicken breasts in a creamy mushroom sauce.
Variations
Although the recipe is excellent as is, you can also make alternative variations of it to suit your needs. Here are some of my favorite ways to enjoy it:
With spinach and feta: Add some chopped spinach to the rice, and serve it with feta cheese on top. Yum!
Vegan: Some brands of pesto are considered vegetarian and vegan. Make sure to consult the label of the ingredients you use if you have dietary requirements.
With veggies: You can add vegetables to the rice if you want. This will make the rice more filling, and can actually be served as a main course. Try adding Mediterranean roast vegetables, or cherry tomatoes.
Leftovers
Leftover pesto rice can be stored in a refrigerator for up to 4 days. Serve it cold, or reheat it in a microwave for a few minutes if you prefer to serve warm rice.
You can also freeze cooked rice in a freezer safe container for up to 6 months. Thaw and reheat the rice before serving.
The leftovers can be served as a side dish for future meals, or you can use them to make fried rice, rice wraps or other tasty dishes!
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If you love alternative rice flavors, you should try any of these recipes:
Frequently asked questions
Pesto can be served on meat, in rice or pasta, in salads or sandwiches or on pizza. It's very versatile, and has unlimited uses!
Long grain rice such as Jasmine or Basmati rice is particularly suited for pesto rice.
Recipe
Pesto Rice
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup Basmati rice (350 g)
- 2 cups water
- 3 tablespoon pesto
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a pot. Cover with a lid, and bring it to a boil on medium high heat, then reduce it down to a simmer on very low heat.
- Leave the rice to simmer gently for about 10 minutes. The water will now have completely absorbed. Remove the rice from the heat, but leave it covered with the lid for another 3-5 minutes.
- Give the rice a stir with a spoon, then serve!
Notes
Leftovers
Leftover pesto rice can be stored in a refrigerator for up to 4 days. Serve it cold, or reheat it in a microwave for a few minutes if you prefer to serve warm rice. You can also freeze cooked rice in a freezer safe container for up to 6 months. Thaw and reheat the rice before serving. The leftovers can be served as a side dish for future meals, or you can use them to make fried rice, rice wraps or other tasty dishes!Top tips
- Rice should be cooked on low heat covered with a lid. This will result in perfect rice every time. If you don’t have a lid to fit your pot, you will have to add extra water.
- Different types of pesto have different flavors. You should taste the rice when it’s done cooking, and add more seasoning like extra pesto or salt if necessary.
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