My recipe for Orzo Rice is simple to make and easily customized. It has four different variations, so there is something everyone will like.
Table of Contents
Rice Pilaf with Orzo is a wonderful, classic dish that anyone can make at home and should have in their recipe collection! Not only can my 9-year-old cook this recipe herself, but it is also one of the most requested side dishes at my house.
This recipe pairs well with any protein. It is 100 times better than any boxed version.
I love how easy and versatile this dish is. This one-pot recipe is simple to make. You can make it plain or follow my directions below to make four different flavor variations.
Ingredients and Estimated Cost
Per Serving Cost: $0.40
Recipe Cost: $2.44
RECIPE COST: $2.46
PRICE PER SERVING: $0.41
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil – $0.42
- 1 small yellow onion – $0.50
- ½ teaspoon salt – $0.03
- 1 cup long-grain white rice – $0.39
- ½ cup orzo – $0.16
- 2 large garlic cloves – $0.08
- 2 ¼ cups chicken broth – $0.74
- 1 Tablespoon parsley – $0.12
NOTE: The recipe prices are calculated by using grocery store websites. The recipe cost is calculated by the amounts needed for the recipe. The actual cost of the recipe will vary depending on what ingredients you already have. I updated the pricing for this recipe in December 2023.
How To Make Rice Pilaf Orzo
- Using a large pan with a lid, preheat the pan and add the olive oil, onion, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Cook the onion for two to three minutes.
- Next, add in the rice and orzo. Stir constantly while it is cooking.
- Add in the garlic and cook for another sixty seconds.
- Pour in the broth, bring it to a boil, and stir. After it gets to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cover the pan with the lid.
- Cook for about 20-22 minutes and then remove the pan from the heat and let the pilaf sit, covered, for eight minutes.
- To finish, fluff the pilaf with a fork and stir in the parsley. Season with salt and pepper before serving.
***For Complete recipe instructions, see the recipe card below.
Recipe Variations
These variations use the base recipe below, with minor tweaks and additions.
- Mushroom and Thyme: When you cook the onion, add ¾ cups (about 3 ounces) of finely chopped crimini mushrooms. Additionally, when you add the parsley, add 1 teaspoon of minced fresh thyme.
- Lemon and Almond: When you stir in the broth, also add 2 teaspoons of lemon zest. When you stir in the herbs, stir in ⅓ cup of toasted slivered almonds at the end of the recipe.
- Curry, Golden Raisins, and Cilantro: When you stir in the broth, also add 1 Tablespoon of curry powder and ½ cups of golden raisins. At the end of the recipe, instead of adding parsley, add 2 Tablespoons of chopped cilantro.
- Jalapeno and Cilantro: In the recipe below, when you add the garlic, also add 1 large seeded and minced jalapeno pepper. After the pilaf has been fluffed, add 2 Tablespoons of chopped cilantro instead of chopped parsley.
- You can add ¼ teaspoon of turmeric when you add in the chicken broth to get the yellow color that some rice pilaf dishes have.
- If you don’t have orzo on hand, you can use an extra ½ cup of rice (for a total of 1 ½ cups of rice) or ½ cup of quinoa.
- Additionally, Instead of rice, you can use quinoa.
How To Serve Orzo Pilaf Rice
Fluff the pilaf with a fork and stir in the parsley. Season with salt and pepper and serve. This rice is perfect served alongside most entrees. I recommend serving it with my Oven Baked Chicken Thighs, or this Salmon Patties Recipe.
Storing Rice Pilaf with Orzo
SERVE: You can keep the rice out for about two hours before it needs to be covered and refrigerated.
STORE: Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
FREEZE: Once the rice has cooled, place it in a freezer-safe container and freeze for 3-4 months.
DEFROST: Defrost the rice in the refrigerator overnight.
REHEAT: Place the rice in a microwave-safe container and heat on high for 1 ½-2 ½ minutes or until heated through, stirring as needed.
Recipe FAQs
Pilaf is a rice dish cooked in chicken stock or broth and usually has something in it.
It’s a flexible recipe. You can add different ingredients to it each time. However, the main ingredients for a classic pilaf recipe are olive oil, onion, rice, orzo, garlic, chicken broth, parsley, and salt and pepper.
The main difference between the two is the flavor. Plain rice is cooked in water, while rice pilaf is toasted in olive oil and onion and then cooked in broth and other seasonings, giving it a more nutty taste.
It’s called this for the same reason many English words are what they are! We have the English word because we borrow them from another language. Pilaf comes from the Turkish word pilau, which means rice cooked in broth.
I love to serve this with my Baked Salmon with Lemon Vinaigrette. The flaky fish served with rice pilaf with orzo is simply amazing. These roasted Greek chicken drumsticks would be another great option to serve alongside this dish. The drumsticks are full of oregano, lemon, and garlic.
Orzo Rice is a dish cooked in chicken stock or broth and typically has some additional ingredients. The main ingredients are olive oil, onion, rice, orzo, garlic, parsley, and salt and pepper. The dish can be customized with additional flavors.
Cook’s Tools
- large pan with lid
- wooden spoon
- measuring cups and spoons
- cutting board
- chef’s knife
More Side Dishes
- Easy Mexican Rice
- Creamy Homemade Coleslaw
- Coconut Rice
- Simple Fried Rice
- Pad Thai Fried Rice
- Cranberry-Pecan Curry Rice
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Orzo Rice Pilaf
Equipment
- measuring cups and spoons
- Large pan
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion chopped fine
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- ½ cup orzo
- 2 large garlic cloves minced
- 2 ¼ cups chicken broth
- 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
PREHEAT PAN:
- In a large pan with a lid, preheat the pan over medium-high heat and add in the olive oil, onion, and ½ teaspoon of salt.
SAUTE:
- Saute the onion until it just begins to soften, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add in the rice and orzo and cook while constantly stirring for 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30-60 seconds.
COOK RICE AND ORZO:
- Pour in the broth, give everything a good stir, and bring everything to a boil.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and cover the pan with the lid.
- Cook until the rice and orzo is tender, about 20-22 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat, and let the pilaf sit, covered, for 8 minutes. Fluff the pilaf with a fork, and stir in the parsley. Season with salt and pepper and serve.
SEASON AND SERVE:
- Season with salt and pepper and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
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We just love rice pilaf and this was the best recipe we ever made!
It’s so yummy. I love orzo and this is now our go-to rice recipe.
So easy and tasty! Love your idea to add turmeric — I will have to try that the next time I make this!
Oh yum! I love how you added orzo to the rice pilaf. So many great flavor variations too, especially the lemon and almond.
LOVE all of the variations!! The best rice pilaf recipe and my family loves the orzo addition!
I can imaging eating this pilaf with a nice heart stew! 🙂 Thanks for this recipe.
I’ve been wanting to get my girls in the kitchen more so this will be a perfect recipe to kick off our lessons in the kitchen.
My kiddo loves rice. I can’t wait to make him this for dinner. Sounds really flavorful and so delicious. Plus it’s super easy to make. Win!
I love that you’ve turned such a simple pilaf into so many variations. They all sound so amazing that I’m not sure which one I’m going to try first! 🙂
So easy to make and just enough flavor to pair with dinner.
In Turkey we brown the uncooked orzo in olive oil or butter first and then add to the rice to cook. It gives a richer flavor and color contrast between the rice and orzo. Try it, you’ll like it.