Easy and Delicious Pesto Rice
Learn how to make irresistibly flavorful pesto rice with this simple recipe. Perfect for a quick meal or a tasty side dish!
Are you looking for a healthy, gluten-free carb fix? My pesto rice is a vegetarian delight you wouldn’t want to miss. Whether you’re a pesto aficionado or want to jazz up your rice, this recipe will get your taste buds dancing!
Rice is the perfect versatile grain to get creative, and I always have fun making recipes with it! For this one, I thought of pesto sauce as a tasty and equally versatile ingredient that would complement rice perfectly. Enjoy!
Why You’ll Love It
- It gives you the wiggle room to get creative and choose your preferred pesto.
- Ready in under 30 minutes. It is a quick and easy dish, especially on busy nights.
- You can serve it as a side or main dish, pairing it with other veggies, proteins, and meat substitutes.
- You can easily make a fully vegan or vegetarian dish by choosing which pesto sauce you use.
- Not only is this dish hearty and filling, but it’s also made with healthful ingredients.
Ingredient Notes
Rice: Rice easily absorbs the flavor of the pesto. It serves as an incredible blank canvas for strong flavors. I suggest using long-grain varieties, like basmati rice or jasmine rice.
Pesto: The pesto sauce dictates the flavors of this dish. For this recipe, you can use the classic basil pesto. Even store-bought pesto sauce is perfectly fine, but it’s best to make one from scratch if you have time. Try my oregano pesto recipe!
Salt: This deepens the flavor of your pesto rice. You can adjust how much salt you add based on your preferences.
How to Make Pesto Rice
- In a pot over high heat, add the cooked rice. Toast the rice, stirring frequently, for about 2 minutes.
- Add the water and pesto. Stir well.
- Once the rice is simmering, cover the pot with a lid and reduce the heat to low.
- Simmer for 15 minutes, then remove the pot from the heat and allow it to sit for two minutes before removing the lid and fluffing the rice with a fork.
- Serve and enjoy!
Why Toast Rice?
Like toasting nuts and spices before cooking, toasting rice helps enhance and deepen its flavor. It helps create a rich, warm, and nutty flavor you won’t get otherwise.
As a bonus, toasting also removes the excess starch, so your rice won’t be too sticky or starchy once it cooks!
A Few Notes On Pesto
Pesto has a rich, vibrant flavor thanks to the fresh basil, nutty pine nuts, sharp Parmesan cheese, garlic, and olive oil. It’s versatile and can be used with pasta, sandwiches, dip, or soups. It’s also healthy, offering antioxidants, heart-healthy fats, and protein.
For ease, you can use a store-bought pesto if you prefer. But why stop there? Check out my pesto recipes that are just as healthy and tasty!
- For a vegan alternative, try this tasty Vegan Walnut Pesto. This pesto is made with basil, kale, spinach, and nutritional yeast, which boasts a rich, nutty, and “cheesy” flavor you’ll love.
- You can also try this Creamy Beet Pesto. It’s bursting with delicious flavor, thanks to the beets and garlic.
- Not a fan of pine nuts or basil? Try out this equally punchy and tasty gluten-free Cilantro Pesto.
- For a real creative twist, try my Hazelnut and Sage Pesto, which adds a real herbaceous nuttiness to this rice recipe.
Serving Suggestions
- Topped with blistered tomatoes. The rich, herby flavor of the pesto perfectly complements the slightly sweet and umami flavor of blistered cherry tomatoes. This is my favorite way to serve this dish!
- Serve with roasted veggies. Roasted vegetables, like my roasted okra, have warm, toasty, and nutty flavors that complement pesto.
- Try pesto rice with baked feta. The creaminess of feta cheese enhances the delicious flavor of your pesto ice.
- Serve with vegan protein substitutes. For vegans and vegetarians, try creating pesto rice bowls by adding delicious crispy tofu or tempeh.
Storing Pesto Rice
Storing pesto rice in a glass container with an airtight lid is crucial to keeping it fresh for as long as possible.
If you store your pesto rice in the fridge, it can last three to five days. If you store it in your freezer, it can last up to three months.
Reheating this dish is easy. The most straightforward way is to put it in a pan and reheat it over the stovetop with some olive oil or vegan butter. Alternatively, you can reheat it in the microwave for around 30 seconds.
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Pesto Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup long grain white rice Basmati or Jasmine
- 2 cups water
- ½ cup pesto of choice
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a pot over high heat, add the rice. Toast the rice, stirring frequently, for about 2 minutes.
- Add the water and pesto. Stir well.
- Once the rice is simmering, cover the pot with a lid and reduce the heat to low.
- Simmer for 15 minutes, then remove the pot from the heat and allow it to sit for two minutes before removing the lid and fluffing the rice with a fork.
- Serve and enjoy!
Wow was this good! We ate this in no time. Such a great use of pesto. Thank you!