Spare Spoons Kitchen
The Pantry · Instant Pot · about 20 minutes

Rice Pilaf

A savory pantry pilaf — rice cooked in seasoned broth with a dried vegetable blend and a handful of pine nuts. A small step up from plain rice, and just as hands-off. Vegan as written.

4 min pressure Instant Pot method
Effort ●○○○ Time ●○○○ Anytime
Instant PotVeganGluten-Free
Servingsamounts scale to match
4
Units

Ingredients

Dissolve the bouillon first, then it's hands-off. Bringing the water and bouillon together on Sauté makes a quick broth that flavors the rice from within; everything else goes in and pressure does the rest. Natural-release so the grains stay separate.

Easier, if you like

  • Frozen mixed vegetables (½ cup) instead of the dried blend — stir in before cooking.
  • Double it for a crowd; the time stays the same.

Method

    Cook's notes

    Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan until golden before folding them in — it doubles their flavor.

    The dried vegetable blend rehydrates right in the broth; fresh diced carrot and celery work too (add before cooking).

    Slivered almonds are a cheaper stand-in for pine nuts.

    See Instant Pot Rice & Grains for the plain-grain ratios.

    Vegan and gluten-free as written

    Vegan / gluten-free: it already is — use oil or vegan margarine and a GF bouillon.

    Nut-free: leave out the pine nuts (or use toasted pumpkin seeds).