Garden Vegetable Rice Pilaf is very easy to throw together and it also freezes great. It is so nice to have a healthy meal at your fingertips.
It is so nice to have a healthy meal at your fingertips. This recipe of Garden Vegetable Rice Pilaf is very easy to throw together and it also freezes great. I do not put the zucchini in the pilaf if I am going to freeze it. Lots of people do freeze zukes but I don’t like them that way. I like the crisp fresh texture so I add them right before serving.
Garden Vegetable Rice Pilaf
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 4
Ingredients
- 1 cup rice
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 2 carrots cut into discs
- 1 can diced tomatoes with the liquid 15 oz. or so
- 1 to 2 zucchini cut into discs only buy this if you are serving now and not freezing - yes, you can freeze zucchini but it is so much better fresh
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 small green bell pepper chopped
- 1/3 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Heat about 3 tablespoons of water in a skillet that has a tight fitting lid.
- Add the zucchini and quickly saute for about 3-4 minutes.
- Remove the zucchini and set aside.
- Boil the carrots for 15 to 20 minutes until easily pierced with a fork. Set aside.
- Add the onion and bell pepper to the skillet and saute about 10 minutes.
- Add the uncooked rice, the tomatoes with it's liquid, broth, basil, rosemary, salt and pepper.
- Bring to a boil and then cover.
- Lower the heat and simmer 20 minutes.
- The liquid should be absorbed by this time.
- Right before serving - add the zucchini and carrots and toss.
Recipe Notes
IF FREEZING.
Freeze the pilaf before adding the zucchini for the freshest texture.
Please follow any of the directions defined in my article How to Prepare Food for the Freezer
TO SERVE AFTER FREEZING:
Take out of the freezer the day before. Let it defrost in the refrigerator at least 24 hours. Quickly saute fresh sliced zucchini and then toss with the pilaf. Heat through in a skillet.
Serve with a nice big piece of Italian bread and a salad.
Ginny McMeans says
That is wonderful Kara! You are very very welcome!
Ginny McMeans says
Yes Kristen! Thanks for the feedback too. 🙂
Ginny McMeans says
Thanks Jerome! You really could. Just precook the broccoli or asparagus and mix it in at the end and reheat! t would be really good. 🙂
Ginny McMeans says
Wouldn’t that be great! Thanks Hannah!
Ginny McMeans says
You will really like it! Thanks so much Julia!
Kara says
Just made this tonight. Sooooooo good! Thanks for another great recipe!
Kirsten/ComfortablyDomestic says
I would never have thought to freeze rice pilaf. Good to know it can be done! I agree on the frozen zucchini thing–it’s so much tastier with the texture in tact.
Jarome says
This looks amazing coming from a veggie lover. I wish I could do this with broccoli or asparagus. 🙂
Hannah @ CleanEatingVeggieGirl says
This sounds great! I would love to try making it with cauliflower “rice” too!
Julia says
This looks delicious! I’ll have to pin this for later. I like having a variety of options for rice–the plain stuff gets so boring!
Ginny McMeans says
Fantastic Colynn! All clean eating :).
Colynn says
This looks so good, and it’s so easy to make. I made something similar to this last night, and I definitely agree with you that fresh zucchini tastes way better than frozen zucchini. I think I’m going to have to make a big batch of this.