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Herbed Instant Pot Rice Pilaf

Loaded with veggies and fresh herbs, this Instant Pot rice pilaf is subtly sweet, totally satisfying, and one of the easiest dishes you can make in a multicooker. Traditionally, pilaf is often cooked in chicken stock; here, you’ll use spices, onion, and garlic to make a fresh, flavorful broth.

By Darshana Thacker Wendel,

Ingredients

  • 2 inches stick cinnamon
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 medium onion, sliced (1 cup)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
  • 1 cup uncooked brown basmati rice
  • ½ cup frozen corn
  • ½ cup frozen peas
  • ½ cup thinly sliced red bell pepper
  • ½ cup finely chopped fresh dill
  • ¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

  • Set a 6-qt. Instant Pot multicooker on Sauté setting and allow to heat on Normal temperature. Add cinnamon, bay leaf, and cumin seeds; cook, uncovered, 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
  • Add onion, garlic, and ginger; stir in ¼ cup water. Cook, uncovered, 5 minutes more, stirring frequently. Stir in the rice and 1½ cups water.
  • Lock lid in place; set pressure valve to Sealing. Set cooker on Rice setting and cook about 22 minutes. Let stand to release pressure naturally (about 20 minutes). Open lid carefully.
  • Stir in the next seven ingredients (through salt). Lock lid in place. Set cooker on Keep Warm setting and heat, covered, 10 minutes. Open lid carefully. Remove and discard stick cinnamon and bay leaf. Season rice with black pepper.

Comments (2)

(5 from 2 votes)

Recipe Rating

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Helen

Tasty! Although I did make a few changes. I used veggie broth instead of water, 1 tsp of ground cinnamon, 1 tsp of dried dill, and only 1 Tbsp of lemon juice. I also cooked it on the stove top, I added the peas and corn to the top of the rice 1/2 way through cooking. The only ingredient I added at the end was the lemon juice.

Megan

I thought this was great, but it was too herbal for my husband's taste. I doubled the peas and added some halved cherry tomatoes to make this a one-pot meal.

About the Author

Headshot of Darshana Thacker

About the Author

Darshana Thacker Wendel

Darshana Thacker Wendel is a whole-food, plant-based chef and former culinary projects manager for Forks Over Knives. A graduate of the Natural Gourmet Institute, she is the author of Forks Over Knives: Flavor! She created the recipes for Forks Over Knives Family and was a lead recipe contributor to the New York Times bestseller The Forks Over Knives Plan. Her recipes have been published in The Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease Cookbook, Forks Over Knives—The Cookbook, Forks Over Knives: The Plant-Based Way to Health, and LA Yoga magazine online. Visit DarshanasKitchen.com and follow her on Instagram for more.
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