Spring Pea Mint Rice Pilaf (Printable)

Fragrant rice pilaf brightened with sweet peas, fresh mint, and a hint of lemon zest.

# What You'll Need:

→ Rice & Broth

01 - 1 cup long-grain white rice, such as basmati or jasmine
02 - 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

03 - 1 cup fresh or frozen spring peas
04 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Herbs & Seasonings

07 - 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
09 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
10 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
11 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Garnish

12 - Lemon wedges for serving

# How To Make It:

01 - Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear. Drain thoroughly.
02 - In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the chopped onion and cook for 2-3 minutes, until softened and translucent.
03 - Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
04 - Add the rinsed rice and stir to coat the grains evenly with butter and aromatics.
05 - Pour in the vegetable broth, add salt and pepper, and bring to a boil over medium heat.
06 - Reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer for 15 minutes.
07 - Stir in the peas directly from freezer if using frozen, or raw if using fresh. Cover and cook for an additional 5 minutes until the rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.
08 - Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes to allow steam to distribute evenly.
09 - Fluff the rice with a fork. Stir in the fresh mint, parsley, and lemon zest.
10 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve warm, garnished with lemon wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 40 minutes and tastes like you spent hours thinking about it.
  • Fresh mint and lemon zest make it feel fancy without requiring any fancy skills.
  • The peas stay slightly tender instead of turning to mush, which changes everything.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the rice or you'll end up with gluey, clumpy pilaf instead of fluffy separate grains.
  • Add the mint at the very end, after the heat is off; if you cook it, it turns dark and bitter instead of bright and fresh.
  • If your broth is salty, reduce the added salt or taste as you go, because there's no fixing over-salted rice once it's done.
03 -
  • Use good butter, not margarine; the difference shows up in every bite.
  • If you're doubling the recipe, keep the cooking times the same but give it an extra few minutes of simmering to make sure all the liquid absorbs evenly.
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