Pilau rice
Pilau rice (also called "restaurant rice" in France) is a way of cooking rice that's very different from using a rice-cooker. In this recipe, the rice is first "pearled" with onion in olive oil, then chicken stock is added, and the whole lot is put in the oven. This produces a very tasty moist rice, which can easily be kept waiting without drying out.
35 min.
Easy
6 people
8 IngredientsLast modified on: February 21th 2011
1 
4 tablespoons 
200 ml rice
300 ml 
1 
20 g 
Times for this recipe
Preparation: 15 min.
Cooking: 25 min.
All in all: 35 min.
If you start now, at , you will finish around : ?.Change start time
To finish around 7pm, you'll need to have started before: .Change end time
Step by step recipe
Stage 1 - 5 min.
Préparez 1 onion.
Preheat oven to 390°F (200°C).
Prepare chicken stock by mixing 1 chicken stock cube and 300 ml water (hot).
Preheat oven to 390°F (200°C).
Prepare chicken stock by mixing 1 chicken stock cube and 300 ml water (hot).
Stage 2 - 2 min.
Put 4 tablespoons olive oil in a large oven-proof pan over moderate heat.
When oil is hot, add chopped onion, mix well, salt and pepper.
Cook for 1 or 2 minutes without allowing to colour.
When oil is hot, add chopped onion, mix well, salt and pepper.
Cook for 1 or 2 minutes without allowing to colour.
Stage 3 - 3 min.
Tip in 200 ml rice all at once, and "pearl", which means: cook 2 or 3 minutes, stirring continuously...
Stage 4
...until rice become translucent, "pearled".
Stage 5 - 1 min.
Then add chicken stock in one go...
Stage 6
...and mix thoroughly.
Stage 7 - 20 min.
Cover (lid or aluminium foil) and put in the oven for 20 minutes.
Stage 8 - 2 min.
After this time, remove from the oven, uncover and add 20 g butter in small pieces, while stirring to melt them.
Stage 9
Your pilau rice is ready, but it can be covered and kept hot for a while.
Remarks
Unfortunately, cooking rice like pasta (in boiling water then draining) is the worst method! Because like that most of the flavour disappears with the water, and that's a pity.
On the other hand in a rice-cooker or using the pilau method, the rice has only the volume of liquid that it will absorb, and so retains its flavour.
To succeed with pilau rice, there are 2 important points
1) You should never use more than one and a half time the volume of liquid than volume of rice.
2) cooking time should not exceed 20 minutes at 200°C (390°F), covered.
Sometimes, you might read in other recipes, that pilau rice can only be cooked in oven. That's not true. Yes, it's better in the oven because it's softer and cooks more evenly, but not obligatory. You can cook it on low heat, covered, without stirring.
You can also vary the taste by adding a bayleaf during cooking or a bouquet garni or other herbs of your choice. You can also change the chicken stock for vegetable or beef stock, or add some dry white wine. So, let your imagination guide you.
On the other hand in a rice-cooker or using the pilau method, the rice has only the volume of liquid that it will absorb, and so retains its flavour.
To succeed with pilau rice, there are 2 important points
1) You should never use more than one and a half time the volume of liquid than volume of rice.
2) cooking time should not exceed 20 minutes at 200°C (390°F), covered.
Sometimes, you might read in other recipes, that pilau rice can only be cooked in oven. That's not true. Yes, it's better in the oven because it's softer and cooks more evenly, but not obligatory. You can cook it on low heat, covered, without stirring.
You can also vary the taste by adding a bayleaf during cooking or a bouquet garni or other herbs of your choice. You can also change the chicken stock for vegetable or beef stock, or add some dry white wine. So, let your imagination guide you.
Keeping: Several days in the fridge, in a closed jar.
Source: Home made.
Nutritional information
| Proteins (gr) | Carbohydrates (gr) | Fats (gr) | Energy value (in k-calories) | Energy value (in k-joules) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole recipe | 6 RDI=2 % | 50 RDI=4 % | 80 RDI=9 % | 930 RDI=40 % | 3,910 RDI: 40 % |
| Per 100 g | 0 | 7 RDI=1 % | 10 RDI=1 % | 130 RDI=5 % | 540 RDI: 5 % |
| Per person | 1 RDI=0 % | 9 RDI=1 % | 10 RDI=1 % | 160 RDI=6 % | 650 RDI: 6 % |
How much will it cost?
- For 6 people : 1.00 €
- Per person : 0.20 €
Change currency: 
Note: Be careful, these prices are only an estimate, you can consult the table of prices by ingredients used for this estimate.
Some other recipes using this recipeSee them all 29
Comtoise stuffed tomatoes
These stuffed tomatoes are a bit special: the stuffing is made with Morteau sausage, onions, rice and cancoilotte cheese.
62 K4.1 1 hour 40 min.
Rice and fresh spinach salad
Spinach is usually eaten cooked. Though seen less often, it can also be eaten raw, like in this salad where it is combined with rice, crunchy radishes and tinned tuna.
48 K 30 min.
Seafood rice salad
This warm rice salad ("riz du pêcheur" – fisherman's rice in French) combines cooked rice with sautéed prawns, mussels and flaked salmon in a rémoulade dressing.
39 K 30 min.
Rice and purple-sprouting broccoli salad
Like a classic rice salad, but with the crunch of purple-sprouting broccoli.
32 K 15 min.
New peas with pesto
For this very simple recipe, we sauté whole new peas, add a little rice, a good spoonful of pesto and it's ready.
5,993 40 min.
This recipe uses (among others)
Water
Like these other recipes: Franche-Comté sticks, Mustard baps, Italian Meringue, Nougat, Toffee apple upside-down cake, ... See them all 136
Rice
Like these other recipes: Curried prawn risotto, Chocolate rice pudding, Morel risotto with Vin Jaune and Mont d'Or, Paella, Rice pudding with fruit and nuts, ... See them all 21
Butter
Like these other recipes: Scallops with crunchy vegetables and wine sabayon, Tournedos Rossini, Pan-baked hash brown (Hash-brown casserole), Crêpes Suzette, Breton Sandwich, ... See them all 477
Olive oil
Like these other recipes: Green beans with tomato cream sauce, Smoked tomato toast, Scallop and leek pancakes, Ham and cheese slices with spring onions, Sautéed chicken with leeks, ... See them all 532
Other recipes you may also like
Almond cream
Light and delicious, it is used in a lot of desserts like tarts, cakes and pies (epiphany galette). August 31th 2025474 K 25 20 min.
Koulibiak in pie dish
Koulibiak is a traditional russian recipe from, usually served in a flat puff pastry fish shape. Here is an easier version, in a pie dish. September 7th 2018381 K3.8 3 hours 20 min.
How to prepare an avocado
Here is how to get from an avocado only the flesh of the fruit. January 9th 2010205 K 14 15 min.
How to keep meat tender after cooking
When you cook meat, the cooking heat causes the juices to run back inside, so the outside dries up somewhat. Here is a tip to avoid this. February 21th 2011120 K4.3 5 min.
New tiramisu
This new version of tiramisu is easier, and in my opinion much better. You will certainly appreciate, like me, the light creamy taste, this time presented in brandy goblets. January 19th 2015405 K3.3 55 min.
News list of cooking-ez.com
Sign up to receive the latest recipes (next batch due to be sent on 2025-09-21)
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Follow this recipe
If you are interested in this recipe, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the recipe is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.
The 1 comment already posted on this recipe