This site uses only a few technical cookies necessary for its operation. By continuing to browse, you accept their use.
To find out more...
To find out more...
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
1.00 €
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=5 % | 80 RDI=10 % | 930 RDI=50 % | 3,910 RDI: 50 % |
| Per 100 g | 0 | 7 RDI=1 % | 10 RDI=2 % | 130 RDI=6 % | 540 RDI: 6 % |
| Per person | 1 RDI=0 % | 9 RDI=1 % | 10 RDI=2 % | 160 RDI=8 % | 650 RDI: 8 % |
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
Tomato ladybirds
Tomatoes filled with a tuna mayonnaise and rice mixture, in a fun ladybird shape that kids will love, served with a puree of fresh garden peas. A good way to encourage them to eat vegetables.
299 K 14 1 hour 50 min.
Seared tuna with lemon and lime
This is a very simple way to prepare and cook tuna - a fish that tends to dry out very quickly if you are not careful about how you cook it. In this recipe the tuna medallions are marinated in a mixture of olive oil, lemon and lime, before being seared briefly on both sides. Serve with rice cooked...
71 K4.8 2 hours 20 min.
Comtoise stuffed tomatoes
These stuffed tomatoes are a bit special: the stuffing is made with Morteau sausage, onions, rice and cancoilotte cheese.
68 K4.1 1 hour 40 min.
Montagnon rice
This rustic dish, with a nod to the mountains of eastern France, combines pre-cooked rice with morsels of smoked sausage and globe artichokes.
32 K 45 min.
Rice à la grecque
Rice cooked "à la grecque" (Greek-style) is enlivened with sautéed leeks and mushrooms, cream and feta, to which the cooked rice is added at the end. This is a hearty dish, usually served in its cooking pot in the centre of the table, so everyone can help themselves.
64 K 50 min.
This recipe uses (among others)
Water
Like these other recipes: Chicken pie, Raisin breads (pains aux raisins), Chicken nems, Shortbread tart with sweet apricots and rosemary, Aperitif rolls, ... See them all 141
Rice
Like these other recipes: Chocolate rice pudding, Chantilly rice pudding, Paella, Indian rice pudding, Chicken with rice and leeks, ... See them all 22
Butter
Like these other recipes: Confit Victoria pineapple with honey and spices, Fish fillet in express cooking envelope, Apple madeleine cake, Caramelized apple and walnut cake, Potatoes with prawns, ... See them all 497
Olive oil
Like these other recipes: Spring veal sauté , Fried egg in bread, Whiting fillet with mustard carrots, Chicken and mushroom pie, Bacon and cabbage omelette, ... See them all 560
Other recipes you may also like
Onion fondue
Onion fondue is a delicious classic of French cuisine: finely-sliced onions, cooked long and slow until they are melting and caramelized. This can be used in many other recipes. March 25th 2020169 K 50 min.
Gingerbread
Maybe this recipe will bring back memories. February 21th 2011301 K4.2 1 hour 4 min.
Bouquet garni
Used very frequently in French cuisine, a secret of French chefs, it adds flavour to a lot of recipes, and it's easy to prepare. The basic principle is to make a small bundle of herbs, bind them in green leek leaves and to tie it up, so that the whole thing can be removed and discarded easily after cooking. March 21th 2017440 K3.5 15 min.
Green parsley sauce
This sauce, with a great parsley taste, is perfect with steamed vegetables or fish. At the bottom you will find the coulis version of this recipe. February 21th 2011560 K 44.3 25 min.
Beetroot and fried chicken salad
A raw beetroot salad, enriched with toasted almonds, diced fried chicken and potatoes. As beetroot tends to colour everything it touches, you can be sure that your diced chicken will be an unusual but attractive bright pink - children love this! October 16th 201666 K4.2 40 min.
News list of cooking-ez.com
Sign up to receive the latest recipes (next batch due to be sent on 2026-04-12)
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