Pesto Rice ~
The light and herbaceous flavors of this creamy rice dish make it a nice addition to a variety of dinner meals!
Try it with Spicy Grilled Cauliflower Kabobs or Crispy Baked Tofu.
Whether you choose to make your own pesto or go the store bought route, this recipe is a quick and easy way to use extra pesto.
Whenever we happen to have an abundance of basil in our garden, I like to make a a double or triple batch of pesto for use in other favorite dishes, such as Pesto Rigatoni or Baked Pesto Tofu.
Ingredients for Pesto Rice
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves packed
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts
- 2 teaspoons garlic minced
- ½ cup olive oil
- ½ cup vegan parmesan cheese grated
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
- 4 cups cooked rice
- salt
Ingredient Notes
- To same prep time, 1/2 cup prepared store bought pesto can be substituted for homemade.
- Mild flavored rices, such as white, Basmati, or light brown work well for this recipe and allow the flavors of the pesto to really shine.
How to Make Pesto Rice
For the pesto:
- Into a food processor, add the basil leaves, pine nuts, and garlic. Pulse until the basil is coarsely chopped.
- Add the olive oil, vegan parmesan cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Pulse until the mixture is well blended but still has a little bit of texture.
For the rice:
- Prepare the rice according to package directions for yielding 4 cups of cooked rice. Gently fluff the rice with a fork then set aside to cool slightly, about 10 minutes.
Putting it all together:
- Stir the prepared pesto, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon of pepper into the cooked rice.
- Adjust seasoning to taste and serve warm.
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Pesto Rice
The light and herbaceous flavors of this creamy rice dish make it a nice addition to a variety of dinner meals!
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Servings: 6
Calories: 355kcal
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves packed
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts
- 2 teaspoons garlic minced
- ½ cup olive oil
- ½ cup vegan parmesan cheese grated
- 1 teaspoon salt divided
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper divided
- 4 cups cooked rice
- salt
Instructions
For the pesto:
- Into a food processor, add the basil leaves, pine nuts, and garlic. Pulse until the basil is coarsely chopped.Add the olive oil, vegan parmesan cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Pulse until the mixture is well blended but still has a little bit of texture.
For the rice:
- Prepare the rice according to package directions for yielding 4 cups of cooked rice. Gently fluff the rice with a fork then set aside to cool slightly, about 10 minutes.
Putting it all together:
- Stir the prepared pesto, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon of pepper into the cooked rice. Adjust seasoning to taste and serve warm.
Nutrition
Calories: 355kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 523mg | Potassium: 95mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 489IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 127mg | Iron: 1mg
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Anaiah
I love this pesto rice! It’s easy to make and delicious. Such a great way to make dishes even more flavorful!