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Home » Meals » Side Dishes » Pesto Rice

Pesto Rice

September 30, 20212 Comments

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Pesto Rice ~ The light and herbaceous flavors of this creamy rice dish make it a nice addition to all sorts of dinner meals!  via @thiswifecooks

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.

Pesto Rice ~ The light and herbaceous flavors of this creamy rice dish make it a nice addition to all sorts of dinner meals!

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.
Pesto Rice ~ The light and herbaceous flavors of this creamy rice dish make it a nice addition to all sorts of dinner meals!

More Easy Rice Recipes You’ll Love!

  • Yellow Rice
  • Asian Mushroom Rice
  • Mexican Rice and Black Beans
  • Basmati Coconut Rice
  • BBQ Cheesy Rice

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Pesto Rice ~ The light and herbaceous flavors of this creamy rice dish make it a nice addition to all sorts of dinner meals!
Pesto Rice ~ The light and herbaceous flavors of this creamy rice dish make it a nice addition to all sorts of dinner meals!

Pesto Rice

The light and herbaceous flavors of this creamy rice dish make it a nice addition to a variety of dinner meals!
5 from 9 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Italian
Keyword: rice, vegan, vegetarian
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 355kcal
Author: Holly Gray
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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
Tried this recipe?Mention @thiswifecooks or tag #thiswifecooks!

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Filed Under: Rice & Grains, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Anaiah

    October 1, 2021 at 5:27 pm

    5 stars
    I love this pesto rice! It’s easy to make and delicious. Such a great way to make dishes even more flavorful!

    Reply
  2. Tina

    August 31, 2022 at 12:57 pm

    5 stars
    This is such a great idea! I’ve never thought of putting pesto of rice.

    Reply

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Hi, I’m Holly! I’m a busy wife and mom. I love cooking for my family and sharing creative and flavorful plant-based recipes.

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