Lebanese rice with vermicelli is a classic Middle Eastern side dish made with only three ingredients. This is a simple and easy recipe that goes well with many dishes!
We have many easy rice recipes for you to enjoy and this Lebanese vermicelli rice is definitely one of our top favorites. Just like mujadara (lentil rice) and Turkish rice pilaf with orzo, this is a vegetarian rice recipe (with a vegan option) that's packed with amazing flavors and is so easy to make!
Table Of Contents:
What is Lebanese rice?
Lebanese rice , also known as Arabic rice or Middle Eastern rice is a staple side dish of the region which is very simple to make and has a nutty flavor that pairs well with almost any main dish.
This recipe is made with only 3 ingredients and the only seasoning is salt. Sometimes, vermicelli rice is topped with toasted pine nuts or almond slivers for a bit of a nutty flavor.
Ingredients notes
- Rice: Long grain rice such as basmati works best for this recipe. It's important to rinse the rice a few times to remove the excess starch.
- Vermicelli: Short broken thin pasta that's the star of this dish. You can find vermicelli in many Middle Eastern or Mediterranean shops as well as online.
- Fat: You can use butter, ghee or olive oil for this recipe. I used ghee since I love the flavor, but if you're looking for the dish to be vegan, then you can use olive oil.
How to make Lebanese rice
- Prepare the rice: Rinse the rice a few times until the water runs clear. Then soak it in cold water for 20 to 30 minutes. This will speed up the cooking process and will also prevent the rice from becoming sticky.
- Melt the ghee or butter in a pot over medium heat and toast the vermicelli until brown but not burnt, stirring constantly. This will take about 5 minutes. Drain the rice and add it to the vermicelli with salt and cook for two minutes.
- Pour in the water and bring it to simmer. Simmer on medium low until the water is almost gone.
- Place a lid on the pot and let it cook on low for another 10 minutes. Turn the heat off and let the rice and vermicelli sit for 10 minutes. Fluff the rice using a fork and top with toasted pine nuts and parsley.
Tips to make the best Lebanese rice
- Soak the rice: Vermicelli rice is supposed to be fluffy and not sticky at all. To have such rice, we need to remove all the excess starch from the rice by soaking it in cold water.
- Stir frequently: To make sure that the vermicelli is toasted and browned evenly, stir it frequently.
- Fluff the rice: Once the rice is cooked completely, fluff it with a fork for a nice texture.
Serving suggestion
Rice pilaf with vermicelli is a tasty side dish for Middle Eastern dishes. Here are a few suggestions:
- Beef and lamb: kofta kebab, braised lamb shanks, ground beef stew, Greek meatballs, beef shish kabob or even doner kebab.
- Chicken: shish tawook, chicken stew, grilled chicken kabobs, grilled zaatar chicken or chicken shawarma.
Storage and freezing
Store the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. You can either use a microwave to reheat the leftovers or place them in a saucepan with 1 tablespoon water over medium heat for about 15 minutes.
To freeze Lebanese rice, let it cool completely then transfer it in a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat.
Frequently asked questions
Use olive oil instead of ghee or butter to make vegan Lebanese rice.
Vermicelli is a one of kind pasta and there isn't much of a substitute out there for it. You can probably use very thin spaghetti and break it into smaller pieces, but it won't be exactly the same.
This rice is typically made with long grain rice and short grain rice won't give the same results.
You can toast slivered almonds or simply leave it out.
More delicious rice recipes
Did you make this recipe? I'd love to hear about it! Please comment and leave a 5-star🌟 rating below. You can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest or subscribe to our newsletter to get a free e-Cookbook!
Step-by-Step Recipe
Easy Lebanese Rice and Vermicelli
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup basmati rice
- 2 tablespoon ghee or clarified butter see notes
- ½ cup vermicelli
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups water
To top:
- toasted pine nuts
- chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Rinse the rice a few times until the water runs clear. Then soak it in cold water for 30 minutes.
- Heat the ghee in a pot and toast the vermicelli until it's brown, stirring occasionally. This would take about 5 minutes. Discard the water and add the rice to the vermicelli. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the salt and 3 cups of water. Bring the rice to simmer. Let it simmer over medium heat until most of the water is evaporated. Then cover and turn the heat to low. Cook for another 10 minutes.
- Turn the heat off and let it sit covered for 10 more minutes.
- Fluff the rice and serve with your favorite main dish.
Notes
- You can use olive oil instead of ghee or butter to make this dish vegan.
- To make toasted pine nuts, heat a small pan over medium heat. Add the pine nuts and stir frequently for 2-4 minutes until golden on all sides.
- Store the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave on in a saucepan with 1 tablespoon water over medium heat.
- Serve Lebanese rice with braised lamb shanks, kofta kebab, shish tawook or zaatar chicken.
Zinat Bhanji
Would you be kind enough to put a picture of the vermicelli you used. Never used before so it helps to buy the right one. Thx
Shadi HasanzadeNemati
Gabby
Quick question: The photo shows the vermicelli broken into pieces, but I don't see that in the instructions. Will you clarify for me? Thanks!
Shadi HasanzadeNemati
The vermicelli noodles are pre-broken 🙂 These are different from Asian vermicelli, they're yellow and are usually sold in Middle Eastern/Mediterranean stores.
Sheila
Does it have to be Basmati rice, or can long grain be used instead?
Shadi HasanzadeNemati
You can use long grain
Mike
Note to users:
If you happen to use the multiplier function, while the amounts in the ingredients are adjusted the number of cups of water in the instructions are not.
Natalie
That looks and sounds so exotic and delicious. I just saved the recipe. I'm going to make this for dinner tomorrow. Can't wait.
Angela
Oh my goodness! This is so good and so easy to make. My new favorite rice dish for sure. Thanks so much for sharing!
Tavo
One of my favorite Lebanese recipes! I made it today and it was delicious and super easy to make. Thanks for sharing!
Valerie
I love rice, it's one of my favorite sites. I love how easy this is to make, and I know I always have these three ingredients on hand.
Danielle Wolter
Love this recipe! It's a great way for me to use my homemade ghee and the flavors are so delicious!
Pamela
What are some potential Lebanese spices that I could add to this recipe? Also, whenever I make rice (I don't use a rice machine; I just simmer it on top of the stove in a pot), it has a tendency to come out mushy. I am going to try your suggestion and soak it for 30 minutes first and see if this produces a dryer rice with the grains separated instead of one big mush ball. Thank you!
Thomas Felice
Is it traditional to add raisins or cut-up pieces of apricot to Lebenese rice? Love it that way.
Shadi HasanzadeNemati
It's not traditional to add dried fruit to Lebanese rice with vermicelli, but it sure can be delicious!
Eleanor Stinson
Do you cook the vermicelli first or fry it in the ghee/oil from dry? Thank you!
Shadi HasanzadeNemati
Fry it from dry 🙂
Eleanor Stinson
Thanks so much
Melissa
My favorite rice! I've never actually made it myself though.