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Lebanese rice is a classic Middle Eastern side dish made with only three ingredients. This is a simple and easy recipe that’s packed with a lot of flavor.
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. For a heartier option, try hashweh, a Middle Eastern spiced rice with ground beef that’s perfect as a main dish.
Table of Contents
We Love Lebanese Rice Pilaf!
Lebanese rice, also known as Arabic rice or Middle Eastern rice is a staple side dish of the region. It’s so simple to make and has a nutty flavor that pairs well with almost any main dish including stews such as bamya (okra stew) and molokhiya.
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
- Rice: Long grain rice such as basmati works best for this recipe. 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.
- 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.
- Toppings: Occasionally Lebanese rice is topped with toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds. This is optional and adds a nice nuttiness to the rice.
How To Make Lebanese Rice
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 toasted vermicelli. Add salt and cook for a couple of minutes. Pour in the water and bring it to simmer.
Top with a lid and let it cook until the water is absorbed. 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.
Recipe Tips
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 Suggestions
Rice pilaf with vermicelli is a tasty side dish for Middle Eastern dishes. You can serve it with a variety of main dishes including kofta kebab, braised lamb shanks and ground beef stew. We also love it with chicken stew or even grilled chicken kabobs.
Storage
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 tbsp 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.
This rice is typically made with long grain rice and short grain rice won’t give the same results.
More rice Recipes
Greek Recipes
Spanakorizo Greek Spinach Rice
Rice and Pasta
Mediterranean Yellow Rice
Persian Recipes
Tahdig Recipe (Persian Crispy Rice)
Persian Recipes
Saffron Rice Recipe
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Easy Lebanese Rice and Vermicelli
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup basmati rice
- 2 tbsp ghee, clarified butter
- 1/2 cup vermicelli
- 1 tsp 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 over medium heat 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 to the rice and vemicelli. Turn the heat to medium high and bring the rice to simmer. Cover and let it cook until the rice is tender and fluffy.
- Turn the heat off and let it sit covered for 10 more minutes.
- Fluff the rice and serve.
Video
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.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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.
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.
Oh my goodness! This is so good and so easy to make. My new favorite rice dish for sure. Thanks so much for sharing!
One of my favorite Lebanese recipes! I made it today and it was delicious and super easy to make. Thanks for sharing!
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.
Love this recipe! It’s a great way for me to use my homemade ghee and the flavors are so delicious!
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!
Is it traditional to add raisins or cut-up pieces of apricot to Lebenese rice? Love it that way.
It’s not traditional to add dried fruit to Lebanese rice with vermicelli, but it sure can be delicious!
Do you cook the vermicelli first or fry it in the ghee/oil from dry? Thank you!
Fry it from dry 🙂
Thanks so much
My favorite rice! I’ve never actually made it myself though.