Growing up, pilaf was a staple in my family. Although I was born in the Midwest and my mother was born and raised in Illinois, my father was Armenian, and pilaf quickly became used in regular rotation in our weekly meals. I remember the confusion on a friend’s face when I told her I was having pilaf for dinner, and she asked what that was. My 6-yr old brain could not comprehend her question. How could someone not know what it was? I just assumed everyone ate it as often as we did. 🙂
If you’re looking for a grain-based side dish, but this one isn’t quite it, consider:
- Black Rice and Mango Salad – Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Vegan
- Corn Maque Choux – Gluten-free, Vegetarian
- Couscous with Asparagus and Peas – Vegetarian (Dairy-free and Vegan if you serve the Parmesan on the side)
- Farro Salad with Mushrooms and Thyme – Dairy-free, Vegan
- Mediterranean Quinoa Salad – Gluten-Free, Vegetarian (Dairy-free and Vegan if you serve the Feta on the side)
- Tuscan Orzo Vegetable Salad – Dairy-Free, Vegan
- White Bean Salad – Dairy-free, Gluten-free, Vegan
- Wild Rice Stuffed Peppers – Dairy-free, Gluten-free, Vegan
Pilaf with Pine Nuts and Currants
This is a staple dish in our family and is naturally vegan, vegetarian and lactose-free. For normal dinners, we never used currants or pine nuts, those were reserved for special occasions. Sometimes just one or the other and sometimes both, so feel free to use or omit them as desired.
Ingredients
- 1 cup long grain rice
- ½ cup vermicelli
- 2 cups broth, vegetable
- ¼ cup plant-based butter or dairy butter
- 1/4 cup currants
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- 2 Tbsp olive oil extra virgin
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Break vermicelli into small pieces and brown in the oil. Add rice and sauté until rice is translucent, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes.
- Add boiling broth, currants, and salt to taste, cover and cook over low heat for about 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is soft. Remove from heat and let rest for 15-20 minutes.
- While pilaf is cooking, toast pine nuts in a small skillet over medium heat, about 2 minutes. Toss in pine nuts before serving.
Notes
To keep this recipe vegan and/or lactose-free, be sure to use plant-based butter.
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 298kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 4gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.04gSodium: 414mgPotassium: 124mgFiber: 1gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 532IUVitamin C: 0.3mgCalcium: 18mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!