Since I serve Lebanese rice with nearly everything, from weeknight dinners to big Lamb Roasts on the holidays. This is a simple vegan rice pilaf made of three ingredients: vermicelli pasta, rice and olive oil. Add a bit of toasted pine nuts, and you have the best side of rice! Check out the video and step-by-step tutorial.
Throughout the Mediterranean, you will find rice dishes like, Paella; Mujadra (lentils and rice); or Hashweh (Beef and rice), that are certainly more of a meal. But this Lebanese rice with vermicelli is the every-day rice of the Middle East, and it’s by far the most served side dish in that part of the world.
What is in this Lebanese Rice
Basic Lebanese rice typically consists of broken vermicelli pasta, a short, thin pasta that’s used in a few traditional dishes like Catalan Fideuà. You’ll also need rice (medium or long grain rice works), and extra virgin olive oil or butter (or a combination of both). I use only extra virgin olive oil here. There is but a pinch of salt to season this rice.
And to jazz things up, I like topping the rice with toasted pine nuts adds a nice nutty flavor and texture.
Tips for making the best Lebanese Rice
1- You must rinse the rice to get rid of excess starch which causes rice to be sticky (Lebanese rice is not meant to be sticky). Then soak the rice for 2o minutes or until you can break one grain of rice by pressing it between your index finger and your thumb. This way, you shorten the cooking time making sure the interior of the grain actually cooks before the exterior looses its shape. Remember that the rice to use here should not be partially cooked rice.
2- To give the Lebanese rice flavor right from the start, toast the vermicelli in olive oil until golden brown (as you’ll see in the step-by-step below), then add the rice and toast so that each rice grain is coated with the olive oil.
3- Once the rice is fully cooked, let it rest for 10-15 minutes or so, then fluff it with a fork. This again helps keep it from becoming sticky or gluey.
Here is the step-by-step for how to make Lebanese rice:
– Rinse the rice well then place it in a medium bowl and cover with water. Soak for 20 minutes. Test to see if you can easily break a grain of rice by simply placing it between your thumb and index finger. Drain well.
– In a medium non-stick cooking pot, heat the olive oil on medium-high. Add the vermicelli and continuously stir to toast it evenly. Vermicelli should turn a nice golden brown, but watch carefully not to over-brown or burn it (If it burns, you must throw the vermicelli away and start over).
– Add the rice and salt and continue to stir so that the rice will be well-coated with the olive oil. Now add 3 1/2 cups of water and bring it to a boil until the water significantly reduces and you’re able to see the rice through (see the photo below). Turn the heat to low and cover.
– Cook for 15-20 minutes on low. Once fully cooked, turn the heat off and leave the rice undisturbed in it’s cooking pot for another 10-15 minutes, then uncover and fluff with a fork.
Watch my video for this Lebanese Rice Recipe:
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Lebanese Rice with Vermicelli
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: Serves up to 6 people
Description
Vegan Lebanese rice with vermicelli and pine nuts. A great side dish next to many Mediterranean favorites.
Ingredients
- 2 cups long grain or medium grain rice
- Water
- 1 cup broken vermicelli pasta
- 2 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt
- 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts, optional to finish
Instructions
- Rinse the rice well (a few times) then place it in a medium bowl and cover with water. Soak for 15 to 20 minutes. Test to see if you can easily break a grain of rice by simply placing it between your thumb and index finger. Drain well.
- In a medium non-stick cooking pot, heat the olive oil on medium-high. Add the vermicelli and continuously stir to toast it evenly. Vermicelli should turn a nice golden brown, but watch carefully not to over-brown or burn it (If it burns, you must throw the vermicelli away and start over).
- Add the rice and continue to stir so that the rice will be well-coated with the olive oil. Season with salt.
- Now add 3 1/2 cups of water and bring it to a boil until the water significantly reduces (see the photo below).Turn the heat to low and cover.
- Cook for 15-20 minutes on low. Once fully cooked, turn the heat off and leave the rice undisturbed in it’s cooking pot for 10-15 minutes, then uncover and fluff with a fork.
- Transfer to a serving platter and top with the toasted pine nuts. Enjoy!
Notes
- Pro Tips: 1. You must rinse the rice to get rid of excess starch which causes rice to be sticky (Lebanese rice is not meant to be sticky). Then soak the rice in plenty of water for 15-20 minutes or until you can break one grain of rice by pressing it between your index finger and your thumb. 2.toasting the vermicelli in EVOO as a first step is what gives this rice great flavor. Do not skip this step. 3. If you can at all help it, let the rice rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
- Recommended for this recipe: Private Reserve Greek extra virgin olive oil (from organically grown and processed Koroneiki olives).
- SAVE! Try our Greek extra virgin olive oil bundle!
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
I’m stuck in the house with an ice storm… any substitutions for pine nuts? I have almonds, walnuts and pecans and cashews. I”m drooling… really want to try this. Thanks.
Hi Sue. So sorry I just saw this question. You can use blanched almonds, or you can omit the pine nuts. They are not a main ingredient, but certainly nice to add when you have the opportunity. Thank you for giving it a try!
Thanks a million!
My pleasure!
Great recipe!
Yay! Thanks for trying it!
I made this tonight and it was quick and easy. Delicious too. I served it with garlic chicken and asparagus. I’m not sharing my leftovers with my husband either; I’m keeping it all for myself.
Can brown rice be used and if so, are there any specific cooking adjustments?
Thank-you.
Hi Nancy, you can try brown rice with some adjustments. Because of the outer bran coating, more water and a longer cooking time is needed for brown rice. I would follow the rice package instructions for that.
Absolutely delicious & easy. I used chicken broth instead of water.
Awesome, Josie! Thanks for sharing!
Fabulous recipes; I followed the instructions to a tee. Just needed an extra 10 minutes soaking the rice and swapped chicken stock for the water. Beautiful and fluffy! Thank you 🙂
Wonderful! This rice goes with a lot of our recipes as a great side. Glad you tried it!
I am anxious to give this recipe a try. It looks delicious and easy to make
Enjoy, Greta!
It sounds great but I am wondering if the vermicelli is cooked first before browning it.
You don’t cook the vermicelli first. You are basically toasting the dry noodles before they are boiled with the rice.
No! My mom made this all the time, exactly like this recipe. It would not have the same results. It must be toasted first, which brings out the flavor. I was happy to see this recipe. I just made it last week, and even put leftovers in the freezer.
I use chicken bouillon and add chopped chives to this recipe and it’s the BOMB.
That’s a good way to jazz it up! Thanks for sharing!
Can this be done in rice cooker ? Do u know if it’s same water amount ?
Hi Chantal. Traditionally, it is made stove-top. But you can probably use a rice cooker. I would saute the vermicelli first in a pan, then add that to the rice in the rice cooker. I do not know the water amount needed for rice cookers, you might find that in the instructions that came with your cooker.
Yes you can fix it in a rice cooker after you brown both rice and vermicelli. Follow the instructions for the cooker and fluff before serving.
Betty, thanks for sharing!!!
Oh, I made mine for the first time on the Rice Setting of my Pressure Cooker (Instant Pot) Turned out great!
Wonderful, Beverly!
Please refer me back to the comments if you answered this question… In step 4 you say to “significantly reduce” after adding the water. Can you elaborate? I’m not getting it from the picture. Reduce by a quarter or half or more or less? Or do you mean a full boil for a period of time.? I have never cooked rice using this process… I don’t really have a frame of reference.
Hello, Mary! Apologies, I did retrieve your question here. The water should be reduced quite a bit, only covering the rice by less than 1/4 of an inch.
Thank you.
Thanks for the additional information. We had it last night with your Greek Style Baked Cod. Both recipes worked perfectly, and the meal was totally satisfying.
How could this be converted for the instant pot?
Hi Mary, I don’t have an instant pot, so I can’t quite advice on this. It’s really a quick enough recipe to make stove-top, though 🙂
Can you add vegetables and or pork or chicken
Hi Tori, sounds like you’re looking more for something like this Lebanese Hashweh rice,it has meat, spices and nuts. take a look: https://www.themediterraneandish.com/lebanese-rice-hashweh-recipe/
Have you made Lebanese rice with chicken stock instead of water? Which did you prefer?
Hi Ray, it’s great with chicken stock! This is just the vegan version 🙂 Enjoy!
Excited to make this, any suggestions on how it can me made ahead a few hours for a party?
Emily, you can make this ahead, even the night before, and refrigerate in a tight lid container. Bring to room temp before heating. Heat stove-top on medium-low heat, add a little bit of water and break up the rice. A little olive oil too, if you like. Occasionally stir with a spoon until warmed all the way. Enjoy.
We needed to make this gluten-free, so I used Banza spaghetti which is a gf pasta made from chickpeas. I followed the directions in the recipe exactly as printed. It came out perfect!! So this is a tip for people who want to make it but need it gluten free.
The spaghetti is no quite as fine as vermicelli, but close enough. I did have to break up the pasta myself into short lengths, and did that while the rice was soaking. That Banza spaghetti is available at Whole Foods and here in Cali it is also at many Target stores. Much much nicer than brown rice pasta and it has very high fiber/protein. I added some chickpeas to the rice to compliment the main course. Also used chicken stock, and grated 1/2 yellow onion into it while the rice was toasting w/pasta, before adding the liquid. Fantastic recipe! Thank you.
Lynn, thank you so much for thoughtfully sharing your adaption of this recipe to fit a gluten free diet. I really appreciate it. And so glad you enjoyed the recipe!