Spring Pea Mint Rice Pilaf (Print out)

Fragrant rice pilaf with spring peas, fresh mint, and subtle lemon zest for a light side.

# What You'll Need:

→ Rice & Broth

01 - 1 cup long-grain white rice, such as basmati or jasmine
02 - 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

03 - 1 cup fresh or frozen spring peas
04 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Herbs & Seasonings

07 - 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
09 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
10 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
11 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Garnish

12 - Lemon wedges for serving

# How to Make It:

01 - Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear, then drain well.
02 - In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the chopped onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until softened and translucent.
03 - Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
04 - Add the rinsed rice and stir to coat the grains thoroughly with butter and aromatics.
05 - Pour in the vegetable broth, add salt and pepper, and bring to a boil.
06 - Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
07 - Stir in the peas directly from the freezer or raw if using fresh. Cover again and cook for an additional 5 minutes until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed.
08 - Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.
09 - Fluff the rice with a fork. Stir in the mint, parsley, and lemon zest.
10 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve warm, garnished with lemon wedges if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under forty minutes and feels fancy enough to impress without demanding anything complicated.
  • The mint stays bright and fresh because you add it at the very end, a small trick that changes everything.
  • It's genuinely forgiving—frozen peas work just as well as fresh, and the rice doesn't mind if you're a minute or two off on timing.
02 -
  • Never skip the resting period after cooking—those five minutes make the difference between rice that's fluffy and rice that's dense.
  • Add your mint at the very end when the rice is warm but off the heat; this preserves the bright, fresh flavor that makes this dish sing instead of cooking it away into something muted.
03 -
  • If your rice is cooking too fast or too slow, adjust the heat immediately and check that your lid fits snugly—a good seal is everything in rice cooking.
  • Keep your lemon zester or microplane within arm's reach before you start cooking so you're not hunting for it when you need to zest; having tools ready changes how smoothly the whole process feels.
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