Made in one pan, this simple and tasty mushroom rice will be one of your new favorite side dishes. It’s so easy to make that it’s perfect for busy weeknights. This mushroom rice pilaf is incredibly flavorful as it’s cooked with butter, garlic, onions, and broth. Your whole family will be reaching for more! It’s also great for when you have last-minute company since it can be thrown together with ingredients you probably already have on hand. It’s quite a healthy dish, so if you have a heavier main dish, this pilaf pairs perfectly.
Key Ingredients You Need
- Mushrooms — I used cremini mushrooms, but you can use whatever you have on hand. White button mushrooms work wonderfully as well. When selecting the mushrooms, avoid any that are slimy. If you’re purchasing a plastic container of mushrooms, avoid any with condensation. When ready to use, avoid washing the mushrooms as they can become waterlogged. You can wipe off any dirt or use a mushroom brush to brush the dirt off as well. If the mushrooms are really dirty, you can give them a quick rinse and wipe them dry immediately. Avoid soaking the mushrooms.
- Chicken broth — For added flavor, I use chicken broth instead of water to cook my rice. Other alternatives you can use are vegetable broth or mushroom broth.
- Rice — I use long grain rice white rice as it stays fluffy and separate after cooking compared to shorter grains.
How to Make Mushroom Rice
Step 1: Dice the onions and slice the mushrooms.
Step 2: Heat a large pan over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the first half of the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes until both sides are golden.
Step 3: Set aside the first batch when done and wipe out the pan. Add the rest of the butter and olive oil to the pan and cook the second batch of the mushrooms just as you did the first. Set aside with the rest of the cooked mushrooms.
Step 4: Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and sauté the onion and garlic until softened. Set aside with the mushrooms.
Step 5: To the pan, add the chicken broth and rice. Bring to a boil and then turn the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 15 minutes.
Step 6: Once the rice is fully cooked, turn off the heat and add the mushrooms, onions, and garlic into the pan and toss. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes. Garnish with sliced green onion.
Tips For This Recipe
- Don’t use just butter or oil. The butter adds flavor while the oil prevents the butter from burning, so you’ll need both.
- Letting the pan sit, covered, yields fluffier rice.
- Don’t rush the sauteeing process of the mushrooms and onions. The more caramelized they are, the more flavor they release.
- For extra texture, you can add some toasted almonds or cashews to the rice at the end.
- The mushrooms need to be cooked separately from the rice, or you will lose the caramelization on them, and they’ll end up chewy if simmered with the broth and rice.
Frequently Asked Questions
To make this mushroom rice vegan, simply swap the butter to vegan butter and the chicken broth to vegetable broth. The cooking method is the same with no changes to the timing.
If you have leftover rice, I recommend storing it in an airtight container in the fridge. When you reheat the rice, you can do so on the stovetop or in the microwave. Since rice can become dry overnight, I suggest adding a splash of broth to the rice when you reheat it.
While this recipe is freezer-friendly, the texture of the mushrooms may change after they thaw. Due to that, I prefer making a batch of fresh rice when needed instead of freezing it.
I love enjoying this mushroom rice with my Air Fryer Salmon, Carne Asada, Hawaiian Chicken Skewers, and Sweet and Sour Shrimp.
IF YOU LOVE THIS RECIPE TRY THESE OUT!
If you’ve tried this Mushroom Rice Recipe, then don’t forget to leave me a 5 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Mushroom Rice
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp butter divided
- 3 tbsp olive oil divided
- 1 lb sliced mushrooms I use cremini
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 small onion diced
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup long grain rice white rice
Instructions
- Heat a large pan over medium high heat and add 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the first half of the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes until both sides are golden. Set aside the first batch when it’s done and wipe out the pan. Add the rest of the butter and olive oil to the pan and cook the 2nd batch of the mushrooms just as you did the first. Set aside with the other cooked mushrooms.
- Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and sauté the onion and garlic until softened. Once finished, add the cooked onion and garlic with the cooked mushrooms and salt and pepper to taste.
- In the same pan, add the chicken broth and rice. Bring to a boil and then turn the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 15 minutes.
- Once the rice is fully cooked, turn off the heat and add the mushrooms, onions, and garlic into the pan and toss. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes. Garnish with sliced green onion.
Notes
- Don’t use just butter or oil. The butter adds flavor while the oil prevents the butter from burning, so you’ll need both.
- Letting the pan sit, covered, yields fluffier rice.
- Don’t rush the sauteeing process of the mushrooms and onions. The more caramelized they are, the more flavor they release.
- For extra texture, you can add some toasted almonds or cashews to the rice at the end.
- The mushrooms need to be cooked separately from the rice, or you will lose the caramelization on them, and they’ll end up chewy if simmered with the broth and rice.
I made your dish yesterday and it was really really really delicious. However, I had forgotten to buy the jalapeno so I cooked without it. One thing I disagree with, though. 6 servings? Maybe for 6 toddlers. I would say it is no more than 3 servings but maybe it is because I am a rice lover. Thanks for the recipe.