Spring Pea Mint Rice Pilaf (Printable View)

Fragrant rice pilaf with sweet peas and fresh mint, light and flavorful, pairs well with many mains.

# Needed Ingredients:

→ 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, optional

# Directions:

01 - Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear. 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 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, adding directly from the freezer if frozen or raw if fresh. Cover again and cook for an additional 5 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed.
08 - Remove from heat. 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. Serve warm, garnished with lemon wedges if desired.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The mint and lemon zest wake up your palate in a way that makes even simple rice feel elegant.
  • It comes together in under 40 minutes, leaving you time to focus on whatever else is on your plate.
  • Fresh peas add natural sweetness so you never need to second-guess the seasoning.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the rice or you'll end up with gluey, stuck-together grains instead of the light, separate ones you want.
  • Add the mint at the very end, not during cooking, or it turns dark and loses that fresh, alive quality that makes this dish special.
03 -
  • Let the rice rest covered for those full 5 minutes after cooking finishes, even though it's tempting to dig in right away, because that's when it becomes fluffy instead of dense.
  • Keep tasting and adjusting salt as you go, especially near the end, because homemade broth varies and you want the seasoning to feel balanced and bright.
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