21 pilaf recipes

Indian vegetable rice pilaf with potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, peas, green beans, and cashews bloomed in mustard seeds, ginger, garlic, and curry powder. A one-pot oven-baked pilau ready in 35 minutes.

Sweet butternut squash is cooked with pearl barley, fresh lemon zest and lemon juice, tossed with cilantro or parsley. Serve it as a tasty side dish or a delicious and wholesome main course.

Polygrain pilaf with brown rice, kasha, millet, and arame seaweed baked in vegetable stock. Topped with steamed carrots, peas, and daikon for a hearty vegan grain bowl.

Rhubarb bulgur pilaf with dried apricots, cinnamon, and a kick of cayenne. A vegetarian grain dish balancing tart rhubarb with sweet fruit and warm spices.

Fast quinoa pilaf with beans, tomatoes, onion, and garlic in one pot. A vegetarian, high-protein grain dish you can season any way you like.

A showstopping Persian jeweled rice (javaher polow) layered with saffron-glazed carrots, barberries, currants, pistachios, almonds, orange peel, and rose water. Topped with a golden tah dig crust.

Itch pilaf is a no-cook Armenian bulgur salad soaked in tomato sauce, brightened with lemon, paprika, and fresh parsley. A cousin of tabbouleh, ready in 15 minutes with zero stove time.

Magenta millet pilaf pressure-cooked with beets, then finished with fresh orange juice, orange zest, and mint. A vibrant vegan whole grain side dish.

Stuffed bell peppers filled with millet pilaf cooked in a cilantro-lime-serrano broth with corn and tomatoes. A vibrant vegan main dish topped with pine nuts.

This savory and scrumptious pilaf is the perfect side dish for a summer barbecue.

Italian pistachio pilaf with basmati rice, seitan, sweet bell peppers, fennel, scallions, and a generous cup of pistachios. A vegetarian Mediterranean main with serious Italian-sausage flavor.

Persian-style pilaf with basmati rice, red lentils and sour cherries perfumed with turmeric and cumin, finished with a buttery golden crust. A sweet-tart, aromatic side or vegetarian main with real character.

This tomato basil bulgur pilaf recipe kicks things up a notch and is packed with fresh summer flavors. We eat it as a bulgur salad or use it with olive oil and pita as a dip or a side dish.

Traditional Turkish bulgur pilaf sauteed with butter, serrano chiles, and tomato, then steamed in stock and finished with fresh mint. An authentic kavurma-style side dish with gentle heat.

Nutty bulgur wheat and tender lentils simmered together in vegetable broth with sauteed onions. A simple, high-fiber pilaf that pairs with any stew or roasted vegetables.

Bulgur pilaf studded with dried apricots and raisins, simmered in chicken broth and finished with fresh parsley. A nutty, high-fiber whole grain side dish ready in 30 minutes.