Name: Copycat Near East Rice Pilaf - Instant Pot
Prep time: 1 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 18 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon butter, broken into small pieces; 1 cup chicken broth (for vegetarian, vegetable broth will work well also); 1 cup water; 1 cup white or long grain rice; ⅓ cup orzo (you can use raw orzo or leftover cooked orzo); 2-3 cloves garlic, minced; ⅛ teaspoon ground turmeric; ⅛ teaspoon black pepper; ½ teaspoon kosher salt (I actually like to add a little closer to 1 tsp, but it can be too salty for some.); ½ teaspoon dried minced onion

RECIPE ↓

Rice pilaf is one of my favorite comfort foods. This Near East copycat is flavorful, light, and made in the Instant Pot - the rice is always perfectly fluffy.

Rice pilaf has always been one of my favorite side dishes - coming from a box, it was fast and easy to make. This recipe is just as quick to make and you likely have all of the ingredients in your pantry. I like this homemade version because it doesn't have any extra sodium or preservatives!

A red bowl filled with Instant Pot rice pilaf and a yellow napkin.

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🥘 Ingredient Notes

An image of the ingredients for instant pot rice pilaf, labeled.

• Long Grain or White Rice
• Orzo
• Butter
• Chicken Broth (Use vegetable broth to make this vegetarian)
• Water
• Turmeric
• Garlic
• Kosher Salt
• Pepper
• Dried Minced Onion

🥣 How to Make It

Making rice pilaf in an Instant Pot is SO easy. All you need to do is add your orzo, rice, salt, pepper, garlic, butter, turmeric, onions, and water to your Instant Pot and stir it up. (Pictures 1 - 5)

A collage of photos showing the process of making rice pilaf in an instant pot, steps 1 - 5.

Then, put the lid on, close the vent, and press the "Rice" button. If your Instant Pot does not have a "Rice" button, just press "Pressure Cook" or "Manual" and set your Instant Pot to low pressure for 12 minutes. (Pictures 6 - 7) When the time is up, let the pressure release naturally and then fluff the rice with a fork and garnish with parsley. (Pictures 8 - 9)

A collage of photos showing the process of making rice pilaf in an instant pot, steps 6 - 9.

This rice could not be any easier to make and is always a crowd-pleaser! If you do not have an Instant Pot, here is my recipe to make rice pilaf on the stove.

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📋 Tips

• Cut your butter up into small chunks before starting your Instant Pot. It will melt more evenly into the rice that way.
• Rinse your rice before cooking. I usually rinse mine in a fine mesh strainer/sieve until the water runs clear.
• When reheating leftover rice in the microwave, cover with a damp towel to add moisture back to the rice.