Mushroom rice makes a wonderful savoury accompaniment to all sorts of dishes, from curries to coq au vin. Add extra mushrooms for a simple and delicious vegetarian main meal.
Easy Mushroom Rice
This mushroom rice pilau (or pilaf, or pollo, if you prefer) turns a simple bowl of rice into something special and comforting. It is very easy to make and relies on the rich, earthy flavours of the mushrooms rather than spices for flavour. It goes well with rich and creamy sauces, so try it with curries, stroganoff or goulash. I quite like it reheated topped with melted cheese.
If you want to eat it alone, add extra mushrooms and try to find different varieties to add flavour and texture. You could use a mushroom stock cube or add some dried mushrooms to your stock for more intense mushroom flavour.
What sort of rice is best for mushroom rice?
We far prefer basmati which has more flavour and fragrance than regular long grain rice. Any long grain is fine but don’t use a quick-cook version, as you’ll end up with a mushy, sticky mess. You can use brown rice but the cooking time will be far longer.
How to Make Mushroom Rice
This is such a simple recipe – fry the onion and mushrooms, add the rice (twice the volume of liquid to rice) cover and cook!
Step one – Measure out the ingredients. For a main dish (or even if you just like a more intense flavour), you can add more mushrooms.
Step two – Put the oil and butter in a shallow, heavy dish with a lid. Heat over a medium heat to melt the butter, and then add the onion and half the mushrooms, the herbs and salt and pepper. Cook until the mushrooms have reduced in size.
Step three – stir in the rest of the mushrooms, then let them sit for a while so they start to caramelise, stir and then let them sit again. You want some brown bits on the bottom of the pot.
Step four – Add the rice and stir to mix well with the mushrooms.
Step five – Add the stock, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon or spatula to loosen the flavour-filled residue of the mushrooms. Deglazing the pan in this way makes sure you catch all the flavour. Cover with the lid and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 18 minutes.
Step six – after 18 minutes turn the heat off and leave for another 5-10 minutes.
Step seven – stir through a knob of butter and some chopped spring onions or chives before serving.
Step six – Once cooked, allow your mushroom pilau to stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Can I freeze leftover mushroom rice?
For the majority of the time I cook for two, but with a dish like this is makes sense to make double and cook ahead. I’ve been freezing rice for years and have never had any problems. As soon as the rice is has cooled packing into tubs and either keep in the fridge for two days or freeze and make sure the rice is thoroughly reheated before eating.
Pack leftovers into a takeout tray, allow to cool and then freeze. Grab a tub from the freezer and defrost in the fridge, or microwave from frozen.
Hints and Tips
- Be sure to loosen all the scrapings from the bottom of the pan when you add the stock, for maximum flavour.
- If you like, you can add more mushrooms to make this more of a stand alone dish. Just add to the pan in batches so that they have enough space to fry properly and don’t steam into a soggy mess.
- You can reserve some of the mushrooms from the pan before you add the stock. Add them back in towards the end of cooking the rice, for more variety in the texture.
- This recipe is very easy to scale – simply add twice the volume of liquid to rice.
- There is no need to rinse the rice. However, if you do prefer to wash it, reduce the amount of stock by 2 tablespoons.
- I make my easy mushroom rice in a heavy cast-iron casserole dish or Dutch oven. Use the heaviest pan you have. A sturdy pan heats evenly and will prevent hot spots and burning.
- Use a pan with a well fitting lid. If the lid doesn’t fit well, some of the steam will escape and you may end up with dry rice. If the lid isn’t tight, add an extra spoonful of water.
- Cook on the lowest heat and if needed use a stove top heat diffuser or simmer ring. These cost a few pounds (or dollars) and will last a lifetime.
Why not try this easy mushroom rice with my lamb rogan josh or courgette daal?
Easy Mushroom Rice
Ingredients
- 25 ml olive oil
- 25 g butter
- 2 cloves garlic
- 240 g mushrooms
- 1/2 tsp oregano (or other woody herb)
- 240 g rice (long grain)
- 480 ml vegetable stock or broth
- salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Pour the oil into the bottom of a heavy saucepan, or casserole dish (Dutch oven) and add the butter. Cook on a low heat to melt the butter.
- Add about half the mushrooms, the herbs and salt and pepper, and cook until they start to reduce in size.
- Add the rest of the mushrooms, stir and leave them to get nicely caramelised.
- Add the rice and stir well.
- Pour over the stock, scraping the bottom of the pan as you do so, to incorporate all the delicious flavours of the mushrooms and butter. Add a little salt. Bring to a gentle simmer, put the lid on the pan and then leave on the lowest heat for 18 minutes.
- Once the rice has cooked, take the pan off the stove top. The rice will have absorbed all the liquid. Allow to stand for at least 10 and up to 15 minutes.
- Stir through some chopped spring onions and an extra knob of butter before serving.
Notes
- If you like, you can add more mushrooms to make this more of a stand alone dish. Just add to the pan in batches so that they have enough space to fry properly and don't steam into a soggy mess.
- You can reserve some of the mushrooms from the pan before you add the stock. Add them back in towards the end of cooking the rice, for more variety in the texture.
- There is no need to rinse the rice. However, if you do prefer to wash it, reduce the amount of stock by 2 tablespoons.
- I make my easy mushroom rice in a heavy cast-iron casserole dish or Dutch oven. Use the heaviest pan you have. A sturdy pan heats evenly and will prevent hot spots and burning.
- Use a pan with a well fitting lid. If the lid doesn't fit properly, some of the steam will escape and you may end up with dry rice. If the lid isn't tight, add an extra spoonful of water.
- Cook on the lowest heat and if needed use a stove top heat diffuser or simmer ring. These cost a few pounds (or dollars) and will last a lifetime.
- This recipe is 11 Weight Watchers Smart Points per portion.
Dennis Edward
Thanks for this recipe.Delicious and healthy.
mohan kumar
So easy to make and so delicious too.Thank you for sharing.