Since I serve Lebanese rice with nearly everything, from weeknight dinners to big Lamb Roasts on the holidays. This is a simple vegan rice pilaf made of three ingredients: vermicelli pasta, rice and olive oil. Add a bit of toasted pine nuts, and you have the best side of rice! Check out the video and step-by-step tutorial.
Throughout the Mediterranean, you will find rice dishes like, Paella; Mujadra (lentils and rice); or Hashweh (Beef and rice), that are certainly more of a meal. But this Lebanese rice with vermicelli is the every-day rice of the Middle East, and it's by far the most served side dish in that part of the world.
What is in this Lebanese Rice
Basic Lebanese rice typically consists of broken vermicelli pasta, rice (medium or long grain rice works), and extra virgin olive oil or butter (or a combination of both). I use only extra virgin olive oil here. There is but a pinch of salt to season this rice.
And to jazz things up, I like topping the rice with toasted pine nuts adds a nice nutty flavor and texture.
Tips for making the best Lebanese Rice
1- You must rinse the rice to get rid of excess starch which causes rice to be sticky (Lebanese rice is not meant to be sticky). Then soak the rice for 2o minutes or until you can break one grain of rice by pressing it between your index finger and your thumb. This way, you shorten the cooking time making sure the interior of the grain actually cooks before the exterior looses its shape. Remember that the rice to use here should not be partially cooked rice.
2- To give the Lebanese rice flavor right from the start, toast the vermicelli in olive oil until golden brown (as you'll see in the step-by-step below), then add the rice and toast so that each rice grain is coated with the olive oil.
3- Once the rice is fully cooked, let it rest for 10-15 minutes or so, then fluff it with a fork. This again helps keep it from becoming sticky or gluey.
Here is the step-by-step for how to make Lebanese rice:
- Rinse the rice well then place it in a medium bowl and cover with water. Soak for 20 minutes. Test to see if you can easily break a grain of rice by simply placing it between your thumb and index finger. Drain well.
- In a medium non-stick cooking pot, heat the olive oil on medium-high. Add the vermicelli and continuously stir to toast it evenly. Vermicelli should turn a nice golden brown, but watch carefully not to over-brown or burn it (If it burns, you must throw the vermicelli away and start over).
- Add the rice and salt and continue to stir so that the rice will be well-coated with the olive oil. Now add 3 ½ cups of water and bring it to a boil until the water significantly reduces and you're able to see the rice through (see the photo below). Turn the heat to low and cover.
- Cook for 15-20 minutes on low. Once fully cooked, turn the heat off and leave the rice undisturbed in it's cooking pot for another 10-15 minutes, then uncover and fluff with a fork.
Watch my video for this Lebanese Rice Recipe:
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Lebanese Rice with Vermicelli
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: Serves up to 6 people
Description
Vegan Lebanese rice with vermicelli and pine nuts. A great side dish next to many Mediterranean favorites.
Ingredients
- 2 cups long grain or medium grain rice
- Water
- 1 cup broken vermicelli pasta
- 2 ½ tbsp olive oil
- Salt
- ½ cup toasted pine nuts, optional to finish
Instructions
- Rinse the rice well (a few times) then place it in a medium bowl and cover with water. Soak for 15 to 20 minutes. Test to see if you can easily break a grain of rice by simply placing it between your thumb and index finger. Drain well.
- In a medium non-stick cooking pot, heat the olive oil on medium-high. Add the vermicelli and continuously stir to toast it evenly. Vermicelli should turn a nice golden brown, but watch carefully not to over-brown or burn it (If it burns, you must throw the vermicelli away and start over).
- Add the rice and continue to stir so that the rice will be well-coated with the olive oil. Season with salt.
- Now add 3 ½ cups of water and bring it to a boil until the water significantly reduces (see the photo below).Turn the heat to low and cover.
- Cook for 15-20 minutes on low. Once fully cooked, turn the heat off and leave the rice undisturbed in it's cooking pot for 10-15 minutes, then uncover and fluff with a fork.
- Transfer to a serving platter and top with the toasted pine nuts. Enjoy!
Notes
- Pro Tips: 1. You must rinse the rice to get rid of excess starch which causes rice to be sticky (Lebanese rice is not meant to be sticky). Then soak the rice in plenty of water for 15-20 minutes or until you can break one grain of rice by pressing it between your index finger and your thumb. 2.toasting the vermicelli in EVOO as a first step is what gives this rice great flavor. Do not skip this step. 3. If you can at all help it, let the rice rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
- Recommended for this recipe: Private Reserve Greek extra virgin olive oil (from organically grown and processed Koroneiki olives).
- SAVE! Try our Greek extra virgin olive oil bundle!
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
This is essentially Armenian pilaf, but we substitute chicken broth for water and definitely long-grain rice and butter instead of olive oil to saute the vermicelli and rice, But I love the nut addition! made it as the base for your cast-iron skillet recipe of shrimp, peppers and shallot recipe and it was a huge hit! Thanks for all your terrific recipes!
Love the recipe. Do you have a good recipe for versuvio
Thanks, Michele! I do not at this point in time
I love this rice. My whole family does too. Delicious. Makes a ton. For 2 of us, I should cut recipe in half. I find it cooks very fast on a gas stove verses electric. Serving tonight with salmon kabobs!
Awesome, Susan! Thanks so much for sharing
Can you tell me how much you consider a serving.? Is it 1/2 cup? 1 cup? Thank you.
Are you using rice or wheat vermicelli?
Looks like the product I used for this recipe contains wheat. You can find the link to the exact vermicelli I used here.
I tried this recipe last night and it was a hit! I didn’t have vermicelli but used orzo instead and seemed to have worked great as a substitute, i’ll have to try vermicelli next time.
Hi Marie and thanks for the comment!
Thank you for this recipe. I will be making it for Mother’s Day. Can you please clarify for me, is the vermicelli pasta raw or cooked prior to breaking up and toasting in olive oil.
Thank you
Mary, the pasta is dry (raw) not cooked prior. Enjoy!
Hi Suzy! I am very happy to find this site! I want to know, is it possible to make this rice with brown rice? And if so, what changes should I make to ensure the rice is fully cooked?
Thank you, Sheila.
Hi Sheila. Traditionally, this recipe is done with white rice. But I know you can make it with brown rice. Remember though that brown rice does take more liquid and more time to cook. You will need to soak it for a bit still before using, then, I would say, follow your brown rice package to determine liquid amount and cooking time. That's my best guess here.
I am thinking of making this for a large party (25-30 people). Can it be quadrupled? Also, can it be made ahead of time? Thanks!
Monica, I would not simply quadruple the rice recipe. You can probably get up to 8 servings out of this recipe in reality. If you're up for it, I'd make it several times (in different pots.)
Thank you. Can I make the dish the day before I serve it?
My pleasure! Yes, you can make it ahead. Once it cools, store it in a tight-lid glass container in the fridge. Warm over medium heat, tossing occasionally (you may add a little tiny bit of water and break up the rice with a wooden spoon).
Thanks so much!
Used the short grain rice on hand. Rinsed it twice. Turned out delicious as well as pretty. Thank you for the recipe.
Wonderful, Donna! Glad you enjoyed it.
I used long white grain rice and followed the directions but still the rice came out somewhat sticky. 🙁
I would be sure to wash the rice real well until the water runs clear and then soak it until you are easily able to break a piece of rice.
I use rendered butter to brown vermicelli and use chicken broth instead of water.
Thanks for sharing your version, Joanne!
Delicious. Husband and son really enjoyed.
I always try to avoid cooking rice, since I never get to to it right. Either they are too mushy or still hard on the inside...Not giving up yet though. I love the Arabic rise dish, who would think vermicelli would make such a big difference!! Here comes my question: Can I use basmati rice for this recipe?
Hi Linnea. Basmati rice cooks far differently. Vermicelli does make a difference in adding a certain taste and texture to this rice (it's more of a pilaf.) Hope this helps.
Please give recipe for Lebanese rice & meat (hawshei)
Here you go, Donna: https://www.themediterraneandish.com/lebanese-rice-hashweh-recipe/
Hi Suzy!
Would this work with short grain rice as well?
Hi.....love the rice, do you have any vegan recipes?
Hi Maria, yes we have plenty of vegan and vegetarian recipes. From our home page, simply click the Recipes tab and you'll see the different categories including vegan and vegetarain. But here is a direct link to show you: https://www.themediterraneandish.com/recipes/?fwp_categories=vegan