Ditch pesto pasta for equally delicious pesto rice for your next meal! It’s simple to prepare in under 40 minutes and combines fluffy rice with bright, fragrant, herby store-bought, or homemade pesto!
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love This Pesto Rice Recipe
- Simple: Prepare this vegan pesto dish in under 40 minutes using 4 simple steps as a low-fuss side dish for family meals, potlucks, dinner parties, etc.
- Low-fuss: Prepare the basil pesto in just minutes while cooking the rice, then combine the two. Make it even simpler by using store-bought pesto.
- Diet-friendly: This pesto rice recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan.
- Healthy & satisfying: Fiber-rich rice with traditional pesto ingredients provides several vitamins, minerals, and heart-healthy fats. The combination of fluffy rice and vibrant, flavorful pesto is also super satisfying, especially alongside additional veggies and protein for a nutritionally ‘complete’ meal.
- Versatile: Use your favorite pesto, white or brown rice, and pair it with the veggies and proteins of your choosing (warm or chilled) as a super versatile side dish. Even better, any leftover pesto can be used in dozens of other ways (refer to the FAQs).
- Meal prep friendly: Prepare the pesto in advance and/or store the assembled pesto rice in the fridge or freezer to reheat as needed.
The Ingredients and Substitutes
Homemade Vegan Basil Pesto
- The greens: We used fresh basil and baby spinach (or kale).
Experiment with other greens for flavor variations. I.e., parsley, arugula, cilantro, carrot tops, beet greens, etc.
- Nutritional yeast: This ingredient replaces the parmesan cheese in non-vegan pesto, adding an umami-rich, slightly nutty, 'cheesy' flavor.
- Olive oil: Using a light EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil) is best for flavor and health benefits while providing the vegan basil pesto with a silky mouthfeel.
- Pine nuts: Pine nuts are the traditional addition to pesto and have a rich, 'buttery' flavor. However, sunflower seeds, walnuts, or pistachios also work.
- Garlic: It’s best to use garlic cloves, though garlic powder will work in a pinch for a subtler flavor (or soaking the garlic in ice water for 10 minutes).
- Salt & black pepper: Use kosher/sea salt and season it to taste.
Alternatively, save time and effort by using your favorite store-bought pesto. Green or red pesto will pair wonderfully with the fluffy rice.
The Other Ingredients
- Rice: I used uncooked white rice this time, but you can use basmati or brown rice if preferred and alter the cooking time.
- Water: You can cook the rice with salted water or vegetable stock (for more flavor).
You can also pair the vegan pesto with other grains/ingredients, like quinoa, couscous, pearl couscous, bulgur, farro, and orzo. Adjust the cooking time and method accordingly.
What Else Could I Add to Pesto Rice?
- Lemon: Just a little lemon in pesto adds acidity and brightens the flavor of the vegan basil pesto and overall vegan rice dish.
- Vegan butter: Stirring in just a little of your favorite vegan butter before serving adds a delicious, rich flavor to the rice.
- Red pepper flakes: Add a pinch (or more) for a kick of heat.
- Vegetables: You can serve the pesto rice recipe alongside veggies or mixed with veggies like peas, corn, zucchini, bell peppers, olives, tomatoes (raw or roasted), green beans, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, etc.
- Toasted pine nuts: To garnish the pesto and rice.
- Vegan cheese: For extra 'cheesy' flavor, sprinkle the warm pesto rice with your favorite vegan cheese (mozzarella, cheddar, or feta work particularly well).
How to make Pesto Rice
Keep scrolling to the recipe card for the complete list of ingredients and recipe instructions.
- 1) First, preheat the rice according to their package instructions, then set it aside with the lid on.
For extra flavor, lightly toast it with a drizzle of oil for a minute or two until fragrant before adding the water/ vegetable stock to the pot.
- 2) Meanwhile, rinse and dry the greens, then add them to a food processor (or use an immersion blender in a jug) along with the pine nuts, nutritional yeast, peeled garlic cloves, and salt and pepper and pulse just enough until the pine nuts are mostly broken down.
Want to save this recipe?
- 3) Scrape down the sides of the jug, then, with the machine running, drizzle in a thin stream of olive oil until it reaches your desired creamy texture. Then taste and adjust any of the ingredients to your liking.
- 4) Combine the pesto and rice, mix well, and serve. Enjoy!
How to Make Pesto Rice in a Rice Cooker?
First, optionally toast the rice for 2-3 minutes in the rice cooker, then use a 1: 1.75 ratio of white rice to water (i.e., for every cup of rice, use 1 ¾ cups of water. Use two cups of water for softer rice), for brown rice use a 1:2 ¼ ratio (i.e., for every cup, use 2 ¼ cups water).
Then add the lid and allow it to cook. Once ready, fluff up the rice with a fork and stir in the pesto. Enjoy!
Recipe Pro Tips
- For extra flavor: Toast the rice in a drizzle of oil until fragrant (2-3 minutes). This creates a slightly richer, nuttier flavor.
- Adjust the texture: Process the vegan basil pesto to your desired consistency – slightly chunky or super smooth and creamy.
- The oil amount varies: I recommend adding just enough to reach your desired creaminess.
- 2-minute pesto rice: I’ve used minute rice and store-bought pesto on lazy days. It’s not as fresh and delicious, but it works.
FAQs
You can enjoy pesto in hot or cold dishes, and it will taste delicious.
You could replace the olive oil with some water instead, though the pesto won’t have as much of a smooth silkiness to it. Another option is to reduce the amount of oil used.
There are practically endless options to enjoy vegan dishes with pesto, including:
Spread over vegan sandwiches, bagels, and wraps, added to dips (like hummus) and sauces, spread or drizzled over vegan pizza, with pasta and in a lasagna, in salad dressings, mixed into soup, tossed with roasted vegetables, over proteins, etc.
Serving Suggestions
You can enjoy this easy pesto with rice, either warm or chilled, as a vegan side dish to any meal. I particularly like serving it as a pesto rice bowl with:
- Roasted vegetables (mixed or individual like green beans, asparagus, broccoli, or Brussels sprouts)
- Steamed or sauteed veggies (like IP green beans)
- Protein (beans, chickpeas, tofu, tempeh, vegan kabobs, vegan sausages, etc.)
Storage Directions
Fridge/freezer: Once fully cooked and assembled, the pesto with rice stores best in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months.
Reheat: I recommend sprinkling it with water (this helps steam the rice, so it’s not dry) and covering it with plastic wrap or loosely with a lid. Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring between, until hot (about 1 ½-2 minutes total).
Make ahead: You can also prepare the vegan basil pesto in advance and store it in an airtight jar drizzled with a thin layer of olive oil for 5-7 days in the refrigerator or 2 months in the freezer (I usually freeze pesto in ice cube trays).
More Easy Vegan Side Dishes
- Perfect Instant Pot Basmati Rice
- Perfect Instant Pot Jasmine Rice
- Vegan Instant Pot Mexican Rice
- Tuscan White Bean Pasta [With Blistered Cherry Tomatoes]
- Instant Pot Quinoa
- Coconut Basmati Rice
Photos by Alfonso Revilla
Pesto Rice
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups of uncooked white rice
- 2 cups of fresh basil leaves, packed
- 1 cup of baby spinach
- 1 tablespoon of nutritional yeast
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup pine nuts or sunflower seeds
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook rice according to package directions and set aside with the lid on.
- In a bowl of a food processor, add the pine nuts, basil, spinach, nutritional yeast, garlic, salt, and pepper.. Pulse until nuts are mostly broken down. Scrape down the sides. While the food processor is on, slowly add the olive oil until the desired creamy texture is reached.
- Add the pesto to the cooked rice. Mix well and taste.
Notes
- For extra flavor: Toast the rice in a drizzle of oil until fragrant (2-3 minutes). This creates a slightly richer, nuttier flavor.
- Adjust the texture: Process the vegan basil pesto to your desired consistency – slightly chunky or super smooth and creamy.
- The oil amount varies: I recommend adding just enough to reach your desired creaminess.
- 2-minute pesto rice: I’ve used minute rice and store-bought pesto on lazy days. It’s not as fresh and delicious, but it works.
Andrea White says
Such a delicious pesto rice recipe!
Katie says
This pesto rice is incredible! It's so easy to make and so full of flavor, I am obsessed!
Andrea says
Right?! It's so simple to make and the flavor is too good!
Nora says
Awesome rice recipe! Full of flavours with a gorgeous green colour! Love it!
Andrea says
Right?! Such a tasty and pretty dish!
Andréa Janssen says
I've never combined pesto with rice before, but boy is this delicious. Certainly going to make it more often.
Andrea says
It's the best! So glad you enjoyed it!
Joan says
Easy, healthy and delicious! We love this pasta alternative.
Andrea says
Same! It's nice to mix it up here are there. So glad you enjoyed this rice dish!
Erin says
I never would have thought to combine rice and pesto, but this pesto rice recipe is the perfect combo ... thanks for the recipe!
Andrea says
Right?! It works so incredibly well! So delish!
Paul says
Made this with the spinach and Kale. Both were delicious. Will.make again and might try with some sautéed onions added in after. Yummy
Andrea says
Love those additions! Let us know how you enjoy it with the onions 🙂
Andrea says
Love those additions! So glad you enjoyed this recipe 🙂