Pesto Rice

5 from 66 votes

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!

Prep Time5

Cook Time30

Total Time35

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: to 6

Calories: 666kcal

Author: Toni

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

This is great served with roasted vegetables.

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.

Nutrition