Pesto Green Rice

Pesto green rice is flavored with jarred pesto and topped with fresh herbs and sliced almonds. A simple and delicious side dish recipe that can be cooked on the stove top or in the rice cooker!

I was kind of hoping this 'green rice' would end up a bit more green, but here we are, green-ish rice 😉

If you are looking for a simple rice side dish but want to take things up a notch, this recipe is perfect for you! I’m on a mission to kick our boring rice habit, and this pesto rice recipe is definitely not boring!

All it takes is a scoop of pesto, some fresh herbs and sliced almonds, and you've got yourself a super tasty side dish that goes well with Italian flavors.

The pesto infuses the rice with a ton of flavor, and no one will know how easy it was to throw together.

Looking for rice recipes? Check out this post with 7 Easy Rice Recipes!

How to make it

Like the other rice recipes in this series, you don’t need to chop or sautee anything, and you can cook it either in a rice cooker (I love the Aroma 8 Cup Rice Cooker) or in a pot.

1. Rinse rice under the tap using a colander. Honestly? I skip this half the time. But for the fluffiest rice, I recommend rinsing.
2. Combine all ingredients in a pot (with minimum capacity of 4 cups), or a rice cooker (I love the Aroma 8 Cup Rice Cooker)
3. Cook! If you are using a rice cooker, just press the ‘white rice’ button. If you are using the stove top method, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer (covered) for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand (covered) for another 10 minutes before fluffing with a fork.

Can I use jasmine rice in this recipe? Brown rice? Any other rice? 

Pesto green rice will work well with a long grain white rice such as jasmine or basmati, but this particular recipe has only been tested with basmati. It should work as written for jasmine as well.

Brown rice *may* work, but you will need to increase the cook time as indicated on the package. Par-boiled/pre-cooked rice won’t work in this recipe.

Can I freeze it?

YES. This rice recipe freezes well. You can freeze it in meal prep containers or in freezer bags (I love these re-usable silicone freezer bags!). Some people add a little bit of water when re-heating freeze/thawed rice, as it does end up slightly dryer than fresh rice.

Can I cook this recipe in the Instant Pot?

I have not tried, but I bet it would work! I'd refer to this tutorial for Fail Proof Instant Pot Rice and remember to adjust the cooking liquid/rice ratio to 1:1.

Serve with

Pesto green rice is creamy and indulgent...and it goes well with Italian flavors! Here are some suggestions:

• Instant Pot Creamy Lemon Chicken
• a salad tossed with this Balsamic Vinaigrette
• Honey Roasted Carrots
• the Italian meatballs found in this post with Healthy Baked Turkey Meatballs 7 Ways

Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!

Pesto Green Rice

5 from 6 votes

Prep Time: 5 minutes mins

Cook Time: 15 minutes mins

10 minutes mins

Total Time: 20 minutes mins

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Pesto green rice is flavored with jarred pesto and topped with fresh herbs and sliced almonds. A simple and delicious side dish recipe that can be cooked on the stove top or in the rice cooker!

4

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 cup basmati rice rinsed
• ▢ 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• ▢ ¼ cup pesto
• ▢ 2 cups stock (veggie or chicken)

To serve

• ▢ fresh basil leaves
• ▢ sliced almonds

Instructions 

Stove Top

• In a medium pot, combine the basmati rice and all other ingredients not marked 'to serve'.
• Cover and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer (covered) for 15 minutes.
• Remove from heat and let sit for another 10 minutes before adding the ingredients marked 'to serve' and stirring up.

Rice Cooker

• Combine the basmati rice and all other ingredients not marked 'to serve' in the rice cooker base.
• Cook using the 'white rice' function (or regular function if there is not a white rice option).
• Once the cook time is up, stir in the ingredients marked 'after cooking' and stirring up.

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Nutrition Information

Serving: 1/4 batch, Calories: 258kcal, Carbohydrates: 38g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 1mg, Sodium: 147mg, Potassium: 53mg, Fiber: 0g, Sugar: 0g, Vitamin A: 315IU, Calcium: 38mg, Iron: 0.5mg

Author: Denise Bustard

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Italian

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