All-in-one-pan roasted vegetable rice pilaf

Succulent, flavoursome roasted vegetables and fluffly, perfectly cooked rice! Roasted vegetable rice pilaf is baked in one pan for an easy side dish or tasty vegetarian dinner.

I am always on the lookout for a better way to cook rice. 

Easy rice – less washing up!

It’s not that rice doesn’t come out nicely when I cook it, it’s just that it always generates such a lot of clearing up! No matter how careful I am it always seems to boil over.

That means there’s starchy residue to clean off both the inside AND the outside of the pan, and the lid of the pan too. And then the stove needs cleaning where the boiled-over rice water has burned on. Ugh.

And if we have our rice with roasted vegetables – a popular combination – that’s another oven tray to clean. Plus there’s whatever serving dishes these things end up in before they make it to the table. So much washing up! There has to be a better way. And I think I’ve found it…

Roasted vegetable rice

I was convinced that it was possible to cook rice in the oven. I love my baked risotto recipe, and if you can make creamy and delicious, perfectly cooked risotto that way, then why not lovely fluffy vegetable pilaf, too? How hard can it be?

A few hours of research and several roasted-vegetable-rice-based experiments later, and I reckon I’ve cracked it. This recipe uses only ONE oven dish to cook both the rice AND the roasted vegetables, and produces delicious fluffy grains and delectable roasted veggies every time. Use a respectable baking dish and you can stick it straight on the table and save yourself washing a serving dish too. Hooray!

We all loved this easy vegetable pilaf and I’m sure your family will too.

What vegetables can you roast?

I used the selection of vegetables that we happened to have in the fridge – peppers, red onion, aubergine (eggplant) and sweet potato. But I think any veg that’s good roasted would work well here. I’ll be having a go with courgettes (zucchini), carrots, parsnips, mushrooms, cauliflower, maybe even beetroot for a pretty pink pilaf. There are plenty of opportunities to mix it up and make something uniquely yummy.

I recommend choosing a mixture of vegetables that you enjoy eating! Keep it bright and colourful and you can’t go far wrong.

Ingredients for roasted vegetable rice pilaf

This tasty rice dish is made with a selection of vegetables, plus a few pantry staples. To whip up a batch yourself, all you will need is:

• Rice – obviously! I use brown basmati rice but you can use whatever kind of long-grain rice you prefer
• Olive oil
• Vegetable stock – plus some hot water so the flavour isn’t overpowering
• Herbs – I used mixed dried herbs for ease but you can use your favourites or experiment with different kinds
• Garlic – makes everything tasty, right?
• Vegetables for roasting – I used aubergine (eggplant), pepper, red onion and sweet potato here as you can see in the photos, but you can add courgettes (zucchini), mushrooms, squash, cauliflower florets, fennel, carrots… whatever vegetables you like!

Vegetable rice pilaf – side dish or main?

We ate this roasted vegetable rice as a terrific veg-packed side dish alongside some tasty baked salmon. However I think this vegetable pilaf would be the basis of a fabulous vegetarian main dish with the addition of a few chick peas or maybe some crumbled feta and a little chopped fresh mint or parsley sprinkled on top. Or maybe both. Yum.

Covered or uncovered

Since I first shared this recipe for roasted vegetable rice, I’ve had quite a few people asking whether the dish should be baked covered or uncovered. The answer is UNCOVERED. The vegetables will get nice and browned and roasty, and the layer of veg prevents the rice from getting too dried out. I’ve updated the recipe to make this clearer. 

The best way to cook rice

Now that I’ve perfected this easy pilaf recipe, I don’t think I’ll go back to cooking rice on the stovetop! Delicious roasted vegetable rice and less washing up – that’s what I call a win-win situation!

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📖 Recipe

Roasted vegetable rice pilaf

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Succulent roasted vegetables & fluffy rice, baked together in one dish for an easy side or delicious vegan dinner.

4.59 from 12 votes

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine Vegan

Servings 4

Calories 282 kcal

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• 400-600 g mixed roasting vegetables e.g. onion, aubergine, courgette, mushrooms, sweet potato, pepper etc.
• 2-3 tablespoon olive oil (+ a little extra)
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• pinch black pepper
• 150 g long grain rice
• 200 ml vegetable stock
• 150 ml boiling water
• ½ teaspoon mixed dried herbs

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
• Wash, peel or trim the vegetables as appropriate and cut into roughly 1.5cm (¾″) cubes. Place in a bowl with the olive oil, crushed garlic and black pepper and toss everything together to coat the vegetables in the oil and seasonings.
• Put the rice, stock, boiling water and herbs into a baking dish measuring approximately 15x25cm (6×10 inches). Give the dish a jiggle to distribute the rice evenly.
• Gently spoon the vegetables over the top, trying not to disturb the rice too much. The vegetables will be partially submerged in the liquid – this is fine.
• Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes until the vegetables are starting to brown, the liquid is absorbed and the rice is cooked. Check and give it a few more minutes if necessary for the rice to finish cooking.
• Remove from the oven and stir the rice and vegetables together before serving.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Roasted vegetable rice pilaf

Amount per Serving

Calories

282

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

8

g

12

%

Saturated Fat

 

1

g

6

%

Sodium

 

261

mg

11

%

Potassium

 

311

mg

9

%

Carbohydrates

 

48

g

16

%

Fiber

 

6

g

25

%

Sugar

 

1

g

1

%

Protein

 

7

g

14

%

Vitamin A

 

6454

IU

129

%

Vitamin C

 

13

mg

16

%

Calcium

 

43

mg

4

%

Iron

 

2

mg

11

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Keyword rice, vegan

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More fabulous rice recipes

If you’re looking for other delicious ways to use rice, try my easy smoked mackerel kedgeree, tasty mejadra (Middle Eastern rice and lentils), delicious Iraqi tebit-inspired rice, or creamy baked mushroom risotto.

I’m linking up this recipe with the Weekend Potluck.