Baked basmati rice with pesto is a simple way to turn plain rice into something a little more flavorful. The skillet goes from stovetop to oven, so there's no need to babysit a pot on the stove.
Made with vegan pesto, the rice comes out fluffy and full of basil flavor in about 30 minutes.
If you're a pesto fan, you can also find more recipes using vegan pesto for easy ways to use the rest of the jar.
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Ingredients
- Vegan pesto: Use homemade vegan basil pesto or your favorite store-bought brand.
- White basmati rice: I haven't tested this recipe with brown basmati rice, but I'd start with 2¾ cups water and expect it to need closer to 40 to 50 minutes in the oven, plus a short rest before fluffing.
Please see the recipe card for the complete ingredients, measurements, and instructions.
How to make pesto basmati rice
- In a large skillet, saute the garlic in olive oil until fragrant.
- Add the rice and stir for a few minutes, until lightly toasted.
- Stir in the water and vegan pesto, and bring to a boil.
- Cover the skillet, transfer it to the oven, and bake until the water is absorbed.
- Remove from the oven and let rest for about 5 minutes with the lid on.
- Fluff with a fork, season with salt and pepper, and serve.
Serve this baked basmati rice with pesto alongside rosemary tofu and a simple mixed green salad for an easy dinner. If you have extra pesto on hand, try my pesto roasted potatoes next for another easy side dish.
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Love and Veggies,
Amy
📋 Recipe
Baked Basmati Rice with Pesto
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1½ cups basmati rice
- 2½ cups water
- ½ cup vegan pesto
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet with a lid over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 3 cloves garlic
- Add the basmati rice and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes.1½ cups basmati rice
- Stir in the water and vegan pesto. Bring to a boil.2½ cups water, ½ cup vegan pesto
- Cover the skillet with a lid, transfer it to the oven, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.
- Remove the skillet from the oven and let the rice rest, covered, for 5 minutes.
- Fluff the rice with a fork. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then serve.salt and pepper
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Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimation.
Sonny says
Can I freeze any leftover rice and reheat later on?
Amy Katz says
Absolutely!