Spring Pea Mint Rice Pilaf (Printable)

Fragrant rice pilaf with sweet spring peas and fresh mint, perfect for light, flavorful sides.

# What You Need:

→ Rice & Broth

01 - 1 cup long-grain white rice (basmati or jasmine)
02 - 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

03 - 1 cup fresh or frozen spring peas
04 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Herbs & Seasonings

07 - 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
09 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
10 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
11 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Garnish

12 - Lemon wedges for serving

# How to Make It:

01 - Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear. Drain well.
02 - In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the chopped onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until softened and translucent.
03 - Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
04 - Add the rinsed rice and stir to coat the grains with butter and aromatics.
05 - Pour in the vegetable broth, add salt and pepper, and bring to a boil.
06 - Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
07 - Stir in the peas and cover again, cooking for an additional 5 minutes or until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed.
08 - Remove from heat. Let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.
09 - Fluff the rice with a fork. Stir in the mint, parsley, and lemon zest.
10 - Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve warm, garnished with lemon wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 40 minutes, which means you can pull this off on a weeknight without stress.
  • The combination of butter, garlic, and fresh mint creates a flavor that feels fancier than the effort you actually put in.
  • It's naturally vegetarian and works beautifully alongside almost any protein, but especially ham or roasted chicken.
02 -
  • Don't stir the rice constantly while it simmers—I learned this the hard way when I kept lifting the lid and stirring, which made the grains break apart and turn mushy instead of staying separate and fluffy.
  • The mint and parsley go in after cooking, not before, because heat destroys their fresh flavor and turns them dark and sad.
  • If your rice seems dry after the initial 15 minutes, you can splash in a tablespoon or two of extra broth before adding the peas, but usually the liquid is absorbed perfectly.
03 -
  • The secret that changed everything for me was tasting the broth before I added it—once I started doing that, my rice became noticeably more flavorful because I was aware of the base I was working with.
  • Chop your herbs right before you add them so they stay vibrant and alive; mint especially starts to bruise and darken if it sits cut for too long.
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