Made with simple ingredients this golden rice pilaf is a vibrant and flavourful side or main dish. It’s also easy to make and all cooked in one pan for a quick and healthy vegan weeknight meal.

There’s so much to love about this golden rice pilaf.  It only takes around half an hour to cook, it’s all done in one pan and it’s a vibrant, healthy dish that’s pretty effortless to make.  Oh and it’s got some nutritional oomph too.  Turmeric gives it that deep golden colour as well as having anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Saffron has also traditionally been used to lend its golden colour to rice but turmeric does the job just as well at a fraction of the price.

I’ve served this rice as both a side dish alongside vegan mushroom stroganoff as well as had the leftovers cold for lunch on its own the next day!  It’s got enough flavour to hold its own alone but doesn’t overpower whatever you might wish to serve it with.

You can also up the level of spice if fiery is how you prefer it.  Simply add red pepper or chili flakes when you add the other spices.

How to make basmati rice pilaf:

Start by rinsing the rice in water.  This helps remove a lot of the excess starch from the rice and helps the grains remain separate when cooked.  No stodgy, gloopy rice wanted here!  I put the rice in a sieve and swirl it under cold water for a few seconds.  Leave to drain.

Thinly slice the onion then fry in a large saute pan over a low/medium heat with oil and butter until soft and lightly caramelised.  This should take around 10 minutes with frequent stirring.

Add the spices and cook for 1 more minute.  This almost ‘activates’ the flavour as well as smelling INCREDIBLE!

Add the raisins, rice and vegetable stock, stir well and pop on a lid.  Cook this over a high heat for 5 minutes.

Reduce the heat, stir, replace the lid and simmer for a further 5 minutes or until the rice is cooked.

While that’s bubbling, mix together the yoghurt dressing ingredients and toast the cashew nuts.  I toast them in a dry frying pan, tossing the pan frequently and watching like a hawk.  Toasting nuts can go from almost done to black, burnt and buggered in a heartbeat!

Serve the pilaf topped with a spoonful of yoghurt dressing and a scatter of toasted nuts.

Looking for even more hearty, healthy and easy vegan meal ideas?  Try these:

Creamy black garlic and sun dried tomato tagliatelle

Pumpkin risotto with sage and pearl barley

Pizza stuffed jacket potatoes

Sesame ginger crispy tofu and noodles

Spicy Indian cauliflower curry – which would accompany this rice pilaf perfectly!

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