We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Food

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is Pilaf?

Tricia Christensen
By
Updated: May 16, 2024
Views: 31,532
Share

When most people hear the term pilaf, they may think immediately of rice pilaf, usually thought of in America as a side dish that contains seasoned rice, and veggies like carrots and peas. This may differ from traditional pilafs, also called pilau, which may not contain rice. This dish also has specific cooking methods, though ingredients can vary.

Any type of whole grain may be used to make pilaf, though rice is probably the most commonly used. Most recipes start with a similar process. The grain (usually dried) is sautéed in oil, fat or butter to brown it slightly. To provide full cooking, liquids like broth are added, which add incredible flavor to the dish. Depending upon recipe, a variety of vegetables and meat may be added too, so you can create much more than a side dish with pilaf; it can be a whole and filling meal instead.

Though you’ll now find numerous versions of pilaf throughout the world, food historians often date pilafs back as far as about the 5th century BCE, and likely first occurring in the Middle East. Some credit the Persian Empire with the dish’s creation. Due to extensive trading with the Persians, the dish became particularly popular in most Mediterranean cuisines, including those from Armenia and Greece, and it was also popularized in parts of Eastern Europe, in places like Israel, and elsewhere.

Exploration of the “New World” brought the dish to the Americas, and to areas like Jamaica. Each culture has created its own version of pilafs. Jamaican pilaf may not taste anything like Russian versions of the dish.

One fairly constant aspect of pilaf is that the grain used is seasoned by cooking it in broth, with various spices, meats and vegetables added. Usually, any liquids are cooked down or sometimes drained if liquid remains after the grain is fully cooked. Additions at the end of cooking can include a bit of butter, though the dish is often so flavorful it hardly needs dressing up.

A number of dishes take their cue from pilaf. Jambalaya and paella are variants. Fried rice in Asian cuisines is somewhat similar. Risotto is another dish that can be directly tied to this the early Persian dish.

As for the dish as available in Middle Eastern cuisine, you’ll find a number of variants. Some recipes like chelow and pelow precook the rice by boiling, and then drain the liquid and allow the rice to continue to steam, which creates a crust on the bottom of the dish. Biryani, found in Iran, Pakistan and North India, are heavily spiced pilafs that may include a variety of meats, vegetables, and may vary tremendously in each region.

Share
DelightedCooking is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Tricia Christensen
By Tricia Christensen
With a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and years of experience as a DelightedCooking contributor, Tricia Christensen is based in Northern California and brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to her writing. Her wide-ranging interests include reading, writing, medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion, all of which she incorporates into her informative articles. Tricia is currently working on her first novel.
Discussion Comments
By Glasis — On Mar 14, 2014
The best rice pilaf starts with a rice maker. It you are going to take the time to make rice pilaf start with a high quality rice and make it properly. Not to sound like a food snob.

In today's society people are so tempted to take that boxed instant rice and cook it up. Fresh, high quality rice is almost just as easy to make and tastes a lot better.

If you're intimidated by the rice maker, it is a lot easier to use than you think. Each rice maker comes with a simple recipe for plain old white rice and that's the best place to start. After you get that, the sky is the limit.

If you think that a rice maker makes too much, that's fine too. You can buy the smaller, one to three cup rice maker. There are many makers on the market and online for purchase now. Just the right amount for a smaller family.

Rice is probably the perfect side dish, a rice maker can make the rice you used to eat from the box a thing of the past.

Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
With a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and years of experience as a DelightedCooking contributor, Tricia...
Learn more
Share
https://www.delightedcooking.com/what-is-pilaf.htm
Copy this link
DelightedCooking, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

DelightedCooking, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.