Easy Mushroom Rice Recipe

Delicious Mushroom Rice Recipe: Enjoy the perfect blend of savory mushrooms and fluffy rice in this aromatic dish. A simple recipe for a satisfying meal!

Mushroom Rice Pilaf, is an easy, flavorful rice dish made with long-grain rice, mushrooms, onions, garlic, and some herbs.

This dish is delicious, one-pot meal, cooked to perfection in under 30 minutes. Great for weeknight dinner or even for a gathering. This recipe is vegan & gluten-free.

Mushroom rice pilaf is a vegetarian delight. Packed with layers of flavors, earthy flavors from mushrooms, aromatic basmati rice, sweetness from onions, and nuttiness from garlic.

I was introduced to mushroom rice, in my teens. Honestly, never was a big fan of mushrooms then. But, when I tried this dish, I just fell in love with it.

This mushroom rice pilaf, is a great vegetarian option, with all the meaty flavors, without the meat.

When I make this mushroom rice pilaf, even my non-vegetarian-eating friends, devour it. It is so good, that it has now become, one of my family favorites.

I cook this dish quite often, my kids love anything with mushrooms. This dish makes a great weeknight dinner, or even to feed a crowd.

Jump to:

• Ingredients For Mushroom Rice Recipe
• How To Make Mushroom Rice
• Substitutions Recipe For Mushroom Rice
• Variations Mushrooms Rice
• Storage Mushroom Recipe For Rice
• Tips For Rice With Mushrooms
• FAQ
• More Mushroom Recipes
• Easy Mushroom Rice Recipe
• More Rice Recipes

Ingredients For Mushroom Rice Recipe

here's a brief description of the ingredients used in the mushroom pilaf recipe:

Long-Grain Rice (e.g., Basmati): Long-grain rice varieties are known for their slender and elongated grains. Basmati rice, in particular, is famous for its delicate aroma and distinct flavor. It cooks up fluffy and separate, making it a popular choice for pilafs.

Mushrooms: They add a rich umami taste and a unique texture to dishes. Button mushrooms are commonly used due to their mild flavor, but other varieties like cremini, shiitake, or wild mushrooms can be used to introduce different flavors.

Onion: They provide a savory and slightly sweet flavor to the dish when sautéed.

Garlic: Garlic adds a pungent and aromatic flavor to the pilaf. When minced and sautéed, it releases its natural oils and enhances the overall taste of the dish.

Dried Thyme (or other herbs): Dried thyme is an herb that contributes a subtle earthy and aromatic note to the pilaf. Other herbs like rosemary, oregano, or parsley can also be used to tailor the flavor to your preference.

Butter or Oil: Butter or oil is used for sautéing the onions, garlic, and mushrooms. Butter adds a rich and creamy flavor, while oil can provide a neutral base for cooking.

Vegetable or Chicken Broth: Broth is the liquid used to cook rice. It adds depth of flavor to the dish. Vegetable broth is suitable for vegetarians, while chicken broth can provide a meatier taste.

How To Make Mushroom Rice

This is a very quick and easy recipe to make delicious Mushroom rice. It takes under 20 minutes to make this Instant Pot Mushroom Rice from scratch. You can also make this recipe on a stovetop, the method described below.

Prep For Mushroom Rice

Using a fine mesh sieve, rinse the rice under cold running water for a couple of minutes or until the water runs clear. Drain the rice well.

Slice onions, peel, and mince garlic.

Using a damp paper towel, gently wipe the mushrooms, to remove any dirt. Trim the ends of the stem, and slice the mushrooms. Note: Do not slice mushrooms too thin, or they will integrate.

Instant Pot Mushroom Rice

Turn ON SAUTE (more), when it displays "HOT", add oil. Add onions, garlic, bay leaf, saute for 30-60 seconds.

Now add mushrooms, sauté for 3-5 minutes, or until mushrooms cook down.

Add broth, deglaze the pot. Turn OFF SAUTE. Add rice, salt and pepper, to taste. Close the Instant pot lid, vent sealed.

Turn ON the Pressure Cook (high) for 6 minutes. Turn OFF the "keep warm" setting. Let the pressure release naturally, around 10 minutes.

Open the Instant Pot lid, gently fluff the rice. Add some chopped green onions. 

Mushroom Rice is ready to be served. Enjoy!!  

Stovetop Mushroom Rice Recipe

Heat a heavy bottom pot or a Dutch oven, and add oil. Add onions, garlic, and bay leaf, and sauté for 30-60 seconds.

Now add mushrooms, and sauté for 3-5 minutes, or until mushrooms cook down.

Add broth, and deglaze the pot. Add rice, salt, and pepper, to taste.

Let the mixture come to a boil. Cover the pot with a lid, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 12-15 minutes, or until all the moisture is absorbed and the rice is cooked.

Turn OFF the heat, and let the rice sit covered for 10 minutes. Add some chopped green onions.

Mushroom Rice is ready to be served. Enjoy!!

Substitutions Recipe For Mushroom Rice

Here are some ingredient substitutions you can consider for the mushroom rice recipe:

Rice: If you don't have long-grain rice like Basmati, you can use other types of rice such as jasmine rice or even medium-grain rice. Keep in mind that the cooking time and texture may vary slightly.

Mushrooms: If you're not a fan of mushrooms or don't have them on hand, you can replace them with other vegetables like diced bell peppers, peas, or carrots. These will add color and flavor to the pilaf.

Onion and Garlic: If you're looking to avoid onion and garlic, you can omit them or replace them with shallots or leeks for a milder flavor.

Butter or Oil: Depending on your dietary preferences, you can use olive oil, coconut oil, or any other cooking fat you prefer instead of butter.

Broth: If you don't have vegetable or chicken broth, you can use water mixed with bouillon cubes or powdered broth seasoning. This will still provide some flavor to the rice.

Dried Thyme and Herbs: Feel free to use other dried herbs that you enjoy, such as dried rosemary, oregano, or a dried herb blend. Fresh herbs are also a great option if available.

Variations Mushrooms Rice

Here are some variations to Mushroom Rice Pilaf:

Add Veggies: Peas, corn, carrots, green beans, spinach all can be used to make a flavorful vegetable rice.

Cheese: Hard Italian cheeses like Parmesan, Parmigiano-Reggiano works well, adds distinct taste and flavor.

Wine: Adds a nice depth of flavor to this dish, any dry red or white wine works fine. Marsala, sherry or red wine.

Broth: Love Umami flavor, use mushroom broth

Brown Rice: Use brown rice, instead of white. For Instant Pot, increase the cooking time to 22 minutes. Use 1 ½ cups of broth (or water) for tender, fluffy rice. If you prefer soft rice, then use 1 ¾ cups of broth (or water).

For the stovetop, cover and cook for 40-45 minutes, on low heat. Check after 35 minutes, if required, add some more liquid. Cook until all the liquid is absorbed, and rice is cooked.

Quinoa: This is my favorite. I often use quinoa instead of rice and it tastes amazing. Pressure cook quinoa for 1-2 minutes. I use the liquid to quinoa ratio, 1:1, for perfect quinoa. 

For the stovetop, rinse quinoa, use 1 cup of broth (or water), cover, and cook for 15-20 minutes, on low heat.

Storage Mushroom Recipe For Rice

Mushroom rice stays good for 2-3 days in the refrigerator. Store it a airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat and serve.

Mushroom rice can also be frozen for up to a month. Defrost in the refrigerator, reheat and serve.

Tips For Rice With Mushrooms

Some of the things I think really helps me achieve non-sticky, flavorful Mushroom Rice Pilaf are:

Use Long Grain Rice: The grains have a firm, dry texture, and are best for side dishes, pilafs, fried rice. Produces distinct firm grains that stay fluffy and separate even after cooking.

Rinse Rice: Rinse the rice thoroughly. Use a fine mesh strainer, rinse the rice under cold running water for couple of minutes or until the water runs clear. Drain the rice well.

Use Fresh Mushrooms: Fresh mushrooms is a key to making this delicious rice. The fresher the mushrooms the rice will taste the best. The longer the mushrooms stay in the refrigerator, it starts to release moisture, and turns more chewy in texture.

Cook the mushrooms until all the moisture is evaporated, this is an important step do not skip it. It helps bring out the earthy flavors of the mushrooms. 

Clean Mushrooms: Mushrooms are extremely porous. It is best to use as little water as possible to clean them, to avoid mushrooms getting waterlogged or soggy. To clean mushrooms, use a damp paper towel, and gently wipe the mushroom to remove any dirt.

Do Not Slice The Mushroom Too Thin: Slice the mushrooms thick, if sliced thin they will disintegrate. 

Aromatics: Onions and garlic do add a nice flavor to this dish. You can increase the quantity if you prefer. I sometimes add more garlic, just to give it an extra boost.

Herbs: Herbs add a nice flavor to this dish. I like the flavor of thyme, tarragon, parsley, bay leaf, in this dish.

I use one or combination of herbs to add more depth and flavor to this dish. You can use any herb of your choice.

Olive Oil: It has a great aroma and tastes wonderful in Mushroom Rice.

Broth: You can use water or broth, both would do just fine. Broth adds an additional layer of flavors to the fried rice.

Use a low-sodium vegetable broth or chicken stock. I prefer low-sodium vegetable stock to balance the sodium level in the soup and thus keeping it vegetarian.

FAQ

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