Easy Carrot Rice Recipe

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This Easy Carrot Rice Recipe is your go-to rice side dish for busy weeknights when you need something quick, nutritious, and delicious. Packed with vibrant carrots and fluffy rice, it’s a simple yet flavorful dish that pairs perfectly with any main course. Whether you’re looking to sneak in some veggies or just need a tasty side, this carrot rice is sure to please both kids and adults alike. It’s the perfect way to elevate your meal and add a burst of color to your dinner plate. Let’s get cooking!

Rice with carrots served in a grey bowl.

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Easy Carrot Rice Recipe

The origin of this rice recipe is Uzbek plov. Plov is Uzbekistan’s signature dish, which has the same origin as pilaf. This is typically made with rice, meat, carrots, and lots of spices. I grew up eating plov and love it. When I stopped eating meat for a couple of years, I would cook plov without meat and this is how this recipe came to be. If you would like to try Plov I have easy-to-make recipes to try: Easy Chicken and Rice (aka Plov) and Quick Dirty Rice Recipe.

Recipe Ingredients

Ingredients needed to make Carrot Rice
  • Rice. I use basmati rice because it has a short cooking time and tastes great.
  • Carrots. Carrots add sweetness to this dish.
  • Onions. Just your everyday brown onion.
  • Garlic. Fresh minced garlic.
  • Chicken stock. I always have chicken stock in my fridge. I cook a big pot of stock once or twice a week and use it in my cooking daily. You can also cook chicken stock in a slow cooker.
Rice with carrots in a grey bowl.

Variations

  • Rice: You can use any kind if rice for this recipe, just make sure to adjust the cooking time and cooking method according to the instructions.
  • Onions: If you are sensitive to onions you can leave them out and just proceed with the recipe.

How to make it

Step 1: Rinse 1 cup of long-grain white rice under cold water until the water runs clear.

Chopped onions frying in a frying pan.

Step 2: Heat some olive oil over medium heat in a medium heavy-bottom pan or Dutch oven. Add 1 finely chopped onion and minced garlic, and sauté until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.

Diced onions and grated carrots in a frying pan.

Step 3: Stir in grated carrots and continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes until the carrots are slightly tender.

Rice added to onions and carrots in a frying pan.

Step 4: Add the rinsed rice to the saucepan and stir well to combine with the onions and carrots.

Chicken stock added to rice carrot mixture in a pan.

Step 5: Pour in 2 cups of vegetable broth or water. Season generously with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil.

rice in reduced amount of chicken stock.

Step 6: Reduce the heat to low immediately and let it cook until the stock has leveled up with rice. Cover the saucepan with a lid and simmer for 10 minutes.

Carrot rice covered with a glass lid.

Step 7: Once time is up, take the rice off the heat and let it sit for 5 minutes. Don’t open the lid.

Expert Tips:

1. This recipe is written for basmati rice. If using any other rice, adjust the cooking method according to the packaging instructions.
2. Let the rice rest for 5 minutes without opening the lid. It will make rice light and fluffy.

How to serve rice with carrots

Whether it is served as part of a festive spread or a casual weekday dinner, this rice dish is sure to delight with its wholesome ingredients and comforting taste.

❄️ How to Store

Refrigerate:

Refrigerate leftover rice promptly in an airtight container. It will keep well for up to 2 days.

Freeze it:

I do not recommend freezing rice.

Reheat:

Reheat on the stovetop with a drizzle of oil or broth, stirring occasionally until warmed through.

Have you tried this recipe? If so, I'd greatly appreciate it if you could leave a star rating and share your thoughts in a comment. Your feedback means a lot to me, and it can also help others who are interested in trying it out. Thank you! 🌟👩‍🍳

Recipe

Rice with carrots in a grey bowl.

Easy Carrot Rice Recipe

Elena Elliott
This Rice with Carrots Recipe is going to be your new go-to weekly meal. Delicious and simple to make it is a great side dish for grilled chicken or baked fish.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Central Asia
Servings 4 people
Calories 299 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup basmati rice
  • 2.5 cups of chicken stock or any other stock or broth of your choice
  • 1 large or 2 smaller carrots peeled and grated
  • 1 brown onion finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon tsp salt
  • ¼ black pepper to season

Instructions
 

  • Start by washing the rice in a mesh colander under the running water until the water is running clear.
  • Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat.
  • Add the onions and cook them for 2-3 minutes until the onions have softened.
  • Add grated carrots and cook for 3-4 minutes until carrots have softened.
  • Add garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.
  • Add the rice and stir well so that the rice is mixed with carrots, onions, and garlic, fry for 1 minute while stirring.
  • Add the stock and bring it to a boil. Low the heat to low immediately and let it cook until the stock has leveled up with rice.
  • Cover the rice with a lid and lower the heat to very low. Let the rice simmer for 10 minutes. Set the timer.
  • Once time is up, take the rice off the heat and let it sit for 5 minutes, Don’t open the lid.
  • Your rice is ready to be served!

Video

Notes

1. This recipe is written for basmati rice. If using any other rice, adjust the cooking method according to the packaging instructions.
2. Let the rice rest for 5 minutes without opening the lid. It will make rice light and fluffy.
Calories: 299kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 7gFat: 13gSodium: 1042mgPotassium: 388mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4g

Please note that the nutritional information provided is an estimate and may vary based on specific ingredient brands, portion sizes, and preparation methods.

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3 Comments

    1. Hi Marge, I am so sorry! I just added the carrots step. I don’t know how I could have left carrots out completely 🙂
      Thank you so much for letting me know!!!

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