Description
Pesto Rice is a flavorful, herbaceous side dish made with fluffy white rice and a vibrant, homemade vegan pesto. Ready in under 40 minutes, it’s a fresh and delicious alternative to pesto pasta, perfect for pairing with veggies or proteins.
Ingredients
- 2 cups uncooked white rice
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
- 1 cup baby spinach
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup pine nuts or sunflower seeds
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook the rice according to the package directions. Once done, set aside and keep covered.
- In a food processor, combine pine nuts, basil, spinach, nutritional yeast, garlic, salt, and pepper. Pulse until the nuts are mostly broken down, scraping the sides as needed.
- With the processor running, slowly pour in the olive oil until the pesto reaches your desired creamy consistency.
- Add the pesto to the cooked rice and mix thoroughly. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Notes
- Serve with roasted vegetables or grilled proteins for a complete meal.
- For added depth of flavor, toast the rice in a bit of oil for 2–3 minutes before cooking.
- Customize pesto texture to your liking—chunky or smooth.
- On busy days, substitute with minute rice and store-bought pesto for a quick fix.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 666
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 22 mg
- Fat: 35 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 29 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 77 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
