Lebanese Rice with Orzo Rice

Looking for a delicious and easy side dish? Try this Lebanese Rice and Orzo Pasta recipe. My good friend, Sarah shared this rice orzo recipe with me. It has been in her Lebanese family for years. Her family calls it Lebanese rice or (riz ib shaareeya) but it is also popular as a Turkish dish. It’s quick, easy to make, and the flavor is so delicious.

All you need is roughly 20 minutes, one pot with a lid, and you’ll have the most delicious side dish recipe. Perfect with chicken, fish, or your favorite protein, let me know if you give this easy Lebanese rice recipe a try.

Looking for more side dishes? Try my Balsamic Brussel Sprouts or my Sautéed Spring Vegetable Salad.

Is Orzo Rice Good for You as a Side Dish?

Yes, orzo rice is easy to make and one of the healthiest grain substitutes you can eat. With plenty of health benefits to boast on its own, it’s also delicious and adds a wealth of nutrients to your meal. If this is your first experience with Orzo, this is a great choice with a delicious mixture of unforgettable grains and flavors.

What Does Rice Orzo Taste Like?

Overall, you’ll be surprised to learn that orzo has a very mild flavor that borders on nutty. This makes it a perfect filler for a wide range of dishes, and it can be used in place of other types of rice. The main thing that makes orzo stand out aside from its slightly nutty flavor is its chewy texture. When cooked correctly, orzo should be slightly chewy (al dente) but not hard.

Is Orzo the Same as Pasta Rice?

Yes, you might be surprised to learn that Orzo is sometimes called pasta rice, but the name isn’t so easy to figure out:

Orzo may look similar to rice – and we certainly call it a rice or grain sometimes – but orzo is actually made from Semolina flour, making it a pasta.

In Italy, it is classified as a pastina, or “little pasta” for its shape and size. Pastinas are a category of fine-grain pasta that mimic the shape and size of rice, typically reserved for soups. Helpful as though it may seem, orzo shares the same Italian word for barley for its similarity in appearance to the barley grain. This has misled a lot of people in the kitchen to believe that orzo is similar to barley. However, barley doesn’t cook the same as either orzo or long grain rice, so keep this in mind when you’re shopping.

Ingredients Needed for This Recipe

• Salted Butter – This recipe calls for 1 stick of salted butter.
• Orzo Pasta – For this recipe, you’ll need one cup of orzo pasta. My favorite orzo is Delallo Foods brand.
• Rice – For this recipe, you’ll need 1.5 cups of Uncle Ben’s long grain white rice.
• Kosher Salt – This recipe calls for a pinch of kosher salt.
• Water – This recipe calls for water as well. It’s what allows the orzo and rice to cook properly.

Frequently Asked Questions FAQ’s

Do I need to rinse the rice? Uncle Ben’s products do not have to be rinsed before or after cooking. I use Uncle Ben’s and it works every time.

How much water do you need for rice? The rule of thumb is 2 cups of water to every 1 cup of rice. The original Lebanese recipe calls for 4 cups water. However, I use 3.5 – 3.75 cups of water and it is slightly more al dente, which I prefer.

How long should the rice boil before you cover it? Once the mixture comes to a full boil, cover it and reduce the heat to low / simmer.

How do you safely store rice? To quickly cool rice, add a sheet of parchment paper to a baking tray. Pour the hot rice mixture over the parchment paper and spread it out evenly with a wooden spoon. This is the quickest and safest way to reduce the heat in rice. Making it safe to store in the refrigerator. Once it is safely cooled and stored in an airtight container, rice will last 4-6 days in the refrigerator.

NEVER add hot rice to a small, airtight storage container and place it in the refrigerator. Reason being, is that the center of the rice will retain heat and it can take hours for rice to cool this way. This method allows harmful bacteria the opportunity to grow.

The “danger zone” for rice is a temperature between 40 degrees and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Harmful bacteria can form within 6 – 12 hours. So make sure your rice is cool before refrigerating, but do not let it sit out too long! Cooling it quickly as mentioned above is the BEST AND SAFEST way to store rice.

How many times can I reheat my rice? Only reheat rice one time. Reheating and cooling rice multiple times can introduce harmful bacteria and can even cause Reheated Rice Syndrome. To read more click here.

To safely reheat your rice, add a splash of water to a microwave safe bowl. Add the rice and microwave until the temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

How to Make Lebanese Rice with Orzo Pasta

Melt the Butter

Place a 3-quart pot over medium heat. Add the butter and allow it to melt, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.

Lightly Brown the Orzo

Once the butter is melted, add the orzo pasta. Stir occasionally until the orzo is a light golden-brown color and the butter has a foam-like texture. It will be bubbling.

Add the Long Grain White Rice, Water and Kosher Salt

Next, add the long grain white rice, water and pinch of kosher salt. Stir well. Bring to a boil.

Once boiling, cover with a lid and reduce the heat to low / simmer. Simmer for 18-20 minutes undisturbed or until the pasta is tender and the rice is cooked through.

Remove the rice from heat. Uncover the pot and lay a dry, clean towel over the top of the pot. Place the lid back on and let the rice rest for 10-15 minutes. Fluff using a fork and serve hot.

Optional Inclusions That Pair with Orzo and Long Grain Rice

For this recipe, you can add a variety of ingredients to spice things up. For a Mediterranean flare, try adding sun-dried tomatoes, toasted pine nuts or crumbled feta cheese. Kalamata olives, diced tomatoes, cooked broccoli or fresh herbs would taste great too.

**This orzo pasta and rice makes 6 hearty servings. Please see below for nutritional info. The nutritional information below reflects the standard recipe with no add-ins.**

Cacio-e-Pepe Variation

There are many variations of this recipe. For the Cacio-e-Pepe version, simply add a 1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese to the cooked pasta and rice. Then, add a few turns of cracked black pepper. Stir the cheese and cracked black pepper into the hot orzo and rice right before you are ready to serve. Once well combined, add it to a serving bowl, top it with shaved parmesan cheese and serve hot.

How to Store Lebanese Rice

To quickly cool rice, add a sheet of parchment paper to a baking tray. Pour the hot rice mixture over the parchment paper and spread it out evenly with a wooden spoon. This is the quickest and safest way to reduce the heat in rice. Making it safe to store in the refrigerator. Once it is safely cooled and stored in an airtight container, rice will last 4-6 days in the refrigerator.

Only reheat rice one time. Reheating and cooling rice multiple times can introduce harmful bacteria and can even cause Reheated Rice Syndrome. To read more click here.

To safely reheat your rice, add a splash of water to a microwave safe bowl. Add the rice and microwave until the temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

Looking for more side dishes? Try my Balsamic Brussel Sprouts or my Sautéed Spring Vegetable Salad.