Description
This Mushroom Rice recipe is a savory and comforting side dish featuring caramelized cremini mushrooms and aromatic garlic, cooked with long-grain rice in flavorful low-sodium broth. Perfect as a hearty accompaniment to any meal, it combines buttery richness with fresh herbs for a balanced and delicious taste.
Ingredients
Scale
Fats and Oils
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 4 cloves garlic, minced (divide into halves)
- 1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- Fresh thyme (about 1 teaspoon, chopped)
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
- Chopped green onions, for garnish (about 2 tablespoons)
Dry Ingredients
- 1½ cups long-grain rice
Liquids
- 2½ cups low-sodium broth (chicken or vegetable)
Instructions
- Sauté Mushrooms: In a large pan, melt 1 tablespoon of butter together with 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add half of the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the sliced cremini mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes until they are well caramelized and browned. Remove the mushrooms from the pan and set aside.
- Cook Onions and Garlic: In the same pan, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the diced yellow onions and cook over medium heat until they become soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining garlic and sauté briefly, about 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Toast Rice and Season: Add the uncooked long-grain rice to the pan with the onions and garlic. Stir in fresh thyme, salt, and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Toast the rice for about 30 seconds, ensuring it is well coated and slightly warmed.
- Deglaze the Pan: Pour in half a cup of the low-sodium broth to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom with a wooden spoon to incorporate deep flavors into the dish.
- Simmer Rice: Add the remaining broth to the pan. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan with a lid, and let the rice simmer gently for about 15 to 17 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.
- Combine and Rest: Remove the pan from heat. Stir in the sautéed mushrooms and chopped green onions evenly into the rice. Cover the pan again and let the dish sit undisturbed for 10 minutes to allow flavors to meld and the rice to finish steaming.
Notes
- Use low-sodium broth to control the salt content but adjust seasoning at the end if needed.
- For a vegetarian version, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
- Fresh thyme adds a subtle earthiness; dried thyme can be used but reduce the quantity by half.
- Make sure to toast the rice briefly before adding broth to enhance its nutty flavor.
- Letting it rest covered at the end helps achieve a fluffy texture by allowing the rice to steam gently.
