Pineapple Rice Pilaf | Renee's Kitchen Adventures

Sunday, June 22, 2014

Pineapple Rice Pilaf

Pineapple Rice Pilaf is a tasty side dish that compliments just about anything!  Pineapple and pineapple juice give it a slight sweetness that makes it a nice change from your ordinary rice side dish.  It could not be any easier to make either, and since it's made from scratch, it is much lower in sodium than any of those boxed rice side dishes on the market.   

Pineapple Rice Pilaf:  A step above your ordinary rice pilaf and so easy to make!  #rice #side


The secret to a good rice pilaf is in browning the orzo pasta.  Make sure to let your pasta got nice and golden brown for best flavor.  I love serving this dish with chicken or teriyaki beef skewers!

Pineapple Rice Pilaf:  A step above your ordinary rice pilaf and so easy to make!  #rice #side

If you aren't a fan of green pepper, you can definitely leave it out, or replace it with a jalapeno pepper for some extra kick and a sweet-hot flavor experience.  For the pineapple and pineapple juice, I used a 20 oz. can of crushed pineapple packed in 100% juice.  When I drained the juice, I got enough for the pilaf and was able to use a cup of the  drained pineapple in this recipe with just a little left over for another time.  (Put it on plain Greek yogurt!  YUM!)

Once you've made this dish, I know it will rise to the top of your favorite side dishes. Sometimes it's the side dish that elevates a meal and takes a boring meal to one that is exciting!


Pineapple Rice Pilaf

Renee's Kitchen Adventures
Pineapple Rice Pilaf

Ingredients

  • 2 TBS unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup orzo pasta
  • 1/2 cup diced onion
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup uncooked long grain rice (I like Rice Select's - Texmati®)
  • 1 cup pineapple juice
  • 1 cup low sodium, fat free chicken broth
  • 1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
  • 1/4 cup diced green pepper
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • fresh parsley, for garnish, if desired

Instructions

  1. In large non-stick skillet, on med-high heat, cook butter until melted and bubbly. Add in the orzo and allow it to cook to a golden brown. Add in the onion and cook for a few more minutes until it becomes translucent. Stir in the garlic, rice, pineapple juice, chicken broth, crushed pineapple, and green pepper.
  2. Bring to boil. Cover and reduce heat. Cook covered for about 20 minutes or until rice is tender and all the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with fork. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish with parsley, if desired.
Yield: 6 Servings
Prep Time: 00 hrs. 10 mins.
Cook time: 00 hrs. 20 mins.
Total time: 30 mins.
Tags: rice, pineapple, sidedish, side, pilaf

Adapted from Allrecipes 

Servings - 6 servings   Serving Size - 1/6th of recipe ( a little more than a 1/2 cup)   Points Plus per Serving -  5 Points+
Calories - 173.8,   Total Fat - 4.2g,   Carb. - 31.1g,   Protein - 3.2g,   Fiber - 1.3g

Printable Recipe 



--------------------
Today is my middle son's 20th birthday!  Wow. Where does the time go?  I honestly remember bringing him home from the hospital like it was yesterday.  

Happy Birthday Jacob!  


14 comments:

  1. I am so going to make a version of this. It will go fabulously with a Pork Loin that we grill outdoors or in our Rotisserie Oven. Yum and great job and super photos.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. oh yes, it would go great with roasted pork! yum! Thanks Patty!

      Delete
  2. This is so wonderful, loving the tropical vibe of the pineapple in the rice pilaf! Definitely something our family would love!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's a nice twist on a classic dish! Thanks for stopping by Heidy!

      Delete
  3. I love the addition of pineapple to your pilaf and can't wait to try it! Wonderful photos as always!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Linda!! and thanks for stopping by!

      Delete
  4. I bet this is wonderful! I love pineapple!! What a great idea to put it in pilaf! yummm!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We did enjoy this dish, Marion! thanks for stopping by!

      Delete
  5. Happy Belated to Jacob! Your pilaf looks and sounds delish! I love your suggestion for jalapeno - I'm a huge fan of sweet heat (bet you know that though!)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Do you think I could make this in a rice cooker??

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm sorry, I don't know. I just recently purchased a rice cooker and have not used it yet, so I have no idea. If you try it and it works, come back and let me know!

      Delete
  7. We love ham steak cooked with a little brown sugar, cinnamon and a can of pineapple chunks, I think this would go great with the ham steak and I'll cook the ham with a little left over pineapple juice with just a little brown sugar and cinnamon, leave the pineapple for the rice. What a great idea!

    ReplyDelete
  8. we are gluten free. Can I make this with rice instead of Orzo Pasta? How would I handle the substitution?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Tarheelcook! Thanks for your question. Yes, you can make this recipe using all rice and omit the orzo.

      Delete

Thank you for visiting! Share what's on your mind and make my day! Make this recipe? I'd love to hear how it turned out for you! Share on social media with #RKArecipes

>