Vermicelli Rice (Arabic Rice) is a Middle Eastern rice dish that includes lightly toasted vermicelli pasta.
Wait. What? Pasta in rice? Yup - and the taste is amazing! Plus this vermicelli rice recipe is a super easy way to turn up the flavour of your usual boiled white rice.
Also known as Lebanese rice or Egyptian style rice, this rice pilaf is traditionally made using long grain rice and vermicelli.
In the Middle East, vermicelli refers to very thin pasta (not to be confused with Asian rice noodles), which is thinner in diameter than spaghetti.
Here in Australia, the equivalent of this type of vermicelli would be what we call angel hair pasta.
Surprisingly, in Italy the type of pasta to be used in this vermicelli rice would be capellini. For Italians, vermicelli refers to pasta that is actually thicker than spaghetti.
Table of Contents
Why you will love vermicelli rice
- Turns up the flavour of plain rice.
- Only takes a few more minutes though!
What you need to make vermicelli rice
- long grain rice - I used basmati
- vermicelli pasta
- pine nuts
- chicken stock
- olive oil
- salt
*Please see the recipe card below for exact quantities and detailed instructions
How to make vermicelli rice
- Fry pine nuts, then remove to a plate.
- Add vermicelli.
- Fry over medium heat until golden brown.
- Add rinsed rice and stir to coat.
- Add stock and salt and bring to a simmer, then cover and cook.
- Finished rice looks like this (after standing time), top with pine nuts and serve.
Top tips
- You can occasionally buy vermicelli pasta already broken into short lengths. It's usually called "short cut angel hair pasta" or something similar. If this isn't available just use long vermicelli (angel hair) pasta and snap it into 3cm lengths.
- Rinsing the rice in cool water (then draining well) helps to keep the rice grains nice and separate in the finished rice. Separate (not sticky) grains are the hallmark of a rice pilaf.
- Watch the vermicelli carefully when you are frying it - because it's so thin it can go from brown to burnt really quickly! This isn't the best time to be multitasking!
Rice with toasted vermicelli pasta.
Variations
- Finely chop a brown onion and fry it off with the vermicelli.
- Add some crushed fresh garlic when you add the washed rice.
- I have used chicken stock in this recipe, but you could use vegetable stock or water to make it vegetarian or vegan.
- Replace the toasted pine nuts with slivered almonds.
Serving suggestions
- I like to serve this wherever I would use plain boiled rice, such as with casseroles or stews.
- Also a great side dish for things like chicken shawarma.
Other recipes you may enjoy
Orzo Rice - Turkish Rice (orzo rice) is a great way to add some extra taste to your usual boiled rice. The fried orzo gives this rice rich nutty flavour.
Turkish Onions - sliced red onions lightly marinated in lemon juice and olive oil combined with sumac and fresh parsley to make an easy Turkish onion salad.
Fatteh - a crispy pile of golden brown, toasted pita bread with warm chickpeas then covered with garlicky yogurt and fried pine nuts sprinkled with fresh herbs.
Haydari - a Turkish yogurt sauce made using feta cheese, garlic and fresh herbs such as dill and mint. Ideal as part of a Middle Eastern meze.
📖 Recipe
Vermicelli Rice (Arabic Rice)
Ingredients
- 1 cup long grain rice (I used basmati) rinsed and well drained
- ¼ cup broken dry vermicelli pasta (see my notes) angel hair/capellini pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon pine nuts
- 2 cups chicken stock
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in high-sided pot over medium heat. Add pine nuts and fry until golden brown, then remove to a plate (leaving oil in pot).1 tablespoon olive oil2 tablespoon pine nuts
- Add broken vermicelli pasta to the same pot. Fry over medium heat until golden brown (watch carefully as it can brown very quickly).¼ cup broken dry vermicelli pasta (see my notes)
- Then add rinsed rice and stir to coat in oil.1 cup long grain rice (I used basmati)
- Add chicken stock and salt and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, turn heat down to very low then cover and cook for 15 minutes.2 cups chicken stock½ teaspoon fine salt
- After 15 minutes, turn the heat off and let the rice sit for another 10 minutes (without lifting the lid).
- Gently fluff the rice with a fork, top with reserved pine nuts and serve.
Notes
- You can occasionally buy vermicelli pasta already broken into short lengths. It's usually called "short cut angel hair pasta" or something similar. If this isn't available just use long vermicelli (angel hair) pasta and snap it into 3cm lengths.
- Rinsing the rice in cool water helps to keep the rice grains nice and separate in the finished rice. Separate (not sticky) grains are the hallmark of a rice pilaf.
- Watch the vermicelli carefully when you are frying it - because it's so thin it can go from brown to burnt really quickly! This isn't the time to be multitasking!
Great flavor adding the pasta. Loved this thanks.
You are welcome Sandi!