Mary Berry Savoury Rice Recipe

This Mary Berry Savoury Rice Recipe is a colorful and nutritious recipe, which features fluffy long-grain rice and vibrant mixed vegetables. It’s a versatile one-pot side dish, ready in about 40 minutes.

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Mary Berry Savoury Rice Recipe Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon oil (or water for oil-free)
• 1 large onion, diced
• 4 large cloves garlic, chopped finely
• 1 small fresh chilli, diced (optional)
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 1 large bell pepper, diced
• 1½ cups (300g) uncooked white rice (long-grain, basmati, or jasmine)
• 3 cups (720ml) vegetable stock
• 30 cherry or grape tomatoes (whole or halved)
• 1½ cups (195g) frozen peas
• 1¼ teaspoon fine salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

How To Make Mary Berry Savoury Rice Recipe

1. Sauté aromatics: Place a large pan or heavy-based pot over medium heat. Add the oil. Once hot, add the diced onion and sauté until softened and just starting to colour (about 5 minutes). Add the chopped garlic and chilli (if using) and sauté for 1 minute more until fragrant.
2. Toast the rice: Add the diced carrot, bell pepper, and the raw uncooked rice to the pan. Stir continuously for a couple of minutes. You want to coat the grains in the oil and toast them slightly until the rice starts to look chalky or make slight popping sounds. This helps the grains stay separate later.
3. Simmer: Pour in the vegetable stock. Add the tomatoes, frozen peas, salt, and pepper. Stir well to combine. As soon as the liquid across the entire surface is bubbling, give it one final good stir to ensure nothing is stuck to the bottom.
4. Cook covered: Put the lid on the pan and turn the heat down to low. Cook for 20 minutes with no peeking. Lifting the lid releases the steam needed to cook the rice.
5. Steam and rest: After 20 minutes, quickly lift the lid and tilt the pan or pull rice aside to check if the liquid is absorbed. If liquid remains, cover and cook for 5-10 more minutes. Once the liquid is mostly gone, turn the heat off. Leave the pan with the lid on undisturbed for another 5 to 10 minutes. This steaming step makes the rice fluffy.
6. Serve: Remove the lid, fluff the rice gently with a fork, check the seasoning, and serve.

Recipe Tips

• The “No Peeking” Rule: Rice cooks by steam absorption. Every time you lift the lid, you lose heat and moisture, which can lead to unevenly cooked, crunchy rice. Trust the process!
• Toasting the Rice: Sautéing the raw rice grains with the vegetables before adding the liquid coats them in a thin layer of oil. This prevents the starch from releasing too quickly, resulting in distinct grains rather than a mushy risotto texture.
• Vegetable Size: Dice your carrots and peppers to roughly the same size (small cubes like the peas). Uniform chopping ensures everything cooks through at the same rate as the rice.
• Resting Time: The 10-minute rest off the heat allows the moisture to redistribute evenly throughout the pot, ensuring the rice at the top is just as tender as the rice at the bottom.

What To Serve With Mary Berry Savoury Rice

This colorful rice is a fantastic alternative to plain boiled rice or potatoes.

• Grilled Chicken: Lemon and herb chicken pairs perfectly.
• Salmon: Pan-seared or baked fish.
• Chilli Con Carne: Use this instead of plain white rice for extra flavor.
• Stuffed Peppers: Use leftovers to fill roasted peppers.

How To Store Mary Berry Savoury Rice Recipe

• Refrigerate: Cool the rice quickly (within 1 hour) and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Rice can grow bacteria quickly, so cool it fast.
• Reheat: Reheat in the microwave or in a pan with a splash of water until piping hot throughout.
• Freeze: You can freeze this rice. Portion into freezer bags while fresh, cool quickly, and freeze for up to 1 month. Defrost thoroughly before reheating.

Mary Berry Savoury Rice Recipe Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 280
• Total Fat: 4g
• Saturated Fat: 0.5g
• Cholesterol: 0mg
• Sodium: 650mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 55g
• Dietary Fiber: 5g
• Sugar: 6g
• Protein: 7g

Nutrition information is estimated per serving based on 4 servings.

FAQs

Try More Recipes:

• Mary Berry Sticky Chicken Drumsticks Recipe
• Mary Berry Bavette Steak Recipe
• Mary Berry Celery Soup​ Recipe