Rice with vermicelli noodles recipe

A few days ago, I shared my delicious baked kibbeh recipe. If you haven’t checked it out yet, be sure to do so! Today, I’m excited to introduce my rice with vermicelli noodles recipe. It is one of my favorite side dishes to accompany baked kibbeh. What makes this the perfect side dish is that the rice and noodles cook together in the same pot, making it a simple, quick, and unique addition to your meal. 

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups of rice (I used basmati rice)
• ½ cup of vermicelli noodles (or you can substitute with spaghettini,  thin spaghetti, angel hair pasta, vermicelli nests or some other thin rice noodle variety of your choice….)
• Salt to taste
• 3 large cloves of garlic
• A drizzle of olive oil
• 2 cups of boiling water (with adjustments as needed see recipe notes)

Directions

1.Begin by breaking your vermicelli noodles into small pieces (you can use your hands for this). Set it aside. 

2. Finely mince the garlic, and thoroughly rinse the rice in a strainer until the water runs clear. This step is crucial as it removes excess starch, ensuring that your rice grains remain distinct and separate after cooking.

3. Heat a pot over medium heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. Add the vermicelli noodles and stir occasionally until they turn deep golden brown. Be cautious not to let them turn black or burn. Refer to the picture for the desired color.

4. Add another drizzle of olive oil to the pot and sauté the minced garlic. When the garlic turns golden brown (watch out, burnt garlic tastes unpleasant), you can add the rinsed rice to the pot and sauté it briefly.

5. Add back the toasted vermicelli noodles, season with salt, and pour in 2 and 1/4 cups of water. Cover the pot. When the water evaporates from the top of the rice and the rice has little holes all over (its a little hard to see because of the steam, but you can still see the little holes), reduce the heat to low.

6. Give it a few more minutes, then open the lid and check with a fork to see if there is still water in the bottom of the pot. If there is, cover it again and let it finish evaporating. If there isn’t, turn off the heat, close the lid, and leave it for 5-10 minutes to finish cooking.

7. Fluff your rice with a fork and it’s ready to serve!

Recipe Notes:

 Please remember that the required water measurement can fluctuate, influenced by the rate of water evaporation. This rate may be affected by factors like the size and shape of your pot, the intensity of the heat, and the effectiveness of your lid in trapping steam. If your rice is not yet done to your liking, simply add a bit more water, resume cooking for a few additional minutes, and then check for readiness. If you’re curious about finding the ideal water ratio, I highly recommend watching an informative video by America’s Test Kitchen. It’s the most helpful resource I’ve come across, providing a clear explanation of the entire process. After viewing this, you’ll have the confidence to make the perfect rice every time!

Equipment:

Garlic mincer, large saucepan  with a lid (a glass lid is preferable for checking water levels), strainer for the rice.

How to Serve:

This dish pairs wonderfully with Kibbeh, lentils, or grilled meats. It’s a versatile side that complements a wide range of main courses. My personal favorite is serving rice with vermicelli pasta with Brazilian Baked Kibbeh (which can be frozen and can go straight from the fridge to your oven!) lentils and some tabouli salad – it’s the perfect pairing.

Storage:

Store leftovers in an airtight container in your fridge for up to three days.

Variations:

You can add different seasonings to your rice. I suggested garlic, but you could swap garlic for finely chopped onions for example or add both. You could also add a bay leaf after you add the boiling water. You can also swap the water for chicken broth, chicken stock, vegetable stock etc to add even more flavor to your dish. Pine nuts can also be a nice addition.

Common Substitutions:

If you can’t get your hands on vermicelli noodles, don’t worry! You can swap them out for other types of pasta like spaghettini, thin spaghetti, or even angel hair pasta. The key here is to go for thin pasta so it can cook alongside the rice, just like the vermicelli does.

And guess what? You’re not stuck with basmati rice either. Feel free to switch it up with something like jasmine rice – another long grain rice variety. Cooking is all about making it your own!

Alternative names:

I’ve come across various names for this rice dish, such as Arabic rice, Lebanese vermicelli rice, Syrian rice, Egyptian rice, vermicelli rice recipe. To me they all seem to be similar variations of this recipe here. 

Rice with Vermicelli Noodles Recipe

Rice with vermicelli noodles! A simple, flavorful side dish for any occasion.

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Servings: 4 people

Equipment

• Garlic mincer, large saucepan with a lid (a glass lid is preferable for checking water levels), strainer for the rice.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups of rice I used basmati rice
• ½ cup of vermicelli noodles or some other thin rice noodle variety of your choice….
• Salt to taste
• 3 large cloves of garlic
• A drizzle of olive oil
• 2 cups of boiling water with adjustments as needed see recipe notes

Instructions

• Finely mince the garlic, and thoroughly rinse the rice in a strainer until the water runs clear. This step is crucial as it removes excess starch, ensuring that your rice grains remain distinct and separate after cooking.
• Heat a pot over medium heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. Add the vermicelli noodles and stir occasionally until they turn deep golden brown. Be cautious not to let them turn black or burn. Refer to the picture for the desired color.
• Once the vermicelli noodles are golden, transfer them to another plate and set them aside.
• Add another drizzle of olive oil to the pot and sauté the minced garlic. When the garlic turns golden brown (watch out, burnt garlic tastes unpleasant), you can add the rinsed rice to the pot and sauté it briefly.
• Add back the toasted vermicelli noodles, season with salt, and pour in 2 and 1/4 cups of water. Cover the pot. When the water evaporates from the top of the rice and the rice has little holes all over (see the picture for reference), reduce the heat to low.
• Give it a few more minutes, then open the lid and check with a fork to see if there is still water in the bottom of the pot. If there is, cover it again and let it finish evaporating. If there isn’t, turn off the heat, close the lid, and leave it for 5-10 minutes to finish cooking.

Video

Notes

Please remember that the required water measurement can fluctuate, influenced by the rate of water evaporation. This rate may be affected by factors like the size and shape of your pot, the intensity of the heat, and the effectiveness of your lid in trapping steam. If your rice is not yet done to your liking, simply add a bit more water, resume cooking for a few additional minutes, and then check for readiness. If you’re curious about finding the ideal water ratio, I highly recommend watching an informative video by America’s Test Kitchen. It’s the most comprehensive resource I’ve come across, providing a clear explanation of the entire process. After viewing this, you’ll have the confidence to make the perfect rice every time!

FAQs:

Don’t forget to let me know if you liked the recipe and to follow tasty recollections on social media. Also let me know, what other rice dishes you would like to see next time?