Easy Egyptian rice

Egyptian rice in a white bowl with two cups of tea in glass mugs.

This Egyptian rice recipe is a simple yet unique side dish made with short grain rice, vermicelli, vegetable stock and butter. It's a staple in Egyptian cuisine, but universally it's a perfect side dish for almost any main meal.

What makes this Arabic rice with vermicelli stand out is its ease and speed of preparation, taking less then 30 minutes to make from start to finish! The vermicelli adds a unique twist on traditional rice, both texturally and visually.

5 from 48 votes

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Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: Egyptian

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 12

Resting time: 10

Total Time: 27

Servings: servings

Calories: 509kcal

Author: Maretha Corbett

Ingredients

▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil - or ghee
▢ 250 millilitre vermicelli - broken into pieces of about 2.5cm/1"
▢ 250 millilitre Egyptian rice - or short grain rice
▢ 375 millilitre vegetable stock - or water
▢ 20 grams butter
▢ ½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

In a strainer or sieve, rinse the rice under cold running water to get rid of any excess starch. Set the rinsed rice aside.
Top tip: If you have a spray head on your kitchen tap, this works excellently to rinse rice through a fine mesh sieve. Otherwise, just a normal running tap works fine.
In a heavy based saucepan, heat the olive oil over a medium-high heat.
Once the oil is hot, add the vermicelli and fry for 2-3 minutes, or until it's a golden brown colour. Move the vermicelli around constantly and turn down the heat if it's browning too fast.
Keep a very close eye on it as vermicelli can burn very quickly.
Lower the heat and add the rinsed rice. Fry together with the vermicelli for 1 minute.
Add the vegetable stock, butter and salt. Bring it back to a gentle boil and immediately turn the heat down to its lowest setting. Cover with a lid and let the rice cook undisturbed for 13 minutes.
After 13 minutes, remove the rice from the heat. Keep the lid on and let it rest for 10 minutes.
After the 10 minutes, fluff the rice up with a fork and transfer to a serving bowl.

Nutritional data disclaimer

Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is calculated by a third party and we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We try our best to give you the most accurate information, but we do not take responsibility for errors that may be present. Also, the nutritional value of the recipe may change depending on the exact brands and products used. We recommend that you consult with a qualified healthcare professional or registered dietitian for personalised advice on your dietary needs.

Nutrition