Shallot Seasoned Brown Rice
Rich, aromatic, and flavorful, this seasoned brown rice is flavored with tender shallots, toasted nutty lentils, and smoky paprika. It’s the perfect accompaniment for any meal as a replacement for your plain brown or white rice. It doesn’t even take much more time than just making plain rice. It’s also so delicious you might just forget about the rest of the meal, and eat spoonful after spoonful right out of the pot.
Skip the Post, Jump to the Recipe.
Brown Rice or White Rice?
This paragraph is somewhat informative, and partially just a rant. Scroll past if my own personal feelings about food don’t interest you.
Let me type something that doesn’t roll of my tongue readily- I prefer white rice. That shouldn’t really be a tough thing to say, but growing up in circles that practiced things like macrobiotic vegetarianism, where whole grains were always the healthy option, and where it sometimes felt like “healthy” was code for “skinny”, “attractive”, or “virtuous”, saying I prefer white rice feels kind of wrong. But these days saying the things that are honest and not judging myself for them feels pretty good.
And after all that, I’m going to point out that this is a recipe for brown rice. Because even though I tend to prefer white rice, I like variety even more. The difference between brown and white rice is that brown rice is a whole grain, whereas white rice has had the bran and the germ removed. Because of that, brown and white rice are actually very similar nutritionally, with the main difference coming in the amount of fiber. Brown rice has a little over 1.5 g of fiber per 100g, and white rice just under 1/2g per 100g. It’s not that big of a difference, and the higher amounts of fiber in brown rice only make up for about 5% of your daily recommended intake. There are some more significant health benefits though-brown rice also contains more minerals and vitamins, and has a lower glycemic index which means it causes less of a spike in your blood sugar. It also contains more arsenic, and it’s thought that heavy long term brown rice consumption may actually harm your body. In the end, brown rice is slightly healthier than white rice, but the real take away I have is “eat what you like, and eat with variety”. I will probably opt for white rice most of the time, but when given the opportunity for a delicious brown rice dish like this one I’ll be just as pleased.
Looking for Rice Recipes? Try one of these!
- Champagne and Strawberry Rice Crispy Treats
- Seasoned Vegan Baked Rice Recipe
- Vegan Brown Rice Congee with Jackfruit and Mushrooms
- Cream of Rice: Homemade Vegan Gluten Free Cereal
- Savory Mushroom Vegan Hot Water Crust Pie
- Leftover Rice Recipe: Faux-Sotto! (Quick “Risotto”)
- Roasted Red Pepper Vegan Paella
- 40 Vegan Rice Recipes from Around the World
- Vegan Black Trumpet Arancini (Air Fried)
- Southwest Tomatillo Vegan Risotto Recipe
Shallot Seasoned Brown Rice Tips and Tricks
- Cook the brown rice as directed on your package. If there are no directions, here are some good general guidelines: First rinse your rice. Next combine one cup of rice with two cups of water and a pinch of salt in a saucepan with a lid. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cover with the lid, and allow to cook for about 45 minutes. All or almost all of the water should be absorbed by the rice. Remove from the heat and let sit for about 5 minutes before taking off the lid and fluffing.
- We featured brown rice in this recipe (although I’m sure white would also be great). If you are looking for brown rice, here’s a great place to start.
- If you have delicate or sensitive teeth, you may want to omit the lentils. They add an amazing nutty flavor and aroma, but could be a little bit hard on sensitive teeth.
- Fresh parsley or cilantro is amazing in this recipe as well. Chop finely and add at the end with the lemon juice.
Shallot Seasoned Brown Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried brown rice
- 1/4 cup neutral flavored oil
- 2 tbsp. dried split lentils
- 1 tsp. cumin seeds
- 3 medium-sized shallots, diced
- 1/2 tsp. fresh ginger
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
- 2 tsp. soy sauce
- 1/2 small lemon, juice only
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Make your brown rice as directed on the package.
- Heat a skillet with the neutral flavored oil. Once hot add the lentils and cumin seeds. Toast, stirring, until the seeds become fragrant and start to pop. Turn the heat to medium-low, and add your minced garlic and ginger, along with the diced shallot. Cook, stirring, until the shallots have browned and slightly caramelized. Add the cooked rice, smoked paprika, soy sauce, and lemon juice. Turn off the heat and mix well. Adjust the salt and pepper to taste, and serve warm.
Notes
The lentils add a lovely nutty flavor, as well as a crunch to the rice, but they may be slightly too hard if you have sensitive or fragile teeth.
Like this Seasoned Brown Rice? Pin it!
