This Easy Mixed Vegetable Rice is my newest obsession. I know what you are thinking – strange, weird, just a little a bit out there.
But this fluffy seasoned rice pilaf tossed with mixed vegetables is so yummy, so simple, and so perfect on EVERYTHING. It’s a wonderful rice side dish that your whole family will love!
Looking for more rice recipes? Check out these other favorites on the blog! Steak Fried Rice, Instant Pot Mexican Rice, and One Pan Baked Lemon Chicken and Rice.
Vegetable Rice…made easy!
I made a large batch, like ultra large batch, of this Mixed Vegetable Rice the other night, and it has been the side dish that went with ALL THE THINGS we ate since then.
Salmon, chicken, pork, beef, a bunch of random veggies, inside a taco (that’s my husband’s new thing), by itself for lunch when there’s nothing else to eat (me this afternoon).
This Vegetable Rice recipe seriously goes with EVERYTHING.
It’s a simple rice side dish recipe that you need in your back pocket because it also happens to be very flavorful and very delicious.
Serve vegetable rice with a simple protein for a straight forward and well rounded meal. You can’t beat that on a busy!
The funny thing is I made this mixed vegetable rice pilaf dish totally on accident.
I wanted some fluffy rice to go with the baked salmon I was making for dinner one evening. If you have been following my Insta-stories on Instagram, you might recall 😉 .
I saw rice in the pantry, and also one of my favorite seasoning in the world – Better than Bouillon, Roasted Chicken Based. And we were out of veggies – except for a bag of frozen mixed veggies in the fridge.
So I put together what I had and at that fateful moment, this Mixed Vegetable Rice recipe came into existence.
And it’s pretty much my favorite way to make vegetable rice ever since.
Ingredients
Mixed Vegetable Rice is a super simple recipe that calls for a short list of pantry-friendly ingredients. 5 ingredients, to be exact:
- Rice: my favorite rice to use for this recipe is basmati rice. Basmati rice is commonly used in Indian and Mediterranean cooking, and is fragrant and has a light and fluffy texture. I highly recommend using that for this mixed vegetable rice recipe. Other rice such as long grain, jasmine, brown rice etc. work as well, I just prefer Basmati. Do not use minute rice or already-cooked rice for this recipe.
- Chicken bouillon: this is responsible for seasoning the Vegetable Rice and giving it plenty of flavor. My only advice is to use good quality chicken bouillon because it will make such a difference to the flavor of your dish! If you are trying to figure out what are good bullion’s to use, I highly recommend the Better than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Based
- Mixed vegetables: grab a bag of frozen vegetables! They usually consist of peas, carrots, corn and green beans already chopped into small pieces. That’s the easiest, quickest way to go about this recipe.
- Garlic: use fresh garlic for the best flavor. Avoid substituting with garlic powder.
- Cooking oil: your favorite neutral cooking oil – vegetable oil, avocado oil, olive oil…whatever you have at hand works!
How to make Mixed Vegetable Rice
I’m going to walk you through how to make this easy Vegetable Rice recipe.
All you need is a medium pot with a lid (to cover the rice while it cooks), and it takes no more than 25 minutes from start to finish.
step 1: cook rice
Start by heating pot with cooking oil and searing minced garlic and rice in the pot.
Once garlic is fragrant, add water and chicken bouillon to the pot.
Keep in mind that different chicken bouillon will be different in terms of its salt levels, flavor etc. I am recommending 2 tablespoons of the Better than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Based for this recipe, but adjust accordingly if you are using another chicken bouillon. Or if you prefer it less or more salty.
Give rice a stir and let it come to a boil. Then immediately lower heat to medium low and cover with lid.
Cook rice pilaf for 15-17 minutes. I like to check at the 15 minute mark.
Step 2: Add Veggies
Once it’s done, add in defrosted mixed vegetables (I usually microwave them briefly first) and give rice and vegetables a stir. Mixed vegetables is a great add-in to the rice because mixed vegetables = easy peasy.
It’s a super easy ingredient, and it is after all, vegetables, which always makes me feel like I am putting good stuff in my tummy. Even if it is just a few sprinkles of it over a large bed of rice.
Fluff Mixed Vegetable Rice with a fork or rice paddle and remove from heat promptly.
And that’s it! Serve rice and vegetables with your favorite protein, or enjoy it on its own!
Incredibly flavorful, great textures, this Easy Mixed Vegetable Rice side is perfect side for any meal! It also keeps really well, and seriously, it goes with everything! Except maybe ice cream. 😉
Storage and Reheating
Mixed Vegetable Rice stores and reheats incredible well.
Keep it in an air tight container in the refrigerator and you can store it for up to 7 days. Or freeze for up to 3 months.
When ready to reheat, simply reheat in microwave, and it tastes just like it was freshly made!
Tips and Tricks
- Cook rice low and slow: Make sure to lower the heat when rice is covered to cook, this will prevent the bottom of the pot from burning.
- Cover with a tight lid: when the water boils, steam circulates inside the pot and gently cooks the rice grains. If the lid isn’t tight, the steam escapes and the rice may be undercooked.
- Vegetable to use: I opt for frozen mixed veggies because it’s a convenient way to make this. However, this is also a great recipe to use leftover veggies you have at hand.
- Add protein: This vegetable rice can easily be jazzed up by adding cooked chicken, pork, shrimp etc. into it to make it a complete and completely easy meal.
- Add herbs/spices: If you prefer a more complex flavor, consider adding fresh herbs such as parsley, thyme or dry spices such as Italian seasonings to the rice when you add the mixed vegetables.
- Add other veggies and garnishes: try chopped onion, ginger, other frozen or fresh vegetables, even some nuts and raisins after the rice is cooked. This recipe is so customizable, get creative with it!
- Mix rice: Health conscious and want to use brown rice but don’t love the texture? Mix it with some white or basmati rice so you get the best of both worlds!
Frequently Asked Questions
I recommend a pot because of the amount of water, but if you have a deep enough pan/skillet that would work too. Be aware that liquids will bubble up as they boil, so leave room for that as well!
If you are using fresh veggies, make sure to cut it into small pieces and add along with rice (rather than at the end), and cover to cook both rice and vegetables. If you are using more than 1 cup of raw veggies, you will want to add more water.
Make sure to cook rice covered on medium low (or even low) heat. Check at the 15-minute mark, fluff rice and remove from heat promptly once rice is soft.
Yes you can (be sure to adjust/omit water accordingly), but I personally don’t like to do that because chicken broth itself doesn’t give the rice enough flavor. Chicken bouillon is more concentrated and will season the Mixed Vegetable Rice better.
You might want to reduce the amount of chicken bouillon used. My suggestion is 2 tbsp of Better than Bouillon Chicken Bouillon, however all chicken bouillon has different salt levels so you will have to adjust accordingly.
Note: I adjusted the recommended amount of Chicken Bouillon to 2 tbsp from my original suggestion of 3 tbsp after retesting this recipe based on feedback.
To do that, use a fork, wooden spatula, or rice paddle and gently stir through the rice, lifting and turning it over to separate the grains and prevent them from sticking together.
If there is too much water or rice was overcooked, it may lead to mushy rice.
ENJOYED THIS RECIPE? Tell us what you think by leaving a rating and review below! 🤍
Other Rice Dishes
- Steak Fried Rice
- Thai Pineapple Fried Rice
- Hawaiian Chicken with Coconut Rice
- Lemon Chicken and Rice Soup
More Yummy Sides
Because why not?!? 😀 Happy cooking, all!
- Roasted Garlic Parmesan Potatoes
- Caramelized Onions Sautéed Green Beans
- Roasted Lemon Garlic Broccoli
- Brown Sugar Pecan Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- Avocado Quinoa Salad
- Caramelized Roasted Carrots (by Rachel from Little Chef Big Appetite!)
Easy Mixed Vegetable Rice
Ingredients
- 2 cups basmati rice
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 2 tbsp Chicken Bouillon (Better Than Bouillon, Roasted Chicken Base)
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups frozen mixed vegetable
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- In a large pot, add olive oil and minced garlic and cook under medium heat till fragrant (this goes quick!). Do not brown or burn garlic.
- Add rice to pot. Stir and cook for a minute. Then add water and chicken bouillon. Stir to combine. Bring to medium high heat and to a boil.
- Once the water boils, lower to medium low heat, cover pot (make sure it is fairly tight), and cook for 15-17 minutes.
- Bring frozen mixed vegetable to bowl. Microwave for 20-30 seconds, or until vegetable is soft (do not overcook). Drain access water.
- Once rice is cooked, remove cover and use spatula to stir and fluff rice. Add mixed vegetable to rice. Stir and combine.
- Serve and enjoy!
This rice was delicious! The basmati makes a big difference so I recommend not swapping it for white rice. Very versatile for so many meals and definitely part of our normal rotation now!
That’s great, Kim! So glad you like this rice recipe
This was delicious! I love making this vegetable rice. Everyone loves it and it’s perfect for picnics, family gatherings or a quick weeknight dinner.
I’m so glad to hear that!
This came out PERFECT! Basmati rice is our family favorite. The flavors are amazing and seriously, this is so easy! Perfect for meal prep and an easy weeknight dinner!
That’s great! Thank you for sharing!
This is one of my favorite rice recipes. It is so easy, delicious, and healthy!
I’m so glad to hear that!
I love serving this rice recipe as a side dish and adding vegetables makes it more colourful, delicious and nutritious! This dish also works well with added protein like chicken.
Great idea to add some protein to it! I’m so glad you love this recipe!
This rice was a terrific side dish but also perfect to make as an option for vegetarian guests using vegetable bouillon.
Great idea!! I’m so glad you enjoyed this.
oh I like this recipe it is the best
This was what I was looking for and my kind of rice dish. It came out amazingly delicious and very yummy! It was also super easy to make. Will try making it in the rice cooker next.
Thank you Jamie! Happy to hear this turned out so well for you.
2.5 cups of stock is not near enough for 2 cups of rice and cooking time must be longer for rice to become tender. Flavor is great, but without additional stock, it will burn even on med-low to low heat.
Hi Deb, Thanks for sharing. There are so many variables when it comes to this (different levels of heat that is considered ‘medium/low’, pot size, burner size etc), definitely add more stock if needed. I have success using that ratio, but I can see how it may vary with different kitchens for sure!
Any ideas on how to make this in a rice cooker? It looks delicious and would love to make this as we are adding more rice to our meals. Thank you
Yes! Just throw everything into the rice cooker – water, garlic, chicken bouillon and mixed vegetable and let it cook!
Super easy, tasty and so much better than boxed stuff! I use Jasmine rice since I didn’t have Basmati.
Yay! I am so glad!
This came out PERFECT!! Thank you for sharing .
Great! Love hearing that!
Hi
Do you rinse the rice before using in this recipe?
That is not necessary but you can rinse it if you prefer (or if it looks dirty)