Thai Green Bean Pilaf

This Thai-style pilaf rice is the perfect go-to recipe when you crave a satisfying and utterly delicious meal. We made a tasty combo of brown rice and green beans, all seasoned with lemongrass and earthy turmeric.

Thai Green Bean Pilaf Rice

Info

Nutrition per serving
NutrientAmountRDA
Net Carbs52.1 g19%
of which Sugars7.4 g8.2%
Fibers7.3 g26.2%
Fats9.2 g14.2%
of which Saturates1 g4.9%
of which Omega 30.8 g68.5%
Proteins8.1 g17.5%
Calcium73 mg7.3%
Vitamin A135 mcg19.3%
Vitamin C142 mg189.5%
Iron4.7 mg31.7%
Potassium673 mg19.2%
Sodium28 mg1.2%
Cholesterol0 mg0%
Kcal324 16.2%
Macro split
  • net carbs 68%
  • sugars 10%
  • fats 12%
  • saturates 1%
  • proteins 11%
  • fibers 10%
*RDA based on a 2000 kcal diet;
**Nutritional data sources: USDA, food labels.
KCAL
324 per serving
TIME
35m
HEALTH

Pilaf is a comforting, one-pot dish of seasoned rice sure to keep you full and satisfied for long. Almost every country has its own recipe, from the Middle East to the Caribbean, with countless variations and ingredient combinations.

We have recently made many recipes inspired by the flavours of Thailand cuisine, like pad thai and curry puffs.

So today, we want to show you how to make a bowl of delicious Thai pilaf rice.

Also known as pilau or pulao, pilaf rice is a simple meal that consists of rice cooked in stock with a blend of tasty spices, meat and vegetables.

We made our Thai pilaf vegan with a delightful combo of brown rice, green beans, and red peppers, all seasoned with lemongrass, turmeric, and lime.

The key to a perfect pilaf is to keep the rice grains well separated, so we recommend using basmati and rinsing it well to remove the excess starch.

Easy to make and incredibly nutritious, this rice dish is an ideal midweek recipe that all your family will love.

What's great about it is that you can store any leftovers and pack them for your next day lunch box!

A bowl of this spicy Thai rice makes a healthy vegan meal that bursts with fibres, slow-digesting carbs, and proteins.

Each serving has 300 calories, a whopping 28% RDI of fibres and only 10% of fats. Awesome!

And if you want another pilaf recipe idea to try next, check out this Kenyan-style spiced pilau. It's delicious!

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you prepare lemongrass for Thai dishes?

Lemongrass is a staple ingredient in Thai curry and rice recipes, and it gives a unique lemony, minty flavour to these dishes.

Follow our steps below to learn how to prepare the lemongrass stalk for cooking:

  1. Grab the stalk and peel off any dried-out layer until it feels soft when pressed.

  2. Then, trim off the whitish/pinkish end of the stalk, where the roots used to be.

  3. Cut the bottom third of the stalk (about 7 cm / 2.8 inches long) and discard the rest.

  4. Finally, thinly chop the lemongrass and use it according to your recipe instructions.

Ingredients

Adjustments
Serves
Measuring System
Vegetable Oil2 tbsp
Brown Onions1
Garlic Cloves2
Green Bird's Eye Chillies4
Fresh Ginger Root10 g
Lemon Grass Stalks1
Brown Rice220 g
Ground Turmeric1 tsp
Vegetable Stock (or water)600 mL
Green Beans260 g
Broccoli Florets200 g
Red Peppers240 g
Lime1
Fresh Coriander to taste

Step 1

Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet and add finely chopped onions, crushed garlic, sliced chillies, grated ginger root, and lemongrass.

Sizzle the ingredients for 5 minutes until the onions are soft and translucent and garlic is fragrant.

sizzled onions, chillies, ginger, and lemongrass

Step 2

Rinse the brown rice a few times, drain it well, and then add it to the skillet.

Tip in the ground turmeric and sauté for 5 minutes while stirring.

brown rice sautéed with turmeric

Step 3

Now, cover the rice with the stock, bring to a boil, and simmer with the lid on for 12 minutes.

Season with salt to taste.

thai pilaf rice simmering with turmeric

Step 4

Slice the green beans into 1 cm (1/2 inch) long pieces, chop the broccoli florets, and dice the red peppers into small cubes.

Then, add the prepared vegetables to the pilaf rice and cook for a further 10 minutes without the lid.

Stir the rice occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the bottom and burning.

Towards the end of the cooking time, check if the rice is cooked through. If not, pour in more water and continue cooking for a few minutes until the water has reduced and the rice is soft.

thai pilaf rice with green beans, broccoli, and red peppers

Step 5

Finally, remove the pilaf rice from the heat, add lime zest and juice, and give all a good mix.

Divide the Thai rice among bowls and garnish with chopped coriander before serving.

thai green bean pilaf with lime and coriander

Tips

  • Add 30g (1 oz) of roasted peanuts or cashew nuts per serving to boost the dish with plant-based proteins.

  • You can swap coriander with fresh Thai basil.

  • Store this turmeric rice in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.