Mushroom rice is easy and flavor packed midweek dinner, everything made in one pot. This nutritious, power packed dish can be served as vegetarian main or as side dish with nearly anything.
Fluffy rice, browned earthy mushrooms, and a whole lot of onions, garlic and seasoning – sooo good! I bet you can easily make a meal out of this easy mushroom rice.
Add fried egg on top for a great vegetarian main dish, or simply toss it with grilled chicken or pork for non vegetarian main dish. Have some leftover chicken or pork ? Great, toss it with mushroom rice recipe and you have a meal ready in under 30 minutes. Yes 30 minutes, including cooking rice from the start!
Do you also believe mushrooms can turn any dish into most hearty and delicious dish?! I do! I can’t stress on how much I love mushrooms not just for all the healthy nutrients it holds, but also for it’s amazing earthiness.
If you’re looking for a side dish that is hearty and filling, mushroom rice recipe would come in handy. Days when roasted veggies seems to plain, simple and probably boring, make a quick mushroom rice and serve it with chicken, pork or beef.
It’s not just an easy side dish, it needs very minimal prep work and everything is cooked in ONE POT! Clean up after dinner would be a breeze.
Some call it mushroom pilaf, some call it mushroom rice. So what is the actual name of the dish?
To me, a pilaf should have some more added whole spices and flavors. Like bay leaves, cinnamon stick, cardamom all these spices is what makes a rice dish to be called a pilaf!
To me cooking rice in chicken stock does not count as rice pilaf. It needs to have whole spices, it needs to have all other wonderful ingredients that goes in making a pilaf.
There is nothing wrong in calling rice cooked in chicken stock as pilaf, but I wouldn’t because I need more flavors in my pilaf dish. If you want to call this mushroom rice recipe as mushroom pilaf, please do it. It’s what you want to call your dish, your wish. No wrong at all!
If you like mushrooms you will definitely like this simple mushroom rice recipe. The key step in mushroom rice recipe is sauteing mushrooms until it’s browned. Browned mushrooms packs loads of flavor and you will have the best mushroom rice dish.
Is this mushroom rice same as mushroom fried rice then?
No, not really. It though comes very close to mushroom fried rice in terms of taste. There are no sauces like soy sauce, vinegar and chili sauce added to the rice dish. Those sauces that makes Chinese style fried rice, none are used in this recipe.
So it’s not mushroom fried rice, and it’s not mushroom pilaf either.
It’s a simple, quick and easy one pot meal recipe; even rice is cooked in the same pot. It definitely bags the flavors and it’s ridiculously delicious!
How to Make Easy Mushroom Rice (Step-By-Step)?
Clean mushrooms well and slice it thin. Heat skillet on high heat. Make sure the pan in really hot before tossing mushrooms in to the pan.
Melt butter and add sliced mushrooms. DO NOT STIR. Wait for few minutes before stirring so mushrooms are browned on one side.
Pro-Tip: Use wide skillet to brown mushrooms and do not crowd the skillet.
To flavor mushrooms add little minced garlic and salt into the skillet along with mushrooms. Once browned on one side, stir and allow mushrooms to brown on all other sides.
Remove browned mushrooms from skillet.
Into same skillet add olive oil. Add white (or red) onions, minced garlic. Saute and cook for 2 minutes.
Add white part of green onions, saute for a minute. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Once onions turn translucent, add rice.
Pro-Tip : I ALWAYS rinse and soak rice before cooking. This helps rice cook faster and also rinsing helps remove excess starch hence you get fluffy perfectly cooked rice, each grain separated.
Saute rice in skillet for a minute.
Add chicken stock, fresh thyme and give it a good stir.
Add back browned mushrooms. Cover with lid and cook on low heat for about 15 minutes or until rice is cooked perfectly and all liquids are dried out.
Turn off flame, leave the pan covered for about 10-12 minutes. This will make rice fluffy and have perfect soft texture.
Stir in chopped green onions and serve immediately.
For a complete meal option, top a fried egg on top of mushroom rice.
Tips to Make Best Mushroom Rice
Browning Mushrooms – Make sure all mushrooms are sliced evenly. Add mushrooms to a skillet only after it turns very hot. Avoid the temptation to stir mushrooms as soon as you add it in. Wait until mushrooms are browned on one side and then stir. Use wide skillet to brown mushrooms.
Cooking Rice – I recommend to rinse rice until clear water runs through. Soaking rice in enough water ensure rice cooks fast and perfect. If you want perfectly cooked, soft texture, fluffy rice, rinse and soak.
Rinsing rice removes excess starch, no more sticky, gluggy rice.
Liquid – Cook rice with chicken stock so it’s packed with more flavors. If you are a vegetarian, use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock. Rice to liquid ratio for long grain rice is 1:2 ½.
Packing in Flavors – Browning mushrooms enhances flavor of mushroom rice. Do not keep stirring mushrooms. Leave it to cook until browned and then flip or stir.
Don’t skimp on garlic. Loads of garlic is what I have added to mushroom rice. Make sure you mince garlic well. Not a garlic fan? Well, reduce the quantity a bit, but do not skip it out. You need garlic in mushroom rice.
I have also added a mix of red onion(since I did not have white onion) and white part of green onions. Why two types of onions? Well, because I believe both these onions have different texture and taste which only enhances the flavors.
Finally loads of green onions is added after rice is cooked for extra crunch and freshness to the dish.
Can I Use Leftover Rice to Make Mushroom Rice?
Yes, you can absolutely use left over rice. It’s much simpler and fast with pre-cooked left over rice. Any left over rice from previous night can be used up to make mushroom rice.
Saute mushrooms until browned, remove from pan. Then saute onions, garlic. Add in the seasoning and finally stir in left over rice and browned mushrooms. Add lots of green onions , mix gently and serve.
Can I Make Mushroom Rice Ahead of Time?
Yes. Absolutely. Make it previous day and store it in fridge. Before serving, microwave it for few seconds.
Pro-Tip : To keep rice from drying out and turning hard, add a tablespoon of two of chicken stock to mushroom rice, stir and then reheat.
LOVE MUSHROOMS? TRY OUR OTHER FAVORITE MUSHROOM RECIPES –
Cantonese Chicken With Mushrooms
Garlic Butter Sauteed Mushrooms
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One Pot Mushroom Rice
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pound button mushrooms cleaned and sliced
- 1 ½ cup long grain rice rinsed and soaked
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 ¾ cups chicken stock
- 1 onion big size
- 1 cup white part of green onions
- 8 cloves garlic minced
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon thyme leaves fresh
- 1 cup green onions chopped fine
Instructions
- Prep – Clean mushrooms either by wiping it with kitchen towel to remove all dirt or rinse in under running tap. If you rinse in water, make sure to dry mushroom well, this ensure mushrooms brown nicely. Slice mushrooms evenly.
- Finely chop onions. Chop white part of green onions separately and keep it aside.
- Mince garlic.
- Rinse rice by gently rubbing rice in your finger (do not break rice). Soak in enough water for about 10 minutes.
- Cook – Heat up a wide skillet on high heat. Wait until skillet turn really hot. Add in sliced mushrooms and spread it over the skillet to ensure they do not overlap. Do not crowd the pan. Wait for 3-4 minutes before stirring. This will ensure mushrooms are browned well on one side.
- When mushrooms are browned on one side, stir and flip them over. Now add a teaspoon of minced garlic to ensure flavor of mushroom. This step is optional, but we loved the extra layer of flavor in the mushrooms.
- Add little salt to taste and cook mushrooms until browned on all sides.
- Remove mushrooms from skillet, keep aside.
- I used the same pan to cook rice. You could use deep pan to cook rice.
- Add olive oil. When oil turns hot, throw in garlic and onions. Saute and cook for 2 minutes.
- Now add white part of green onions and cook for 1 minute.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Add soaked and drained rice. Saute.
- Add fresh thyme leaves, chicken stock. Stir.
- Add back browned mushrooms. Stir. Cover and cook on low flame until rice cooked perfectly and all liquids are drained out.
- Turn off flame, leave rice covered for about 10 minutes.
- Then open lid, add in green onions, stir and serve.
Video
Notes
- Since mushrooms are added back to rice while cooking, you can expect it to loose it's slight crispness that it gets from browning.
- Can you add mushrooms directly to rice without browning?
Anna
Mushroom rice is one of my favourite quick and easy meals. The best thing is that it can serve as a meal on its own, but it is also a great side dish! Always a winner in our house!
jyothirajesh
True that Anna. I really don’t mind serving it as a meal. So filling, and delicious!
Heather Perine
Oh my I love mushrooms and I my mom always made a chicken mushroom rice recipe growing up – this totally brings me back. But I love that this is fresh and from scratch. And thanks for the tip on not stirring the mushrooms I’m so guilty of that. Going to try that tip! Thanks!
jyothirajesh
Thanks Heather
Cindy Alvers
I have a question. Do you put any oil in before Browning the mushrooms?
Jyothi Rajesh
I actually browned mushrooms without any oil, just hot cast iron skillet!
Jennifer
One of my favorite dishes to make!! So delicious!!!
jyothirajesh
Thanks
Loreto Nardelli
This is a great quick and easy weeknight dinner. I am truly a mushroom lover. The marines and earthiness of the mushroom pairs well with the rice onions and garlic. You can call this what you wish I’ll just call it delicious!?
Michelle
This is not a side dish for me, this is a main meal and one of my favourite things to eat. Serious mushroom lover here and I can’t wait to make this version!
jyothirajesh
I love it too as main meal, but on days I have grilled fish or chicken i’d like a tiny portion of mushroom rice as side.
Julie
I love your suggestion of topping this with a fried (or soft boiled!) egg — this is exactly my favorite kind of easy lunch.
jyothirajesh
I loved it with fried egg topped. It was completely delicious
Jacque
Thanks for including the tip of how to keep the rice from drying out! Great advice!
jyothirajesh
Glad you liked it Jacque.
Deseree
This sounds hearty enough to have as a whole meal! I love that it comes together easily in one pot.
jyothirajesh
I love it as main course, it really comes together so easily
Markus Mueller
Love it! I actually make something very similar to this with bell peppers instead of mushrooms..but since I just picker up some wild dried mushrooms I’ll adapt and throw those in!
jyothirajesh
I’m gonna add in some bell peppers next time. Thanks for sharing that! Hope you like this version too 😀
lauren
What a great one pan dish! This would be an excellent vegetarian option too with a veggie stock, great for an entree or a side dish like you said. My husband loves chicken and rice, this will be a welcome addition at the table!
jyothirajesh
Thank you Lauren. This dish is all mushroom lovers delight!
Kari Heron | Chef and Steward
Hands down, I am a food columnist (7 years writing a food column in Dubai, award-winning food blogger and recipe developer and food photographer and married to an Executive Chef and this is the first recipe I have seen in a LONG time that truly excites me! Well done! I absolutely love it!
jyothirajesh
I’m so glad to hear you are excited about this dish Kari. You are doing amazing yourself. Congratulations.
Kelsey Rickert
One pot meals are so amazing! This one would make a great lunch or side dish for me! Cannot wait to give it a try soon!
jyothirajesh
Thank you Kelsey