Name: Şehriyeli Pilav (Turkish Rice Pilaf with Orzo)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Turkish
Ingredients: ¾ cup Rice, rinsed until water runs mostly clear; ¼ cup Orzo Pasta, for toasted pasta flavor; 1½ tbsp Butter, for richness; 1 tsp Olive Oil, helps prevent butter from burning; 1¼ cup Water, hot; ¾ tsp Salt, adjust to taste; ¼ tsp Ground Black Pepper, optional

Şehriyeli Pilav (Turkish Rice Pilaf with Orzo)

45 mintotal

35 min hands-on10 min hands-off

Prep 10 min · Cook 25 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Easy
Spice: None

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Ingredients

¾ cupRicerinsed until water runs mostly clear
¼ cupOrzo Pastafor toasted pasta flavor
1½ tbspButterfor richness
1 tspOlive Oilhelps prevent butter from burning
1¼ cupWaterhot
¾ tspSaltadjust to taste
¼ tspGround Black Pepperoptional

Quantities are for 2 servings.

You'll need: Stovetop.

Includes 10 minutes of resting time after cooking.

Method

Rinse the rice well and drain it completely.
Warm butter and olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the orzo and toast until golden brown.
Add the drained rice and stir gently so the grains are coated in the butter.
Add hot water, salt, and black pepper if using. Bring to a boil.
Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender.
Turn off the heat and rest the pilaf covered for 10 minutes.
10 min
Fluff gently with a fork before serving.

How to tell it's done

The pilaf should be fluffy with separate rice grains and lightly chewy toasted orzo pieces.

Getting it right

Tip

Toast the orzo until golden, not dark brown; it should taste nutty without bitterness.

What to serve it with

Serve as a side with grilled vegetables, köfte, stews, or yogurt-based dishes.

Common mistakes

The rice is sticky and clumped.: Rinse until the water runs clear and drain thoroughly. Surface starch is what glues the grains together, and pilav depends on them staying separate.
The orzo is pale and the pilaf tastes plain.: Toast the orzo properly, to a real golden brown, before the rice goes in. That colour is where most of the flavour in şehriyeli pilav comes from.

Substitutions

Vermicelli can replace orzo if orzo is unavailable, but toast it carefully because it browns faster.
Vegetable stock can replace water if it is lightly salted.
Use ghee only if a Turkish profile is less important than a richer pantry-style variation.

Storing and reheating

Keeps three days in the fridge. Reheat with a splash of water under a lid so it steams rather than fries. It freezes for a month, though the orzo softens. Never skip the ten-minute covered rest — that is what sets the texture.

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