Mushroom Rice Recipe

I make this Mushroom Rice Recipe every time we have a curry night at home. It only takes twenty-five minutes, and it turns out fluffy and golden every single time, with just enough spice to make plain rice feel like a proper restaurant side. Once you try the whole spices toasted in ghee, you won't want to go back to plain rice again.

Pilau rice isn't actually from India, it's originally from Persia. Indian cooking added its own spices over time, like cardamom, cinnamon, and turmeric, which is what gives it the golden color you see today.

Jump to:

• Why This Recipe Works?
• Ingredients You'll Need
• How to Make Pilau Rice?
• Recipe Tips From the Chef
• What to Serve with Mushroom Rice?
• Variations
• Storage and Reheating Instructions
• Recipe FAQs
• Related Recipes
• Mushroom Rice Recipe

This was delicious. Your spice combination and amounts was perfect. There was no overwhelming flavour. They blended perfectly.

Ana, reader review

This Indian restaurant-style vibrant yellow mushroom pilau has a mild aromatic flavor and only takes 5 minutes to prepare. The technique I use for preparing this mushroom rice dish is very similar to my Turkish Rice recipe.

If you'd rather watch than read, here's a quick video that walks through the whole process.

This dish uses the same method as my Turmeric Rice Recipe, so if you’ve made that one before, you already know how this goes. It’s simple and really hard to get wrong.

Why This Recipe Works?

• Making this pilau rice with mushrooms only takes 5 minutes longer to make than regular boiled rice.

• It tastes much better and is cheaper than store-bought or takeaway rice!

• This dish is versatile. You can vary the spices and adjust them to your taste. Or you can add leftover chicken or lamb to turn it into a substantial meal.

• You can store the leftovers in the freezer for up to 3 months.

• Everything cooks in one pan, so there's barely any washing up after.

• It looks like a lot more effort went into it than it actually takes.

Ingredients You'll Need

Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.

• Rice - Basmati is a fragrant long-grain rice variety that is ideal for dishes like biryani, fried rice, or other pilaf dishes. I prefer basmati rice for this recipe but any other long-grain rice will work. Make sure you don’t use a quick or easy cook or minute rice type as they might turn into a mash or sticky mess. 

• Mushroom - Chestnut mushrooms work great in this rice pilau as they tend to hold their shape much better than other mushrooms when cooked and retain their meaty bite. Alternatively, you can use white button mushrooms or cremini mushrooms.

• Onions - Use white, brown, or yellow onions. Shallots are also great for this recipe. Avoid using red onions as they might affect the color of your dish.

• Ghee - I prefer using ghee or clarified butter as they elevate the flavor of the rice. You can use vegetable oil or olive oil to make this dish vegan.

• Bay leaves  - This aromatic leaf adds so much flavor to rice so try not to skip it. Remove them from the pan before serving.

• Turmeric - This spice gives the pilau rice its vivid golden color. Alternatively, you can use saffron infused in milk.

• Stock - It adds great flavor to the rice. Use Basic Homemade Vegetable Stock for the vegan option. Chicken Bone Broth also works perfectly with pilaf dishes. Alternatively, you can use stock cubes or store-bought stock.

• Green Cardamom - You can add them whole to the pan or you can split them. Remove them from the pan before serving.

• Cinnamon stick - It adds extra aromatic flavor to this vibrant rice dish. Split it in half before adding it to the rice for extra cinnamon flavor.

How to Make Pilau Rice?

Mushroom Rice Pilau is easy to make and you can experiment with other pilaf alternatives once you’ve mastered the basics. There are a few easy steps that you need to follow to achieve the best results:

Wash the rice under running cold water until the water coming from the rice is clear, and soak it in cold water for 20 minutes. This step is optional, and you can skip it if you are in a hurry.

However, it totally worth the soaking for the perfect fluffy mushroom pilau rice. Also, soaking the rice reduces cooking time!

Melt the ghee in a large non-stick pan on medium heat and sauté the onions with garlic until translucent.

Add the mushrooms and sauté for another five minutes.

Stir in the cardamoms, turmeric, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick. Sauté for 45 seconds, and keep stirring to avoid burning

Pour in the stock and deglaze the pan. Add the seasoning and adjust it to your taste.

Add the rice and stir just enough to mix the rice with other ingredients and close the lid.

Lower the heat and gently simmer the rice for 20 minutes without opening the lid. Remove from the heat and keep the lid closed to rest the pilaf for about 6 to 8 minutes. Fluff the rice gently with a fork before serving.

Recipe Tips From the Chef

• I prefer using basmati rice here because it retains its fluffy texture and remains separate.

• Don't skip rinsing the rice. It washes off the extra starch that would otherwise make the grains stick together instead of staying separate.

• Soak the rice in cold water for 20 minutes if you have time.

• Use the right amount of rice to water ratio which might differ from the type of rice you are using. This recipe is for basmati rice only. Check the packaging for the right rice-to-water ratio if using different rice.

• Cook the rice on low heat and gently simmer it. Don’t open the lid or stir the rice while cooking. Let it rest for 6 to 8 minutes before opening the lid.

• Gently fluff the rice using a fork before serving.

What to Serve with Mushroom Rice?

This mushroom rice is filling enough to eat on its own with a spoon of yogurt on the side, but it really comes into its own next to a curry. Here's what I like to serve it with.

For a vegetarian dinner, spoon it alongside Butternut Squash Curry with Chickpeas or Dal Palak (Spinach Dal), with Onion Raita on the side to cool things down.

If you want meat on the table, it goes really well with Spicy Tandoori Chicken Recipe in Oven, Creamy Chicken Korma Recipe, or Easy Chicken Handi Recipe.

For a starter or something extra on the side, Crispy Onion Bhaji (Pakora) Recipe is always a good shout. Any leftover rice reheats well the next day, or you can wrap it up with extra raita for a quick lunch.

Variations

• Stir in a handful of frozen peas or cooked green beans for the last 5 minutes of cooking if you want more vegetables in the dish.

• Swap the turmeric for a teaspoon of curry powder and a pinch of garam masala if you want a warmer, more layered flavor.

• Any mushroom works here. Button or cremini mushrooms are fine if you can't find chestnut mushrooms, they just won't hold their shape quite as well.

• Add a small handful of golden raisins or dried apricots with the rice for a slightly sweet, fruity pilau.

• Scatter toasted flaked almonds or cashews over the top just before serving for some crunch.

• Leave out the ghee and use olive or vegetable oil instead to make it fully vegan. It works just as well.

• No fresh mushrooms on hand? Soak dried mushrooms in hot water until soft, then use the soaking liquid as part of your stock for extra mushroom flavor.

• Double the mushrooms and skip the meat add-ins if you want to serve this as a vegetarian main instead of a side.

Storage and Reheating Instructions

Once the rice has cooled, move any leftovers into an airtight container and keep them in the fridge for up to 3 days.

To freeze, cool the rice completely first, then pack it into a freezer-safe container or bag. It keeps well in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight before reheating.

To reheat, add a small splash of water to loosen the rice, then microwave it in short bursts, stirring in between, until it's piping hot all the way through. You can also reheat it in a covered pan on the stove over low heat. Only reheat rice once, and always make sure it's steaming hot before eating. This matters for food safety with rice.

Recipe FAQs

Related Recipes

For more delicious rice dishes why not try:

Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.

I hope you enjoy the process of making this delicious and colorful Indian Mushroom Pilau Rice as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂