This 3 Ingredient Instant Pot Vermicelli Rice (Riz Bi Sha'rieh) is a hassle-free recipe that can be found on every table in the Levant. It is a perfect easy side dish to go with about any meal and add a Middle Eastern flair to your kitchen. This simple vegan rice pilaf is made of only three ingredients: golden vermicelli noodles, rice, and olive oil and comes together in 15 minutes!
Fresh, Flavorful, and Fluffy!
What is Vermicelli?
Vermicelli is a thin noodle that looks like spaghetti but has a considerably smaller diameter. It can readily be mixed into rice without overpowering the dish due to its thinness. If you can't find vermicelli, you can substitute angel hair pasta (Capellini), broken up into small pieces. Before toasting, vermicelli has a golden yellow color which turns into a rich golden brown after toasting.
What Exactly is Vermicelli Rice?
Vermicelli rice is also known as Lebanese rice, Middle Eastern rice, Arabic rice, and Rice Pilaf with Vermicelli. In Arabic, vermicelli rice is known as (ruz ma shareeyah). It's a rice pilaf made with only rice and toasted vermicelli noodles in olive oil. Something about adding the golden, gleaming vermicelli strands to the rice elevates it. My kids enjoy it simply mixed with yogurt (ruz wa laban). You can serve it with a stew (yekhneh) or top with toasted almonds and pine nuts and it will complement any Mediterranean or Middle Eastern dish that you make.
What You'll Need for This 3 Ingredient Instant Pot Vermicelli Rice
Rice: For the best results, use long grain basmati rice. Short-grain rice and parboiled rice, such as Sella, are also good choices.
Vermicelli Pasta: This thin, short pasta can be found in most grocery stores. If you can't find it, you can substitute Capellini (a thin spaghetti-like noodle) and just break it up into smaller pieces.
Olive Oil: I prefer olive oil for this recipe, but you can use butter or ghee as well.
Why Use an Instant Pot to Cook Rice?
The best part about cooking rice in an instant pot is that it's fast! The Instant Pot Rice takes 15 minutes to cook, which is 30 minutes faster than our rice cooker. Add to that, the Instant Pot yields fluffier results. And you know what? You don't have to "babysit" it!
What Can I Serve With Vermicelli Rice?
We don't eat this rice by itself in the Middle East; instead, it's paired with salads and meat or stew dishes. These are great food recipes that I like to pair with my Lebanese vermicelli rice:
- Baked Chicken & Potatoes, Chicken Thighs, Beef Kebab, Kafta, Middle Eastern Roasted / Grilled Chicken
- Stew dishes such as Bamia, Molokhia, Fava Bean, and Potato Stew
- Salads like Arabic Salad, Shepherd Salad, Fattoush, and Tabbouleh Salad
Set It and Forget It!
Tips and Tricks
- You can use short-grain or medium-grain rice in this recipe. Pay attention because different rice varieties have different water ratios.
- Rinse and drain the rice several times to achieve a higher quality finished product. Unwashed rice will form large clumps and stick together more, whereas washed rice will be fluffier, separate, and serve more easily.
- I recommend that you cook the rice and vermicelli together for an additional minute before adding the water. The olive oil will coat the rice, which adds to the toasted flavor and reduces clumping.
- Feel free to cook this with stock or broth for extra flavor. You can also add your favorite seasonings such as cumin, cinnamon, and bay leaf.
- When the rice is done, set it aside for about 10-15 minutes then fluff it with a fork. This, once again, prevents it from becoming sticky or gluey.
- To jazz things up a little, you can add some toasted pine nuts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. I've used gluten-free pasta before, and it works well in this recipe. Toast the gluten-free pasta in the same way you would regular pasta. The flavor is slightly different, but won't make a noticeable difference.
Angel hair pasta is very similar to vermicelli, but angel hair is much thinner. Vermicelli is made from refined flour or rice, whereas angel hair is made from durum semolina flour. Vermicelli is a bit thicker than angel hair and is more commonly used in Asian and Middle Eastern dishes, whereas angel hair is more commonly used in Italian dishes.
Instead of vermicelli, you can use orzo or angel hair (Capellini) pasta. If you're using Capellini pasta, cut it into small pieces first.
These vermicelli noodles are high in carbohydrates, low in cholesterol, and contain only a trace of fat. If you're looking for a high-quality, healthy carbohydrate source, this is it.
If using a microwave, place it in a microwave-safe dish, drizzle with a couple of tablespoons of water per cup, cover with a damp paper towel, and microwave for about 20 seconds per cup, or until hot.
If using the stove top, add a bit of water to the rice (about 2 tablespoons per cup), cover the pot, and heat it over medium low heat, stirring frequently, until it is hot all the way through.
Ingredients for Instant Pot vermicelli Rice
- Olive oil
- Vermicelli noodles
- Basmati rice / rinsed
- Salt
- water/ hot
Tips to Prep Vermicelli Rice in an Instant Pot
- Add oil to the instant pot (pressure cooker) , then add vermicelli noodles. Sauté vermicelli noodles until golden.
- Add rice and salt and mix until all combined.
- Turn off the sauté mood.
- Add water and mix until all combined.
- Close the lid, turn the venting knob to sealing position.
- Pressure cook at high pressure for 3 minutes, turn keep warm off.
- Natural release for 8 minutes
- Turn Venting Knob to venting position to release the remaining pressure.
- Fluff the rice with a fork and serve it with your favorite stew.
Other Recipes You May Want to Try
- Bulgur pilaf with vermicelli and Chicken
- Potato kibbeh
- BBQ Air Fryer Chicken Wings Recipe
- Coke Can Chicken Recipe
- One Pot Chicken Thighs and Rice Recipe
- Foil Wrapped Chicken Thighs Recipe
- Butter Chicken with Heavy Whipping Cream
- Chicken Tikka in Oven
- Fava bean Stew
- Eggplant kebab
- Chicken tikka in oven
- Bulgur pilaf with vermicelli and Chicken
Vermicelli Rice In Instant Pot
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¼ cup oil (or less)
- ⅓ cup Vermicelli noodles
- 1 cup basmati rice rinsed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1¼ cup hot water
Instructions
- Add oil to the instant pot (pressure cooker) then add vermicelli noodles. Sauté vermicelli noodles until golden.
- Add rice and salt and mix until all combined.
- Turn off the sauté mood.
- Add water and mix gently until all combined.
- Close the lid, turn the venting knob to sealing position.
- Pressure cook at high pressure for 3 minutes, turn keep warm off.
- Natural release for 8 minutes.
- Turn Venting Knob to Venting position to release the remaining pressure.
- Fluff the rice with a fork and serve it with your favorite stew.
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