Chimichurri Rice is easy, delicious, and flavorful. This copycat recipe of Trader Joe's popular Chimichurri Rice is made by adding veggies, rice, and tomatoes with chimichurri sauce.
You can make this rice recipe with some leftover rice or add all the ingredients with rice and then steam it. Either way, it will taste good. It is a perfect side that you can enjoy for a weekend dinner.
We are not much of a rice person, but we cannot miss this Chimichurri Rice. It is aromatic, full of flavors, and vegetarian (though you can definitely add your favorite protein like chicken or sausages). And did I mention it is made in under 30 minutes in an Instant Pot!
You don't want to miss this variety of rice pilaf. I tried Trader joe's Chimichurri Sauce, and instantly we fell in love with it. Since then, I have been making it home with my fresh homemade chimichurri sauce.
If you are someone who like to eat rice, then do try my Pomegranate Rice Pilaf. Or a flavorful and aromatic Indian rice (Paneer Biryani). I also love to make Navratna Pulao or Vegetable Pulao. Also, try my special summer Pineapple Fried Rice that I like to serve in pineapple bowls.
The post contains Helpful Tips & Tricks for making chimichurri Rice. But if you're in a hurry, you can also click "Jump to Recipe' under the Heading to go directly to the Recipe Card, or you can also click Recipe Card from the Table of Contents below.
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WHY YOU'LL LIKE THIS RECIPE
There are many reasons why you'll like this variety of recipes. But some of them are listed below:
- It is easy to make with hardly any preparation.
- You can make it with leftover rice, or you can make it fresh.
- It is a one-pot meal, so it gets ready in no time in just under 30 minutes.
- It is full of flavors, so you'll never get bored with it.
- You can enjoy it as it is with some veggies on the side. Or you can use leftovers to make burritos, tacos, etc.
WHAT IS CHIMICHURRI RICE?
Chimichurri is a variety of rice recipes that combine rice with veggies, chimichurri sauce, and spices to make it flavorful and aromatic. You can make it with leftover rice or make it fresh.
Trader Joe's sells their version of Chimichurri Rice in the frozen section. When we tried it, we loved it instantly. Later I came up with my version of chimichurri rice with homemade chimichurri sauce made with cilantro and parsley.
I like making the rice with a little more red wine vinegar and chili flakes. But you can adjust the spices as per your choice.
INGREDIENTS
- RICE: I add rinsed and soaked rice. Basmati Rice works best for the recipe. It helps reduce the cooking time and results in soft & fluffy rice. You can also use brown rice or cauliflower rice. Or you can also use leftover rice for making chimichurri rice.
- OIL/BUTTER: You can use olive oil or butter in the recipe.
- CHIMICHURRI SAUCE: I always use the homemade sauce as adding fresh ingredients gives a nice flavor to the recipe. Making it is also very easy; you just grind all the ingredients in a food processor till they are minced. I especially like to make the cilantro chimichurri sauce, which is full of flavors.
- ONIONS & BELL PEPPERS: I saute them first before adding the rest of the ingredients till they turn soft in texture. I prefer adding Red Bell Peppers as they give a nice color to the overall recipe.
- VEGGIES: You can add as many veggies as you like. I usually add carrots, peas, and sometimes sweet corn & french beans too.
- TOMATOES: I usually use canned or diced tomatoes as they give the beautiful red color to the recipe and taste good. But you can also use cherry tomatoes.
- GARNISH: Garnish the rice recipe with fresh cilantro and parsley leaves.
See the recipe card for quantities.
HOW TO MAKE CHIMICHURRI RICE
**For the full recipe, check the recipe card below, but you can refer here for step-by-step photo instructions.
For making chimichurri rice, make sure you have chimichurri sauce. If you don't have sauce, you can make it at home too. Chimichurri Sauce is readily available in stores like Sprouts, Fresh market, or Trader Joe's. If you want the same flavor as trader Joe's, then use Trader Joe's Chimichurri Sauce in the sauce section.
Rinse the rice until water runs out clear, and soak the rice for 15-20 minutes. Or if you want to make it with leftover rice, then skip this step.
In a skillet or instant pot, saute onion and peppers until tender.
Then add diced tomatoes or canned tomatoes and saute for 3-5 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed.
When making with leftover stemed rice, strain the liquid from the diced tomatoes. Because otherwise, the rice will turn wet and they will not taste great.
Then add water first and then soak rice in the pot.
When making in Instant Pot then make sure you add water first and don't mix the ingredients. If you mix the ingredients, then sometimes you might get a 'Burn'notice.
Next, add chimichurri sauce, peas, cayenne or paprika, and salt. And pressure cook for 3 minutes with the vent in the sealing position.
When the timer beeps, let the pressure release naturally (NPR) for 5 minutes, and then do the Quick Release by turning the vent to the venting position.
When using leftover rice, no need to pressure cook. Place rice with all the ingredients and cook in skillet over medium-heat for 2-3 minutes or until well combined.
Once the rice is cooked, garnish with chopped cilantro and parsley. You can also sprinkle some lemon juice or red wine vinegar for the tangy flavor.
TOP TIPS
- When making leftover steamed rice, strain the liquid from the diced tomatoes. Because otherwise, the rice will turn wet and will not taste great.
- When making an Instant Pot, then make sure you add water first and don't mix the ingredients. If you mix the ingredients, you might sometimes get a 'Burn'notice.
- If you like the bright green color of peas, add once the rice is cooked and cover for 2-3 minutes.
- Garnish cilantro and parsley once the rice is cooked.
- You can add cayenne pepper or paprika for a smoky and spicy flavor.
STORAGE
You can store this chimichurri rice pilaf in the fridge and the freezer. You can store leftover chimichurri rice in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
For more extended storage, you store the rice in the freezer for 2-3 months. Keep the rice in freezer-safe bags or containers when they cool down. Then freeze them.
When reusing, heat them in the microwave or in a skillet until adequately heated.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
You can serve Chimichurri rice as it is or with some steamed or roasted veggies like Broccoli, Asparagus, Brussel Sprouts, etc.
You can also serve it with protein of your choices like grilled or roasted chicken or Tofu.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
No, chimichurri rice is not spicy at all. However, you can add cayenne pepper or paprika for a smoky flavor. You can also add chopped jalapenos to make the rice spicy.
Yes, chimichurri rice is healthy as it doesn't need much oil or butter. You can add the protein of your choice to make the rice more filling.
You can serve the rice as it is or with a side of steamed or roasted veggies. You can also serve it with the protein of your choice.
You can also serve it as a burrito or taco filling.
You can make chimichurri sauce at home or get it from stores like Sprouts, fresh market, Trader Joe's, etc.
Yes, you can get Trader Joe's chimichurri sauce from the sauce section.
OTHER RICE RECIPES
- ETHIOPIAN POMEGRANATE RICE
- ENCHILADA RICE
- BURRITO BOWL
- NAVRATNA PULAO
- INSTANT POT BROWN RICE
- PANEER BIRYANI
- PINEAPPLE FRIED RICE
- MANGO RICE PUDDING
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📖 RECIPE CARD
Instant Pot Chimichurri Rice
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil/ Butter
- 1 Cup Rice rinsed & soaked in Water or 2 cups of leftover rice
- 1 Cup Water
- ½ Onion chopped
- ½ Bell Pepper chopped
- 1 tablespoon Garlic minced
- ½ cup Diced Tomatoes
- ½ Cup Peas
- ½ tablespoon Chimichurri Sauce
- ½ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper or Paprika
- Salt
Garnish
- ¼ cup Cilantro chopped
- ¼ cup Pasley chopped
Instructions
HOW TO MAKE IN AN INSTANT POT
- Press the saute button and add oil. When oil is hot, add chopped Onions, Bell Peppers, and Garlic and saute for 2 minutes until they are soft & tender.
- Add tomatoes to it, and cook for another 3 minutes, till most of the liquid is absorbed.
- Add rinsed & soaked rice and water. Next, add peas, cayenne pepper/ paprika, chimichurri sauce, and salt.
- De-glaze the pot, and close the lid. With the vent in the sealing position, pressure cook for 3 minutes.
- Do NPR (No Pressure Release) for 5 minutes, then Quick Release. That is, set the vent to the venting position. When the valve goes down and it is safe to open the lid, open it and stir the rice.
- Lastly, garnish with cilantro and parsley, and serve.
HOW TO MAKE WITH LEFTOVER RICE
- Add oil to a skillet. oil is hot, add chopped Onions, Bell Peppers, and Garlic and saute for 2 minutes until they are soft & tender.
- Add tomatoes to it, and cook for another 3 minutes.(Note: When using leftover rice, make sure to drain the liquid from the tomatoes. Otherwise, the rice will turn a little soggy).
- Add leftover rice, chimichurri sauce, cayenne pepper, peas, salt, cilantro, and parsley with 2-3 tablespoon of water.
- Cover the skillet with the lid and cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until everything is properly combined.
Video
Notes
- When making leftover steamed rice, strain the liquid from the diced tomatoes. Because otherwise, the rice will turn wet and will not taste great.
- When making an Instant Pot, then make sure you add water first and don't mix the ingredients. If you mix the ingredients, you might sometimes get a 'Burn'notice.
- If you like the bright green color of peas, add once the rice is cooked and cover for 2-3 minutes.
- Garnish cilantro and parsley once the rice is cooked.
- You can add cayenne pepper or paprika for a smoky and spicy flavor.
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