A local’s FOOLPROOF Lebanese rice recipe (+how to store!)

Making rice isn’t as hard as it looks. Follow our recipe from a local for gorgeous, fluffy Lebanese rice that hits the spot every time.

If you’re looking for the ULTIMATE Lebanese rice recipe, you’re in the right place! I lived in Beirut for a long time and have spent years mastering the most perfect recipe, so trust me – I’m an expert!

It’s super hard to find authentic Lebanese recipes at the best of times, but lucky for you, I’ve honed the most amazing recipe that even my Lebanese husband adores. 

This recipe is totally foolproof. It’s so hard to get wrong, I promise – and you can’t say that about many rice recipes! 

This is my ultimate go-to for pretty much any meal. And very soon, it’ll be yours, too!

Step 1 – wash your rice!

Step 1 – rinse and soak your rice!

This step is so essential. If you don’t rinse the rice properly in cold water, the end result won’t be lovely and fluffy – instead, the excess starch will make it a soggy mess. 

So put your rice into a sieve and really really really wash it properly. Make sure you wash it until the water runs almost clear! You’ll know if you haven’t washed it enough because the water running off it will be cloudy. 

Once you’ve washed it, leave it to soak in cold water for at least 30 mins. 

PRO TIP: The rice is ready to cook when you can easily pinch a grain apart using your thumbnail. 

Step 2 – fry the vermicelli

Throw your butter and a good glug of olive oil into a pan (make sure the pan has a lid!) on medium high heat.

When it’s bubbling, throw in your vermicelli or angel hair pasta. Make sure it’s covered in oil and don’t leave it alone! Turn it over every couple of minutes. All the strands need to be super golden brown!

Once that’s done, get the Maggi cube in (or preferred chicken stock cube) and add salt to taste. You can also use vegetable broth if you prefer a vegetarian alternative.

Looking for Lebanese vegetarian dishes? These 22 recipes are absolutely epic, all chosen by a local!

HACK: If you want to make your rice dish extra authentic, I highly recommend Maggi chicken stock cubes. They’re super concentrated and all the Lebanese tetas use them in their cooking. These are my favorite, and the price is unbeatable!

Step 3 – time for the rice

Get your pre-soaked rice out of the water and put it in the pot. It will probably sizzle a little bit, but that’s ok!

Now for the water. For ease of measurement, for every cup of rice you have, you should have 1.5 cups of cold water. So in this case, if you have 2 cups of rice, you will need 3 cups of water.

Turn the heat up and bring to a boil. You really want most of the liquid to have dissolved into the mixture before you put the lid on. This should take about 10 minutes or so. 

PRO TIP: If you’re unsure about the rice-to-water measurement, make sure you have enough water to cover up to your index finger’s first joint, with the tip of your finger touching the top of the rice. 

Step 4 – put the lid on & toast your nuts

Reduce the heat to low – the lowest it will go. Throw on your lid, and set a timer for 12 minutes exactly.

In those 12 minutes, the steam building up will be essential for the next step. So don’t be tempted to take the lid off!

During this time, while you wait, you can toast up your pine nuts and cashews. Make sure you’re using a dry pan and don’t leave them alone. It’ll only take a couple of minutes on medium heat for them to be evenly toasted and a deep golden brown color!

Once 12 minutes has passed, turn the heat completely off and set your timer for another 12 minutes at least – ideally about 20 minutes. Don’t take the lid off here either! Leave it on until this part is done. Trust me – this is the bit that makes the white rice separate into fluffy heaven. 

Once your timer goes off, you can remove the lid. Fluff with a fork and serve with a little bit of sprinkled sumac and pepper to taste. 

Once you serve up in a large bowl or serving dish, throw your toasted pine nuts over the top with some chopped parsley and sumac, and hey presto! Mabrouk, you’re now a seasoned rice pro. 

How to store your rice

Your rice can be frozen for up to 3 months. Just make sure you freeze your dish in a container with a tight fitting lid! 

PRO TIP: Use your leftover rice for scrambled eggs or as a side dish to anything you want!

The essentials: what is vermicelli?

There’s always so much confusion about vermicelli. And I get it! It’s not a particularly common ingredient in Western recipes, so there’s that. People also confuse it with vermicelli noodles, so that’s a thing, too. 

Vermicelli is a thin type of pasta. The kind you need to make Lebanese vermicelli rice comes broken up into little pieces, a bit like broken spaghetti. You can buy vermicelli from most Middle Eastern stores, but in a pinch, buy it cheaply here!

In order to make this fluffy rice dish, you will definitely need vermicelli, so don’t skip it! 

Recipe for our FOOLPROOF Lebanese rice

1. Rinse your rice and wash thoroughly in cold water until it runs clear, then leave it to soak in cold water for at least 30 minutes.
2. On medium to high heat, melt the butter in a pot (that has a lid) and fry the vermicelli until it’s golden brown. Don’t leave it unattended, keep stirring otherwise it will burn!
3. Throw in your Maggi cube (or chicken stock cube) and add salt to taste. You can use vegetable broth if you prefer a vegetarian alternative. Don’t add the water yet!
4. Remove the pre-soaked rice from the water and put it in the pot, stirring until everything is well combined.
5. Add the water and bring it to a boil, stirring occasionally. Once most of the liquid has dissolved, turn the heat down to the lowest temperature, wrap the lid in a cloth, and place the lid and cloth on the pot.
6. Leave this for 12 minutes, then turn off the heat and leave for around 15 minutes. Don’t take the lid off until you have left it to steam!
7. While it is steaming, dry toast your pine nuts and cashews quickly in a pan.
8. Remove the lid from the rice, fluff it up with a fork, then serve in a big dish with some parsley (optional) and the toasted nuts sprinkled on the top.

FAQs about our foolproof Lebanese rice recipe

🍚 Can you make traditional Lebanese rice without vermicelli?

Kind of! There are other forms that don’t use vermicelli pasta. This is just a very popular way to do it over there. However, generally speaking, Lebanese without vermicelli is really just…rice. 😂

🇱🇧 Can you make Lebanese rice with ground beef?

Yes! It’s very simple and very similar to the one described above. The only difference is a few spices and the addition of ground beef. 

🧆 Can you put raisins in Lebanese rice?

Yes you can definitely put raisins in it! I personally don’t because my husband isn’t a fan of the sweet + savory thing, but it actually makes a great addition with the toasted nuts. 

🍲 What kind of rice should I use for Lebanese rice?

Any kind of long grain, basmati, or Egyptian rice is typically used for this recipe. Feel free to switch it up! I usually use long grain rice but I know my mother-in-law loves her Egyptian rice – to each their own!

Conclusion

Well done guys! You did it. Congratulations! 

Let me know how it went in the comments, and if you have any questions, I’m here to help. 

Maybe this convinced you to travel to Lebanon to savor their incredible food in person? Don’t forget to check out my ultimate solo travel guide for all the insider tips! 

Ciao for now!

Lizzie