Egyptian Rice with Vermicelli
This vegetarian builds long-grain white rice and vermicelli noodles, broken into short pieces into a fuss-free meal you can have ready in about 55 minutes. Below: the ingredients split into pantry staples and a quick shopping list, a built-in serving scaler, and the method in 6 steps.
You'll mainly reach for saucepan and pan. At easy difficulty across 6 steps, it's a good one for a busy evening. As written, it's meat-free.
What you'll need
Shopping list (2)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
🔁 Unit converter
How to make it
- Rinse the rice under cold running water in a fine sieve, swishing until the water runs mostly clear, then drain it well to remove excess surface starch.
- Melt the butter with the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, then add the broken vermicelli and stir constantly for 2 to 4 minutes until the noodles turn a deep golden brown, watching closely so they do not scorch.
- Add the drained rice and stir for about 1 minute so every grain is coated in the buttery oil and lightly toasted.
- Pour in the water or vegetable broth, add salt to taste, and bring the liquid up to a rolling boil over high heat.
- Lower the heat to its lowest setting, cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid, and let the rice simmer undisturbed for 15 to 18 minutes until the liquid is fully absorbed and the grains are tender.
- Remove the pan from the heat and let it rest, still covered, for 5 to 10 minutes, then fluff the rice gently with a fork to separate the grains and serve warm.
You'll use: Saucepan · Pan
Ingredient substitutions
- Butter
- olive oil (¾ the amount) · coconut oil · margarine
Tips & common questions
How long does Egyptian Rice with Vermicelli take to make?
About 55 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 6 steps and 6 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of butter?
Try olive oil (¾ the amount). See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Egyptian Rice with Vermicelli vegetarian?
Its ingredients contain no meat or fish, so it's suitable for vegetarians. Check any cheeses for animal rennet if that matters to you.
Related recipes
Egyptian Rice with Vermicelli is an original recipe developed in-house by Consomee. Photo: Arabic rice.jpg by El Mono Español, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure on top — how we source recipes.