Paula Deen Brown Rice

Paula Deen brown rice is an easy baked side dish made with long grain rice, beef consomme and a stick of margarine, ready in 1 hour 5 minutes. It's an easy Southern comfort food side for Sunday dinner, church supper or holiday table, and it's hands-off because it all bakes in one covered dish.

Keep the dish tightly covered for the full hour, because the foil or lid holds in the steam that cooks the rice. Peek early or leave the cover loose and the consomme evaporates before the grains turn tender.

Paula skips the stovetop pot and bakes everything together, so the rice soaks up the beef consomme and the buttery onion flavor as it cooks. Chipping the margarine over the onion before the rice goes in means the fat melts evenly through every layer, so you never stir a thing.

Paula Deen Brown Rice

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: Side DishCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Easy

Servings

5

servings

Prep time

5

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

Calories

330

kcal

Rice, diced onion and beef consomme bake together under a lid until the grains turn tender and savory. Since nothing gets stirred, the top stays fluffy and the bottom soaks up the buttery broth.

Ingredients

• 1 stick margarine
  

• 1 small onion
  

• 2 cans beef consomme
  

• 1 cup rice
  

Directions

• Preheat the oven: Heat your oven to 350°F while you get the onion ready. That way the oven is hot the moment the dish is assembled.
• Cut the onion: Cut 1 small onion into small pieces and spread them in the bottom of a baking dish. Smaller pieces soften fully during the hour in the oven, so take a minute to dice them fine.
• Add the margarine: Chip 1 stick margarine into pieces and scatter it over the onion. Then it melts down through the onion as the oven heats up.
• Add rice and consomme: Sprinkle 1 cup rice over the margarine and onion, then pour 2 cans beef consomme over the top. Keep the rice in an even layer so every grain sits in the liquid.
• Bake covered: Cover the dish and bake in the 350°F oven for 1 hour. Once the timer goes off, the rice should be tender and the consomme fully absorbed.

Tools for this recipe

• Pyrex 9x13 glass baking dish, Victorinox Fibrox 8-inch chef's knife. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use butter instead of margarine?

Yes, butter works as a one-for-one swap for the margarine. It gives the rice a slightly richer flavor, so you may want to taste before adding any extra salt.

Can I use white rice instead of brown rice?

You can, but white rice cooks faster than the hour this recipe bakes, so it may turn soft and mushy. If you swap, check it around 40 minutes and pull it once the liquid is absorbed.

How do I store and reheat leftover rice?

Let it cool, then keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat it covered in the microwave with a splash of water, since that brings back the moisture.

What can I use if I don't have a lid for the dish?

Wrap the dish tightly with aluminum foil, crimping the edges all the way around. The point is to trap the steam, so make sure there are no gaps.

What's the most common mistake with this baked rice?

Lifting the cover to check on it is the big one, because the escaping steam leaves you with firm, undercooked rice. Trust the full hour and look only once the timer goes off.