Oven-Baked Pilaf in Pots
Original, hearty, aromatic, and incredibly tasty! Oven-Baked Pilaf in Pots will help you out when you need to make a small amount of food or serve it in individual portions. In this form, pilaf is also perfect for a festive table.
Updated : 27 July, 2026
Easy
About 30 min.
Ingredients
800 grams
Lamb
450 grams
Rice
2
Onion
1
Carrot
4
Garlic
5 tablespoon
Vegetable oil
to taste
Dry spices
to taste
Salt
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Preparation
Step 1
How do you make pilaf in pots in the oven? Prepare the ingredients. Traditionally, pilaf is made with lamb, as I used, or beef. Since this recipe is adapted for modern everyday cooking, you can also use pork or chicken. You can use any rice: short-grain, long-grain, or parboiled. Parboiled rice is even best, as it makes the pilaf crumbly. I used a special pilaf rice.
Step 2
Rinse the rice very well under cool running water, about 7 times, until the water runs clear. Then cover the rice with water so it is fully submerged. Salt the water. Leave the rice to swell for 15 minutes.
Step 3
Rinse the meat, dry it well, and cut into small pieces, about 1.5 cm / about 1/2 inch in size.
Step 4
Cut the peeled onion into cubes.
Step 5
Wash and peel the carrot well, then cut it into large thin sticks. For pilaf, carrots are cut, not grated.
Step 6
Heat a pan and pour in the vegetable oil. There should be quite a lot of oil. Heat it well over high heat. Add the meat to the oil. Immediately start stirring it so a crust forms on the surface. This will make the meat softer, as the juices will be sealed inside. Fry the meat for about 5 minutes.
Step 7
Add the onion to the meat and mix. Fry for a few minutes.
Step 8
Add the carrot. Season with salt. Mix. Continue frying for another 5 minutes.
Step 9
Prepare the baking pots. Place a layer of meat with vegetables on the bottom. Sprinkle with spices. Cumin and barberries are traditionally added to pilaf, but you can also use a ready-made pilaf spice blend.
Step 10
Place the rice over the meat, draining the water from it beforehand. Insert 1 garlic clove into the center of each pot; there is no need to peel it.
Step 11
Pour boiling water into the pots so the water is 1.5 cm / about 1/2 inch above the rice.
Step 12
Cover the pots with lids, or with foil if they do not have lids. Bake the pilaf in the oven at 180°C / 356°F for 1 hour.
Step 13
Remove the finished pilaf from the oven and mix it. Then cover it again with a lid and let it stand for 20 minutes. Serve the dish. Pilaf is traditionally served with a salad of fresh tomatoes, onion, and herbs. Enjoy!
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