Enjoy a burst of color and flavor with our quick-and-easy mixed vegetable rice recipe! Djuvec rice is perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or as a side dish for your next gathering.
🤔 What is djuvec rice?
Djuvec is a traditional Balkan dish with fluffy rice, vegetables, and spices. The name "djuveč" (pronounced joovetch) comes from the Turkish word "duvec or güveç," which means stew or casserole.
It is a popular dish in many Balkan countries, including Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia, and Montenegro.
Rice stewed with vegetables is perfect for vegetarians and vegans because it's a delicious and healthy dish that can be served as a main course too!
It can be customized by adding different vegetables or spices. Make it your own and enjoy the flavourful possibilities.
🛒 What you need to make mixed vegetable rice:
- Rice - I used Basmati, but Jasmine rice is a good option too. If you prefer minute rice (or instant rice), adjust when to add it to the vegetables.
- Vegetable broth - you could also use water with a tablespoon of Vegeta (Croatian vegetable and herb-based seasoning) instead. If you're a meat eater, chicken stock or better than bouillon is the perfect base too.
- Chopped onion - use yellow (Spanish) or white.
- Chopped bell pepper - I like to use red or green pepper, but any color works here.
- Chopped carrot - I recently discovered that you could eat the peel if you make sure it's clean and not bruised. This is a great time to experiment with leaving the peel on!
- Minced garlic - if you're getting tired of chopping by this point, then you can use a garlic press or buy pre-minced garlic.
- Large tomatoes - you only need a couple, and it's worth making sure that they're good quality, ripe, meaty tomatoes with plenty of flavors! If that involves taste-testing an extra one, then that’s the right decision - raw vegetables are delicious!
- Fresh or frozen peas - I just use frozen since it means I always have them on hand. You don't even need to worry about defrosting them - add them straight into the dish with rice.
- Paprika - this helps to give the rice its gorgeous red color.
- Chili powder - vegetable rice isn't too spicy at all, but you can add more or omit it altogether.
- Oil - I use olive oil. You can substitute it with vegetable oil, canola, avocado, or grapeseed oil. Or use butter if you prefer!
- Salt and pepper to taste - don't forget that most broth is already pretty salty, so you shouldn't need as much as you would if you used water instead.
- If you like a garnish, some fresh parsley leaves work wonders here.
… and that's all! It looks like a long, long list, but most of it is veggies and pantry staples that pretty much everyone already has.
This means that you shouldn't need a long shopping list to enjoy this mixed vegetable rice regularly!
🔪 How to make rice with mixed vegetables
- Heat the oil and sauté the onion, pepper, and carrot until softened.
- Stir in the garlic and tomatoes and cook for another few minutes.
- Add the rice, peas, spices, and broth.
- Bring it to a boil, then lower it to a simmer and cover. Cook until liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally. Season to taste and garnish with parsley if you like.
❤️ What we love about this recipe
- It's gluten-free, which is excellent for those with allergies and intolerances!
- Quick and easy to make.
- Made in one skillet/one pot.
- Perfect with everything!
💡 Top tip
The rice-water ratio and cooking time will vary depending on the type of rice you use. Always check the packaging for cooking instructions. Generally, medium and long-grain white rice (and also Jasmin and Basmati rice) will cook between 15-20 minutes.
🍚 What is the best rice to use?
For this pilaf, I recommend a long-grain type of rice, like Jasmine, because it produces separate, fluffy grains that don't clump together when cooked.
You can use brown rice or wild rice for a healthier twist, but note that their cooking time and liquid requirement differ.
Ultimately, the choice of rice depends on personal preference and availability.
👩🍳 Helpful Tips
Here are some tips to help you create a delicious vegetable rice recipe:
- Choose the right rice: Use long-grain rice such as Basmati or Jasmine for the best results.
- Use a cast-iron skillet or a non-stick pan to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom.
- Don't overcook the rice - it can become mushy and lose its texture.
- Add protein: You can add protein to the dish by adding some cooked chicken, shrimp, or tofu.
- Garnish with fresh herbs: Garnish the dish with fresh herbs such as parsley or scallions (green onions) for a pop of color and added flavor.
👉 Variations
✔️ You can add a protein of your choice for a satisfying, comforting dinner that's quick, easy, and can just about feed an entire army! Try adding diced chicken as I do in my one-pot chicken rice dinner, but beef or veal is also a delicious choice.
✔️ Grab a bag of frozen mixed veggies (usually peas, corn, chopped carrots, and green beans) or add any combinations of vegetables you have on hand:
- celery
- mushrooms
- zucchini
- yellow squash
- corn
- cauliflower
- broccoli
Note: keep the total amount of diced/chopped vegetables to no more than 2 cups.
✔️ Add herbs and spices: Add your favorite herbs and spices to the rice for added flavor. Try adding cumin, coriander, turmeric, or ginger.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
I usually serve it simply with grilled meat, but you'll love it with these dishes too:
- Mix it with this Columbian chicken stew.
- Parmesan-crusted salmon and mixed veggie rice are meant to be together!
- Two-bean chili con carne - put the rice on the bottom of your bowl and top with chili - delish!
- Try it with this German meatloaf.
- Pair it with sausage and peppers!
🗄️ Storage Instructions
Refrigerate: Allow the djuvec vegetable rice to cool to room temperature. Transfer it to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Reheat: When ready to eat, simply reheat in the microwave. It tastes just as delicious when reheated.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Stir in canned vegetables at the end, pop on the lid, and let it sit for a bit to get those veggies nice and warm!
Maybe you used too much liquid. It helps to let the rice sit, covered, for about 10 minutes after finished cooking.
For the perfect result, you'll want to use regular rice in this recipe. Anything else won't work as written.
To cook the rice to perfection, bring the mixture up to a boil - then reduce the heat and let it simmer. You can always add more liquid to cook it through.
Yes, this vegetable rice reheats well, and it's great for meal prep!
Rice with mixed veggies will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
I typically use 1:1 for Jasmin rice, but you can go up to 1:1 ¼.
👌Leftover Hack!
You can turn your leftovers into a delicious lunch with minimal effort. Make the most of any leftover vegetable rice by stirring in some rotisserie chicken and heating it in the microwave - top off with cheese for extra flavor!
🍚 Other rice dishes you'll love
🧡 LIKED THIS RECIPE? Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and/or a review in the comments section. 😋 HUNGRY FOR MORE? Subscribe to my Newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for the latest updates.
📖 Recipe
Mixed Vegetable Rice (Djuvec)
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked rice
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- ½ cup chopped onion
- ½ cup chopped bell pepper
- 1 medium carrot, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tomatoes
- 1 cup frozen or fresh peas
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon chili powder, optional
- 2 tablespoons oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley leaves for garnish
Instructions
- In a cast-iron skillet or a medium size pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Sauté onion, pepper, and carrot until softened, about 3 minutes.
- Add garlic and chopped tomatoes then cook for 5 more minutes stirring frequently.
- Mix in the rice, peas, paprika, and chili powder, if using. Next, add broth and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover, and cook until liquid is absorbed, about 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with chopped parsley leaves before serving.
Notes
- Choose the suitable rice: Use long-grain rice such as Basmati or Jasmine for the best results.
- Use a cast-iron skillet or a non-stick pan to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom.
- Don't overcook the rice - it can become mushy and lose its texture.
- Add protein: You can add protein to the dish by adding some cooked chicken, shrimp, or tofu.
- Garnish with fresh herbs: Garnish the dish with fresh herbs such as parsley or scallions (green onions) for a pop of color and added flavor.
- Substitute vegetable broth with water and a tablespoon of Vegeta, a popular vegetable and herb-based seasoning.
- For the best results, read additional tips in the post above.
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used.
Nutrition
Update Notes: This recipe was originally published in August 2014 and updated in April 2023 with new photos and recipe tips.
Sue says
Such an easy and tasty recipe, Thanks so much
Jas says
Glad you enjoyed it, Sue! Thanks for stopping in! 🙂
ZED says
Yap, this is just one way of how to make it. It is much more tasteful if rice is fried first on olive oil and then mixed with pan-fried vegetables.
BTW it is not Bosnian cuisine only, it is generally Balkan cuisine and it would be very much unfair to pin it just to one nation.
Origin of this dish is Turkey.
Jas says
You're not wrong. I always fry my rice first when I cook it alone, but here it gets infused with all the flavors of the meat and veggies. Also, it takes less time to make the dish. On the other note, I don't know what we were eating before the Ottoman Empire? Every dish has roots in Turkey, lol.
Ron says
A favorite takeaway dish for Eva and I. We have a local pizza joint that is owned by a BiH family and they offer djuvec rice on the weekends as well as Kvrgusa (I think that's how they spell it). We often get an order of the djuvec rice and take it home for a side dish to a grilled meal. But, I've never made it. No doubt, with your excellent tutorial, I soon will. Thanks for sharing...
Jas says
I'm so happy to read that, Ron! 😀 And, thanks for the reminder - I haven't had kvrgusa in ages! Hope the three of you are well. Thanks for stopping in...
Petra says
This rice looks and sounds great! I love to add vegetables and this looks like a delicious way to serve it!
Jas says
Thanks, Petra! It can really stand as a meal on its own 🙂
Jhuls @ The Not So Creative Cook says
I love everything in this rice! Yum! I think I'd need a bowl or two. 😀 Thanks for sharing at Fiesta Friday #177.
Jas says
Hi, Jhuls! It really is delicious! 🙂
Christina Makri says
It looks yummy indeed!!! I love rice so I'm gonna give it a try. Thank you for the recipe 🙂
Jas says
Thank you, Christina! Enjoy the rest of your day!
Alison's Allspice says
I love trying new foods from other cultures. This rice dish looks fantastic, and I do already have most of the ingredients!
Jas says
Hi, Alison! That's the beauty of it - having most of the ingredients for a different dish 🙂 Hope you like it!
Sue from Sizzling Towards 60 & Beyond says
This looks so yummy! Thanks for sharing with us at #overthemoon link party. I've pinned and shared. Have a great week and hope to see you link up next time.
Sue from Sizzling Towards Sixty & Beyond.
Jas says
Thanks, Sue!
Sandra says
With or without added protein this is the kind of dish I could eat on a regular basis. When our son was in the army one of his tours of duty was in Bosnia. I will ask him if this dish is familiar to him. Love your pictures and thank you for sharing with us at Celebrate Your Story, and I hope you’re having a great weekend.
Jas says
Thank you, Sandra! Ask you son which city he was in, mine is Banja Luka 🙂
Neesie says
Your post should have come with a warning because we are just coming up to dinner time, and now after seeing your photos I'm drooling and so hungry. This looks so tasty! Thanks for sharing 😀
Jas says
Haha, Neesie! Sorry 😀
image-in-ing: weekly photo linky says
Looks yummy! Great photos.
Jas says
Thank you!
Helen at the Lazy Gastronome says
Sounds really good!! Thanks for sharing on the What's for Dinner link up!
Jas says
Thank you!
fabiola says
This one looks great, similar to caribbean cuisine. Love it!!
Jas says
Thank you, Fabiola!
Lauren says
This looks delicious! I may try this tonight and pair it with some type of bean dish. Thanks! 🙂
allthatsjas says
Let me know how it turns out for you Lauren! Hugs, Jas