Pilau was likely brought from Central Asia to the Anatolian plateau during the Seljuk period. With the founding of the Ottoman Empire, the Turks introduced pilav to the Balkans and Greece. It is also possible that Pilau was brought during the Hellenistic age after the Greek conquest of Persia. Pilav is also a main component of Armenian cooking. However, Armenians often prepare pilav with cracked bulgur rather than rice.

Pulao is a South Asian dish made of rice. It is made with peas, potatoes, mutton, beef or chicken. Usually served on special occasions and weddings; very high in food energy and fat. Biryani is an Indian and Pakistani dish very similar to pilav. It is made from basmati or similar aromatic rice. This is an original mughal dish introduced to India during the mughal period.

In America , the Southern rice crops and the influence of the spice trade made the dish popular. Pilau has been a popular dish in many Southern states for 300 years, particularly South Carolina, Florida, and Louisiana. Jambalaya is a Cajun Creole rice based dish popular in Louisiana.