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Home » Mediterranean

Mediterranean Rice Pilaf; With Nuts And Dried Fruit

Published: Jan 9, 2023 by Amira · This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

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Aromatic, fluffy with a hint of sweetness, this rice pilaf is a pleasure to the eye and a feast in your mouth.
Total time 55 minutes
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Fluffy, fragrant rice pilaf with crunchy nuts and mildly sweet dried fruit. A great side dish for the holidays and gatherings. Mediterranean rice pilaf is lightly spiced and perfectly seasoned. A meal on its own.

Rice pilaf on a white serving platter.

This rice is the king of rice throughout the region. It is there in wedding parties, holidays and any gatherings for the matter. A great side for your turkey or rib roast. This epic golden rice will make everything tastes better.

Next time try this flavorful Middle Eastern yellow rice.

Jump to:
  • ❤️ Why You'll Love It
  • 🥄 Instructions
  • 💡 Expert Tips
  • 🍽️ Serve With
  • 👩‍🍳 Variations
  • 💬 FAQs
  • 📣 Related Recipes
  • 🥣 Equipment
  • Mediterranean Rice Pilaf

❤️ Why You'll Love It

This rice pilaf is loaded with spices, nuts, and dried fruits to celebrate almost any occasion. It has earthy flavors and aroma that will melt your heart. A comfort food by all means.

Rice is a staple in the region, it is eaten in great quantities especially at dinner. When I was growing up we only had two kinds of rice, short grain and Basmati. Later on, many other sorts were introduced in the market.

One of my kiddos is obsessed with rice, he can eat rice at any time of the day. The most traditional rice that I cook is white rice with vermicelli or Instant Pot Basmati rice.

🥄 Instructions

Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The detailed instructions are in the recipe card below.

A collage of four images showing how to make rice pilaf.
  • In a pot over medium heat, caramelize sugar. Add onion and spices and mix well for a minute.
  • Now add the rice and ghee. Mix everything well and keep stirring for like two minutes or so.
  • Pour the cooking liquid and add the tomato paste mixing well to dissolve the paste. Season with salt and cook.
  • Now in a skillet over medium heat, roast nuts in ghee/ butter or oil. Remove from heat and mix in the dried fruits.

💡 Expert Tips

  • Keep a close eye in your pan when caramelizing sugar as it can burn easily.
  • Do not panic if part of the caramelized sugar gets stuck to the bottom of the pan, this will all come off when we add the cooking liquid.
  • You can make this pilaf in your rice cooker from A-Z. I've tried it before and I like it as you do not need to check for doneness especially if you are using a new to you kind of rice. Most rice cookers has saute options. So I made all the first steps on that setting then after adding the rice switch to white rice setting.

🍽️ Serve With

Usually this rice is served during holidays and festive time so it is quiet normal to find it right next to roasted turkey, turkey breast, leg of lamb and many festive holiday dishes.

👩‍🍳 Variations

  • Some people saute garlic with onions, I'm not used to adding garlic to this rice so I did not.
  • You can definitely use any sorts of nuts/dried fruits you like. Traditionally though, almonds and raisins are used. Here I've used pistachios and dry apricot for color as well. I also like the use of dry cranberry more than raisins but I just wanted to show you a more traditional dish.
Mediterranean rice pilaf on a black dish garnished with dried fruits.

💬 FAQs

What is the best rice to use for rice pilaf?

For this rice pilaf, you can use any kind you like. My mom used to make it with short grain Egyptian rice as this one was the most available back in the days. Later she started making it with Basmati rice. I liked using jasmine rice for its light scent, but as I said you can use whatever you like.

What type of cooking oil and fat to make rice pilaf?

Traditionally ghee is used and that's what I've used here to show you the recipe. You can use butter instead of canola oil for a completely vegan recipe. I like canola oil better here as an alternative for vegans as it has a neutral flavor and does not conflict with the other flavors in the rice.

📣 Related Recipes

  • Try this delicious and easy to follow Lebanese rice recipe, perfect side dish for any Middle Eastern meal. Garnish with fresh herbs or toasted pine nuts to boost flavors.
  • Nothing's better than a dish you can make in one pot, this creamy baked chicken and rice falls into that categoy. Rich, lightly seasoned with super tender chicken you'll want to lick the pot and the spoon!
  • Chicken Kabsa is a fragrant rice with tender chicken from Saudi Arabia.
  • Roasted rice with nuts and raisins, a festive Middle Eastern rice pilaf.
  • These stuffed grape leaves are delicious and easy to prepare. They're perfect for parties or as an appetizer.
  • Chicken and yellow rice is an easy and tasty meal, great for a weeknight dinner.
  • There's nothing more comforting than a warm, richly flavored Middle Eastern rice with chicken. This recipe includes aromatic spices, vegetables and tender fall of the bone chicken.

🥣 Equipment

The following are affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

This Aroma rice cooker is my friend, I use it almost daily to cook different kinds of rice. Of course I can cook rice on stove top, but being a mom of 3 plus running a business, I like the set and forget kind of cooking. of course you can get one for a couple of hundreds more but seriously this one is so good especially for the price. That's why this rice cooker is really dear to my heart.

I hope you'll like this recipe and please if you make this recipe, snap a pic and hashtag it #amiraspantry — I love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter!
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If you like this recipe do not forget to give it a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ star rating and attach a photo of your finished dish. It is always a pleasure of mine to see your photos and check your own take of the recipe. Thank you.

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Rice pilaf 0n a serving white platter.

Mediterranean Rice Pilaf

Aromatic, fluffy with a hint of sweetness, this rice pilaf is a pleasure to the eye and a feast in your mouth.
5 from 6 votes
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Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mediterranean, Middle East
Diet: Halal
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 197kcal
Author: Amira

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar.
  • 1 cup onion diced.
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon.
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • A dash of ground cloves.
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste.
  • 1 ½ cups jasmine rice
  • 1 ½ Tablespoons ghee.
  • 2 ¼ cup water or chicken stock.
  • 1 Tablespoon tomato paste.

For the nut mixture:

  • 1 Tablespoons ghee or butter.
  • ½ cup raisins.
  • ¼ cup dried apricot sliced.
  • ¼ cup pistachios.
  • ½ cup almonds.

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, soak raisins in some hot water for 15-20 minutes.
  • In a pan over medium heat, add sugar and keep stirring until it caramelizes and turns amber color.
  • Add diced onion and keep stirring for about 1 minutes.
  • Add cinnamon, black pepper and ground cloves, stirring together.
  • Add rice salt and ghee, stir everything well together.
  • Pour in liquid then add tomato paste, stir well to dissolve.
  • Bring to a boil uncovered.
  • Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 20-25 minutes.

Toast the nuts:

  • In a skillet melt ghee, add pistachios and almonds stir for 2-3 minutes until lightly toasted, turn heat off.
  • Drain raisins and add to the hot skillet along with the dried apricot and toss everything together.
  • Serve rice on a platter garnished with nut mixture and chopped parsley if desired.

Notes

  • You can use any type of rice you like Basmati, short grain, brown just adjust the cooking liquid accordingly.
  • You can use any type of stock or even water. In fact I like this recipe more with water.
  • Do not freak out if the caramelize sugar sticks to the pan it will all come off when we add liquids.
Please check the nutrition disclaimer policy.

Nutrition

Calories: 197kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.001g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 327mg | Potassium: 278mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 260IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 1mg
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First published Dec 7, 2018 . Last updated January 9, 2023 with important tips, clear step by step instructions and readability.

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About Amira

I’m overjoyed that you have stopped by! My hope is to introduce you to new flavors, creative ways and fresh takes on favorites. To help you create food with style that will bring everyone around your kitchen table. From weeknight dinners for crazy busy days to desserts with the “wow” factor, and classic comforts from the Mediterranean. One thing in common, they are all recipes that have been tried and tested by family and friends.

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Comments

  1. Ethel Byrnes

    October 09, 2021 at 1:08 pm

    Amira I made your Mediterranean pilaf with dried fruits and nuts. It was pretty & delicious. I would like to bring it to an out of town Thanksgiving get together. Can it be made the night before & reheated? If so, what method would you use to reheat?

    Reply
    • Amira

      October 19, 2021 at 12:45 pm

      Ethel, thank you so much for trying the recipe, I am glad you liked it. Yes of course you can make it ahead of time. Make the rice as is and when you toast the nuts do not put them over the rice, keep them in a separate container or better if you can toast them before serving. Heat the rice as you usually do with a small splash of water on medium low heat until thoroughly heated.

      Reply
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Hey Y'all, I'm Amira.
I’m overjoyed that you have stopped by!
I send warm greetings from sunny Colorado. This blog combines weeknight dinners for crazy busy days to desserts with the “wow” factor, and classic comforts from the Mediterranean.
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