This festive cranberry rice recipe is not only super simple it is also flavorful and pretty which makes it ideal for the holiday season. Incorporate it into your Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year feasts.
Why we ❤️ it
We have in our collection our favorite Christmas rice pilaf recipe, but there cannot be too many rice side dishes for our holiday menu. This was a recipe that we had on the blog for many years, but we've recently given it its own page.
This tasty rice with cranberries and nuts is perfect to serve something new this year or to have something extra special on your table.
Versions
If you don't like or don't have walnuts, you can make rice with cranberries and pecans or rice with cranberries and almonds by following the exact same instructions and just substituting for your favorite nuts. Pine nuts are also great in this dish.
About this recipe
This colorful, tender rice, with the contrasting flavor of the slightly sweet and sour dried cranberries, and the crispiness of the toasted walnuts is perfect with lechón asado, Dominican pavo, or Christmas chicken, our favorite holiday meat dishes.
This recipe yields 6 servings of about 1 cup of rice each.
Video
Recipe
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[Recipe + Video] Festive Cranberry Rice Pilaf with Walnuts
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1½ cup chopped walnuts, plus whole walnuts for garnishing
- 6 g saffron threads, plus extra strands for garnish (you can also garnish with minced parsley)
- 3 cup rice
- 6 cups vegetable broth, or homemade vegetable broth recipe, or homemade chicken broth recipe, salted to taste[1.5 liter] boiling hot
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1½ cup dry cranberries, (crasins)
Instructions
Toasting walnuts: In a thick-bottom pot (cast aluminum or cast iron) heat the oil over medium heat. Stir in the walnuts and cook stirring until a slightly darker color. Remove the walnuts from the oil and set them aside.- Cooking rice: Add the saffron to the oil and stir, add the rice to the heated oil, sauté stirring until the grains are coated with oil, and turn a slightly yellow color. Pour in the vegetable broth, stir. Simmer and stir often to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom.Boil over medium flame, stirring often, until the liquid has almost all evaporated. Add the cranberries to the rice mixture and stir to combine. Lower the heat, cover with a tight-fitting lid and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir the rice and simmer covered for another 10 minutes, or until the rice is cooked through.Uncover and mix in the toasted walnuts. Remove from the stove.
- Serving: Spoon the rice on a serving platter and sprinkle with whole walnuts and saffron strands.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated automatically based on ingredients listed. Please consult your doctor if you need precise nutritional information.
