Mediterranean Rice

5 from 58 votes

Mediterranean Yellow Rice makes a delicious side dish all year long. The recipe starts with sautéing onions and aromatic mediterranean spices in olive oil. The rice pilaf turns out fluffy, flavorful and full of textures, thanks for the addition of sweet currants and crunchy toasted almonds.

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Course: dinner, Side Dish

Cuisine: Greek, Mediterranean

Servings:

Calories: 173kcal

Author: Agnieszka

Ingredients

1 cup white basmati rice see note
1 ¾ cup water or vegetable or chicken broth
1 small onion diced small
2 garlic cloves
3 tablespoon currants
3 tablespoon toasted sliced almonds or pine nuts
½ teaspoon kosher or pink Himalayan salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

Heat up olive oil in a medium-sized pot, add diced onion together with turmeric powder, cumin and cinnamon. Cook for a few minutes on medium heat stirring often. Add garlic and cook for another minute stirring constantly until fragrant.
Toast the rice. Add raw rice, salt and pepper to the onion-garlic mixture and toast stirring until golden brown, 3-4 minutes.
Pour in water, vegetable chicken broth and turn the heat down to simmer.
Cover the pot with a lid and cook for 12-15minutes until tender and fluffy. All liquid should be absorbed.
Turn the heat off, open the lid and cover the pot with a clean kitchen towel. Place the lid back on. This step helps remove the steam and prevents the rice from going soggy.
Stir in currants and sliced almonds or pine nuts.
Taste the rice and season with more salt and pepper, if needed.

Notes

White basmati rice works best in this recipe but if you don't have any, swap it for jasmine rice or regular white rice. Brown rice can also be used but it needs to be cooked longer, 25-30 minutes.

If desired, stir in fresh chopped parsley leaves and squeeze in some lemon juice.

Nutrition