Persian Jeweled Rice combines fragrant Basmati rice with warm spices, sweet dried fruits, and crunchy chopped nuts to create the most flavorful rice you’ll ever taste. Perfect as a side dish, it complements all your favorite main courses and is guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Jeweled Rice Recipe
If you’ve never had Persian jeweled rice, prepare to be amazed! One of our favorite side dishes, this recipe will transform the way you think about rice for good. Not only is it delicious, but it also:
- Cooks in less than 30 minutes.
- Makes a large batch, meaning it’s great for feeding a crowd.
- Pairs amazingly with all your favorite main courses.
- Stores well to enjoy throughout the week.
What Is Persian Jeweled Rice?
Also known as Persian wedding rice, Persian jeweled rice is a sweet rice pilaf of sorts that is typically served at weddings and celebrations to bring sweetness to the new couple. Although it can be found in many variations, it always features a combination of fruit, nuts, spices, and saffron. As a result, it’s warm in flavor with a hint of sweetness that makes it unlike anything else you’ll ever taste!
Ingredients You’ll Need
This Persian jeweled rice utilizes a variety of ingredients for a unique flavor composition. Here’s everything you’ll need:
- Rice – Long-grain Basmati rice works best for this recipe.
- Ghee – This adds a rich, buttery flavor and helps cook the onion. If needed, swap it out with regular butter instead.
- Onion – This is cooked in ghee to add a slightly sweet, savory flavor.
- Saffron Threads – These are crumbled and soaked in hot water and used to add an earthy, fruity taste. We love to use threads instead of dried saffron because they hold their flavor longer.
- Spices – A combination of ground cinnamon, ground cardamom, allspice, black pepper, cumin, and salt creates a warm, sweet flavor with just a hint of spice.
- Fruit – Dried figs, golden raisins, and cranberries or cherries add a slightly chewy texture, sweet flavor, and extra texture.
- Nuts – Slivered almonds and chopped pistachios are added for a crunchy texture and nutty flavor.
- Parsley – The freshness of the herb helps brighten the rest of the flavors for a well-rounded dish.
How to Make Persian Jeweled Rice
This jeweled rice looks super fancy, but it’s easy to make! Follow the steps below, and it’s ready in no time.
- Prepare the Rice. In a colander, rinse the rice under cold water until it runs clear, and drain.
- Boil. Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot, and add 2 tablespoons of salt. Add the rinsed rice, and bring the water back to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer the rice back to the colander, drain it well, and rinse it immediately under cold water to stop the cooking process.
- Sauté. Heat the ghee in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, and sauté until it is softened.
- Combine. Moisten the onions with 2 tablespoons of the saffron water, and stir in the spices. Continue to cook for another minute before adding the dried fruit. Add the rice to the pot along with the renaming saffron water, and stir to combine.
- Cook. Cover the pot, and cook over medium-low heat until the rice is tender.
- Garnish. Add the nuts and parsley, and serve warm!
Serving Suggestions
This Persian jeweled rice can be paired with all your favorite main courses for a delicious meal! Here are some of our picks that we serve it with:
How to Store
If you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, this Persian jeweled rice can be transferred to an airtight container and stored in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Then, when you’re ready to eat, we recommend heating your rice in a skillet on the stovetop. Add a few splashes of water, cover it with a lid, and let it warm over medium heat until your desired temperature is reached.
More Tasty Rice Recipes
Ready for more easy rice-based recipes? Here are a few more that we adore!
Persian Jeweled Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups uncooked Basmati rice
- Salt to taste
- 3 Tablespoons ghee
- 1 large onion finely diced
- 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads crumbled and soaked in ¼ cup hot water
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ⅓ cup dried figs or apricots chopped
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
- 1/2 dried cranberries or cherries
- 1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds
- Optional: 1/2 cup toasted pistachios chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- In a colander, rinse the Basmati rice with water until the water runs clear. Drain.
- In a large pot, bring 3 quarts of water to a boil, and season with 2 tablespoons of salt. Add the rinsed rice, and bring the water back to a boil. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain the rice again, and immediately rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.
- In a large pot over medium heat, heat the ghee. Add the onion, season with salt, and cook 4-5 minutes or until salt.
- Moisten the onion with 2 tablespoons of the saffron water, and stir in the cinnamon, cardamom, allspice, black pepper, and cumin. Cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in the figs, raisins, and cherries or cranberries. Add the parboiled rice and remaining saffron water, stirring to combine.
- Cover, and cook on medium-low heat for 10-12 minutes or until the rice is tender.
- Garnish with toasted almonds, pistachios, and parsley, if desired. Serve warm!
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Would you like to save this? 🔖
We’ll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
