Jeweled Rice With Cranberry And Almonds
Jeweled Rice with Cranberries and Almond is the perfect holiday side dish. Packed with crunchy nuts, tart cranberries and a hint of orange, this jeweled rice has all the flavors of the holiday wrapped up in one bite.
Happy November, it’s officially Thanksgiving season and it’s time to start planning your holiday menu. It’s not too early to start because when trying new recipes it’s best to test them out before the big day. Do you find yourself making the same dishes year after year? All month long I will be sharing a ton of holiday recipes that will help you conquer thanksgiving this year. I will show you classic dishes with a twist like Chipotle Whipped Sweet Potatoes, Collard Greens with Coconut Milk and Orange Herb Dry Brine that perfect for turkey or chicken.
Side dishes can be a bit challenging but my Jeweled Rice with Cranberry and Almonds is the perfect side dish. I’ve been making this rice for years and it’s still a favorite of mine and I’ve shared it before on the blog but decided to update it a bit. Packed with crunchy nuts, tart cranberries and a hint of orange, this jeweled rice has all the flavors of the holiday wrapped up in one bite. 
When deciding what thanksgiving sides to serve, start by thinking about how easy the dish is to make. You don’t want any dishes that are too complicated because most likely you will be preparing multiple dishes at one. The turkey is the star of the table and usually requires a little more attention, so be sure to pick dishes that are easy and try to add some that can be made ahead. Rice dishes are always great because they can be made a day in advance. This rice can be made a day ahead; simply add the cranberry, slivered almond and garnish when ready to serve! Your guests will love this jeweled rice and the best part is, you didn’t have to break a sweat to make it. I will be adding new all the way through thanksgiving so be sure to follow me on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Pinterest to keep up.
Get the Recipe Jeweled Rice with cranberries and almonds
Ingredients
- 1 tsp oil
- ½ onion, finely chopped
- 1 ½ tsp crushed garlic
- 2 cups long grained white rice
- 1 tsp dried ginger
- 1/2 tsp dried red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp orange zest
- 3 ½ cups chicken stock
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 cup dried cranberries, chopped
- ½ cup slivered almonds, toasted
- parsley
Instructions
- In a pan large enough to hold the rice over a medium fire, heat oil. Add onion and sauté for 2 minutes then add garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds.
- Add rice, ginger,red pepper flakes and orange zest and cook for about 3 minutes stirring frequently. Add chicken stock and salt; stir to prevent rice from sticking to the bottom. Bring to a boil then lower the heat to simmer then cover pot.
- Cook until rice is tender but not mushy, for about 20 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in chopped cranberries and almonds or your choice of dried fruit and nut combination. Garnish with finely chopped parley.
That story is awesome!!!!’ Had me laughing & thinking of my lovely mom who is never afraid to take piece of a plant that she likes! Very funny! And that dinner looks deeeelish!
I loved that branch.
Nice! I love that snow…so jealous. And love this rice!
Pretty, and so festive! It is a wonderful time of year~
You are too funny!!! 🙂 I love to read your stories.
The holidays never fail to sneak up. Always, always, always. It’s not their fault. The rest of us just wait until the last minute. It’s much more fun to make a great dinner anyways. 🙂
That photo of the snow covered tree is beautiful, as is the photo of the delicious sounding rice!
If you think you’re sneaky, I once sent the kids out in the dark to trim the pyracantha bushes by the road for Thanksgiving decorations. I figured they wouldn’t arrest 10 years olds for trimming shrubs on public property!
Judy, thank you for the laugh. That reminds me of when I was a child and my sister would send me to break off pieces of plants from our neighbors yards so that she can add them to her garden.
You had me laughing so hard. That was something that I would do in a heart beat. I will try the rice recipe. It looks great. Thanks so much. You know, back in Guyana when I was a child, most people shared a “piece” of their plants with you- and that’s how most people got their flower gardens.
Can this be done with regular long grain rice, like Uncle Ben’s rice
Hi Beverly, this was made with long grained rice. You can make it with any rice you like but you may have to adjust the quantity of the liquid and cooking time.