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Rice pilaf with almond and cranberry

How to Make Rice Pilaf Almond and Cranberry

By Tom · Updated

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  • About 1 hour
  • Easy

Learn how to make a light, fluffy rice pilaf at home. This recipe uses basmati rice, cranberries, and almonds, gently cooked with aromatics and spices for a dish that's comforting, fragrant, and perfect for two. Pilaf (or pilau) is a rice dish where the grains are first sautéed with aromatics, then simmered in broth until perfectly tender.

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The recipe

Rice pilaf with almond and cranberry

Learn how to make a light, fluffy rice pilaf at home.

  • 20 min prep
  • 17 min cooking
  • 23 min hands-off
  • Easy

Times and difficulty are our estimates from the method, not stopwatch figures.

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Measurements

Ingredients

(2 Servings)

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Method

  1. Step 1

    Rinse 200g rice (200 g) until water runs clear. Soak 15 min if possible, then drain.

  2. Step 2

    Toast 25g almonds (25 g) in a dry pan until golden, set aside.

  3. Step 3

    Heat 15g butter/oil in pot, add cumin (2 g), cinnamon, cardamom. Cook 30 seconds.

  4. Step 4

    Add the onion (1 onion) and garlic, sauté until soft.

  5. Step 5

    Stir in rice (200 g), coat in oil/spices for 1-2 min until lightly toasted.

  6. Step 6

    Add 420ml stock, 25g cranberries (25 g), turmeric (½ g), salt, pepper. Bring to boil.

  7. Step 7

    Lower heat, cover, cook 15 min.

  8. Step 8

    Turn off heat, leave covered 5-10 min, fluff with a fork.

  9. Step 9

    Top with almonds (25 g) + fresh herbs.

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Questions people ask

How long does rice pilaf with almond and cranberry take?

About 1 hour from start to finish: 20 min of prep, 17 min of cooking, and 23 min hands-off while it waits. That figure is worked out from the method rather than timed with a stopwatch, so give yourself a little more the first time.

How much does this make?

The original recipe did not state a yield, so nothing has been invented for it. The scale control on the recipe card multiplies the quantities instead, which is the honest version of the same thing.

Can I see the ingredients in ounces and pints?

Yes. The metric and imperial switch on the recipe card converts every quantity, rounded to amounts you can actually weigh or measure rather than to four decimal places. Your choice is remembered for every recipe on the site.