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Orange Cranberry Rice Pilaf
This Orange-Cranberry Rice Pilaf is a perfect blend of sweet, savory, and nutty flavors. Easy to make and elegant enough for entertaining, it’s a versatile side dish for any meal, any time of year!
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Servings: 6
Calories: 299kcal
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Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 1 cup parboiled long-grain rice
- ½ cup orzo pasta
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 2 navel oranges zested and juiced
- ½ cup dried cranberries chopped
- 6 green onions finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves minced
- ½ cup slivered almonds toasted
Instructions
Sauté the Aromatics
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the chopped onion and sauté until it becomes translucent, about 3–4 minutes.
Toast the Orzo and Rice
- Stir in the orzo pasta and cook, stirring frequently, until it turns golden brown, about 2 minutes.
- Add the parboiled rice, minced garlic, and fresh thyme. Sauté for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
Simmer the Pilaf
- Pour in the chicken stock, freshly squeezed orange juice, and orange zest. Stir to combine.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover with a lid and let it cook for about 20 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the liquid is fully absorbed.
Fluff and Garnish
- Remove the saucepan from the heat. Fluff the rice with a fork.
- Gently fold in the chopped dried cranberries, toasted slivered almonds, and green onions.
- Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
Ingredient Swaps
- Rice Substitute: Regular long-grain white rice can be used instead of parboiled rice, but cooking time may increase slightly.
- Broth Options: Vegetable broth can replace chicken stock for a vegetarian version.
- Nut-Free Alternative: Omit the almonds or replace them with toasted pumpkin seeds for a similar crunch.
- Herb Swap: If fresh thyme isn’t available, substitute with ½ teaspoon dried thyme.
- Melt the butter in a pan, sauté the onions, orzo, and rice as directed, then transfer everything to a slow cooker.
- Add the chicken stock, orange juice, and zest. Cover and cook on LOW for 2–3 hours or until the rice is tender.
- Stir in cranberries, almonds, and green onions before serving.
- Set the Instant Pot to Sauté mode and melt the butter. Add onions, followed by orzo and rice, and toast as instructed.
- Pour in the chicken stock, orange juice, and zest. Stir, then seal the lid and set to Manual (High Pressure) for 5 minutes.
- Allow a natural pressure release for 10 minutes, then manually release any remaining pressure.
- Fluff with a fork, stir in cranberries, almonds, and green onions, and serve.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 299kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 165mg | Potassium: 342mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 429IU | Vitamin C: 32mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 1mg
*Nutrition information is automatically calculated based on ingredient data and should be considered an estimate. When multiple ingredient options are provided, the first listed is used for calculation. Optional ingredients and garnishes are not included in the nutrition analysis.