You will love our Greek rice-pilafi! Toasted pine nuts, chestnuts, and cranberries create a unique and irresistible flavor to complement your main course. Inspired by our popular turkey stuffing, this savory dish will impress your guests, leaving them wanting more.
If you love our Greek Rice-Pilafi, you will also love this Spanakorizo-Spinach and Rice, Chicken Meatballs And Lemon Rice or Za’atar Lemon Chicken with Orzo!
Why this recipe sings
What is a pilaf-pilafi?
- Pilafi is a traditional rice dish in Greece, Turkey (pilaf), the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and Latin America.
- In Turkish, the word pilaf means a ball of rice.
- A pilafi is almost always cooked with onions, butter, broth, and spices and can include dried fruit, nuts, and other regional ingredients.
- A pilaf is a terrific side dish for roasts and meat dishes. It can be served on a platter shaped with the help of a cake pan.
Here is what you need
- Onion. A significant ingredient in a pilafi.
- Pine nuts, dried cranberries, and chestnuts. Some of the key ingredients in the classic Greek turkey stuffing provide flavor and texture to this pilafi. Substitute raisins for cranberries.
- Rum. The cranberries soak in rum to plump up. The rum is added to deglaze and flavor the rice. Use dry white wine instead or omit it from the recipe.
- Parboiled rice. The parboil process helps the rice stay firm and retain its texture even if you serve it later in the day. Basmati and Jasmine can be good substitutes.
- Cinnamon stick. The aroma and flavor of cinnamon are essential to this pilaf.
- Broth. Chicken or vegetable broth works well.
- Olive oil and butter.
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
- For serving, you can add some parsley (not shown) for color. It is optional.
- You will also need an oven-proof skillet. If one is unavailable, cook the pilafi on the stovetop using the same method principles, checking it often in case you need to adjust the cooking time or liquids.
How to make this Greek rice pilaf-pilafi
Preheat the oven to 340°F / 170°C.
Open the pan, add the remaining butter, and mix gently until incorporated. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Serve immediately or cover with aluminum foil until serving.
How to enjoy this Greek rice pilafi
Enjoy our Greek rice-pilafi as a delicious side with roasted pork or a traditional leg of lamb. Other dishes you can enjoy it with are classic biftekia-Greek burgers, aromatic pork steaks and our mouthwatering lemon chicken.
olive oil guide
Everything You Wanted To Know About Olive Oil
Olive oil is an essential ingredient in the Greek cuisine. Greece is one of the largest producers of olive oil in the world. Learn a bit of its history, harvest, production, and how to choose the right olive oil for your recipes.
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Greek Rice-Pilafi
Equipment
- oven-proof skillet medium size
Ingredients
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup rum
- ½ cup pine nuts
- ½ cup butter total, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 1 cup parboiled rice
- ½ cup chestnuts precooked, cut in half
- 1-2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 cups broth chicken or vegetable
- sea salt
- freshly ground pepper
For serving-optional
- parsley leaves roughly chopped
Instructions
- In a bowl, soak the dried cranberries in the rum for 15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 340°F / 170°C.
- Heat one tablespoon of butter in an oven-proof pot over medium-high heat. Add the pinenuts and toast for a couple of minutes while stirring continuously.
- Heat one tablespoon of butter in an oven-proof pot over medium-high heat. Add the pinenuts and toast for a couple of minutes while stirring continuously.
- Transfer the pinenuts to a plate with a slotted spoon. Add a tablespoon of olive oil and saute the onion until soft and fragrant.
- Add the rice and sauté for another 30 seconds, stirring. Add the pinenuts, chestnuts, the cranberries, and the rum, and continue sauteing for 1-2 minutes until the alcohol evaporates.
- Add the broth, season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper, and bring to a boil.
- Cover the pot for 25 minutes. Remove the rice from the oven and leave it covered for 5-10 minutes to continue cooking.
- Open the pan, add the remaining butter, and mix gently until incorporated. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.Serve immediately or cover with aluminum foil until serving.
Notes
Nutrition
