This Vibrant Cranberry Saffron Rice combines fluffy jasmine rice, aromatic saffron, tart cranberries and raisins, pistachios, and fresh thyme. Ready in under 30 minutes, enjoy this bright and beautiful rice recipe with all your dinnertime favorites including baked chicken, stew, or 15-minute pork chops.
What is Saffron?
Saffron is a spice derived from the flower, crocus sativus – also known as the “saffron crocus”. Thought to have originated in Greece, you will now find most of the world’s saffron grown in Iran, Greece, Morocco, and India. The delicate crimson-colored stigma and styles, called threads, are collected from the crocus sativus where they are then dried and used as a seasoning for natural food coloring.
Known as the world’s most expensive spice, the reason why is that each flower only produces three threads (stigmas) of saffron, and the flower blooms for only one week each year. Additionally, all saffron is harvested by hand.
How do you know if you have good-quality saffron? Take a sniff – how does it smell? It should smell a bit like sweet hay. It should also a collection of all red stigmas, not a mixture of red stigmas and yellow stamens.
But what does it taste like? Describing saffron is extremely complicated. There’s no one word, description, or way to describe it. It’s subtle and fragrant, perhaps somewhat bitter, sweet, and grass-like.
How to Make Cranberry Saffron Rice
Step 1: Cook your rice
Next, fill a large, shallow saucepan with at least 6 quarts (12 cups) of water plus 2 tablespoons of oil, and a generous pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and add the rice. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover with a lid. Cook your rice for 4-5 minutes (that’s it) before checking the doneness. Check the doneness of your rice by carefully removing 3-4 grains of rice from your pot (it helps to use a long wooden spoon). Use your thumb and index finger to squish the grains between your fingers. Rice should be soft (not mushy) with a slight bite, or “al dente”. Try not to overcook.
Remove from heat. Drain, and rinse in a fine mesh colander then set aside in a large serving bowl.
Step 2: Prepare the saffron
To prepare the saffron water, mix together 1 teaspoon ground saffron threads with 1/4 cup hot water (or chicken broth). Add 1 teaspoon salt and granulated sugar. Steep for several minutes, or until the water becomes a deep yellow color.
Step 3: Warm your dried fruit and combine
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the dried cranberries and golden raisins- mix well. Sprinkle with salt and continue to mix until warm. Add the pistachios to the skillet and toast, stirring frequently, for an additional 1-2 minutes, being careful to prevent the nuts from burning. Remove from heat and gently mix with the rice. Finally, drizzle the prepared saffron water over the rice and mix well to combine. Garnish with fresh chopped thyme.
Can I Make This Saffron Rice Ahead of Time?
Yes. This recipe is both easily made ahead of time (at least, for the most part) and delicious leftover.
- The rice is the easiest part to prepare ahead of time and store in the refrigerator. It will show little effects of storing and reheating and look as if you had just prepared it that afternoon.
- You may sauté the cranberries and raisins but skip the pistachios. When stored in the refrigerator, pistachios lose their crunch and turn stale. Definitely add them just before serving.
- I also recommend waiting to add the saffron until just before serving.
What to Serve with Cranberry Saffron Rice
My favorite way to serve this easy rice recipe is with a protein, salad (or veggie) side, dip, and flatbread.
Protein favorites? Chicken skewers, marinated Greek chicken, lamb chops, or simple garlic butter steak bites. Of course, if you’re not a meat-eater, these grilled veggie skewers are a delicious alternative.
My favorite salad and veggie recipes to serve alongside this rice include this easy chopped Mediterranean salad or this balsamic tomato basil salad (though, you may want to skip the basil and substitute the balsamic vinegar for red wine vinegar). Welcome vegetables include sliced tomatoes, cucumber, or roasted vegetables like Brussels sprouts and asparagus.
But don’t forget the flatbread…or the hummus, baba ganoush, muhammara, or tzatziki!
More Rice Recipes,
- Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe
- Jamaican Rice and Peas Recipe
- One-Pot Mushroom Rice Pilaf Recipe
- Cranberry Wild Rice Pilaf with Sweet Potatoes
- Rice Pudding with Golden Raisins (Arroz con Leche)
If you try making this Cranberry Saffron Rice Recipe, please leave me a comment and let me know! I always love to hear your thoughts.
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Cranberry Saffron Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil - divided
- 2 cups white rice - washed
- 1/4 cup hot water - or boiled chicken broth
- 1 tbsp crushed saffron threads
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup dried yellow raisins
- 1/2 cup pistachios
- Fresh thyme - for serving
Instructions
- Transfer rice to a fine-mesh strainer (or bowl) and rinse with several changes of freshwater.
- Fill a large, shallow saucepan with at least 6 quarts (12 cups) of water, 2 tablespoons of oil, and a generous pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and add the rice. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 4-5 minutes. Text the doneness of your rice by carefully removing 3-4 grains of rice from the pot using a long wooden spoon. Use your thumb and index finger to squish the grains to check for doneness. Rice should be soft (not mushy) with a slight bite, or "al dente". Do not overcook!
- Remove from heat and drain, and rinse in a fine mesh colander. Set aside.
- To prepare the saffron water, mix together 1 teaspoon ground saffron threads with 1/4 cup hot water (or chicken broth). Add 1 teaspoon salt and granulated sugar. Steep for several minutes, or until the water becomes a deep yellow color.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the dried cranberries and golden raisins- mix well. Sprinkle with salt and continue to mix until warm. Add the pistachios to the skillet and toast, stirring frequently, for an additional 1-2 minutes, being careful to prevent the nuts from burning. Remove from heat and gently mix with the rice. Finally, drizzle the prepared saffron water over the rice and mix well to combine. Garnish with fresh chopped thyme and serve. Enjoy!
- Finally, drizzle the prepared saffron water over the rice and mix well to combine. Garnish with fresh chopped thyme.
