Buttery Bejeweled Rice

Name: Buttery Bejeweled Rice
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 8 whole scallions; ⅓ cup sliced almonds; ⅓ cup raw pistachios; 12 Tbsp unsalted butter; 2 large carrots; 2 tsp sugar; 1 Tbsp kosher salt; 5 cloves garlic; 3 cups long-grain rice; ¾ tsp ground cardamom; ¾ tsp ground cinnamon; ¾ tsp crushed red pepper flakes; ¾ tsp ground turmeric; 1 cup mixed unsweetened dried fruit; tart cherries; cranberries

A luxurious Middle Eastern-inspired rice pilaf studded with dried fruits, toasted nuts, and aromatic spices. This colorful dish features layers of buttery rice, caramelized carrots, and a beautiful arrangement of toppings that create a stunning presentation.

8 servings

1 hr 17 min

Published October 4, 2025

Be the first to rate this recipe

Ingredients

•8 whole scallions
•⅓ cup sliced almonds
•⅓ cup raw pistachios
•12 Tbsp unsalted butter
•2 large carrots
•2 tsp sugar
•1 Tbsp kosher salt
•5 cloves garlic
•3 cups long-grain rice
•¾ tsp ground cardamom
•¾ tsp ground cinnamon
•¾ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
•¾ tsp ground turmeric
•1 cup mixed unsweetened dried fruit
•tart cherries
•cranberries

Cooking Instructions

1.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Separate dark green parts from scallions; thinly slice dark green parts and white and pale green parts, keeping them separate. Set aside. Arrange almonds and pistachios on opposite sides of a rimmed baking sheet and toast until almonds are golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove almonds from baking sheet and toss pistachios. Return baking sheet with pistachios to oven and toast until golden brown, about 4 minutes longer. Let cool.
7 min
2.
Melt 3 Tbsp. butter in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but without having taken on any color, 10-12 minutes. Stir in sugar and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Transfer carrots to a medium bowl.
13 min
3.
Melt another 4 Tbsp. butter in the same pot over medium. Add garlic and reserved pale green and white parts of scallions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but without taking on any color, about 5 minutes. Stir in rice, cardamom, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, and turmeric and cook, stirring often, until some grains are translucent, about 3 minutes. Add 1 Tbsp. salt and 33/4 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover pot, and simmer until rice is tender, 25-30 minutes. Remove pot from heat; let sit 10 minutes to allow rice to steam longer.
48 min
4.
While rice is cooking, melt 2 Tbsp. butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add dried fruit and cook, stirring often, until fruit is plumped and softened, about 4 minutes. Set aside.
4 min
5.
Add remaining 3 Tbsp. butter to rice and fluff with a fork. Spoon pilaf onto a large platter. Top with neatly defined rows of dried fruit, almonds, pistachios, carrots, and reserved scallion greens, or, if you prefer, mix all the toppings into the rice before arranging on the platter.
5 min

Buttery Bejeweled Rice

8 servings

1 hr 17 min

Published October 4, 2025

Be the first to rate this recipe

Ingredients

•8 whole scallions

•⅓ cup sliced almonds

•⅓ cup raw pistachios

•12 Tbsp unsalted butter

•2 large carrots

•2 tsp sugar

•1 Tbsp kosher salt

•5 cloves garlic

•3 cups long-grain rice

•¾ tsp ground cardamom

•¾ tsp ground cinnamon

•¾ tsp crushed red pepper flakes

•¾ tsp ground turmeric

•1 cup mixed unsweetened dried fruit

•tart cherries

•cranberries

Cooking Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Separate dark green parts from scallions; thinly slice dark green parts and white and pale green parts, keeping them separate. Set aside. Arrange almonds and pistachios on opposite sides of a rimmed baking sheet and toast until almonds are golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove almonds from baking sheet and toss pistachios. Return baking sheet with pistachios to oven and toast until golden brown, about 4 minutes longer. Let cool.

7 min

Melt 3 Tbsp. butter in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but without having taken on any color, 10-12 minutes. Stir in sugar and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Transfer carrots to a medium bowl.

13 min

Melt another 4 Tbsp. butter in the same pot over medium. Add garlic and reserved pale green and white parts of scallions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but without taking on any color, about 5 minutes. Stir in rice, cardamom, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, and turmeric and cook, stirring often, until some grains are translucent, about 3 minutes. Add 1 Tbsp. salt and 33/4 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover pot, and simmer until rice is tender, 25-30 minutes. Remove pot from heat; let sit 10 minutes to allow rice to steam longer.

48 min

While rice is cooking, melt 2 Tbsp. butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add dried fruit and cook, stirring often, until fruit is plumped and softened, about 4 minutes. Set aside.

4 min

Add remaining 3 Tbsp. butter to rice and fluff with a fork. Spoon pilaf onto a large platter. Top with neatly defined rows of dried fruit, almonds, pistachios, carrots, and reserved scallion greens, or, if you prefer, mix all the toppings into the rice before arranging on the platter.

5 min