Mediterranean Rice

I’m always excited to make this simple Mediterranean Rice! It’s packed with warm, comforting spices like cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves, and the flavors really pop with every bite. The rice gets a gorgeous color from turmeric, and the toasty pine nuts, almonds, and sweet raisins on top make it extra special. Plus, it’s super easy to make! I love serving it with grilled meats or roasted veggies, but honestly, I could eat it all by itself!

Rice is seriously my weak point, and any meal with a heap of it is pure comfort for me. I enjoy cooking rice dishes from all over the world, like Arroz con Pollo, Jambalaya and Jollof Rice. Today’s Mediterranean Rice is a bit like Greek Lemon Rice, but it stands out with its bold spices and the crunchy nuts and sweet raisins on top.

I love serving it with my kebab dishes like Shish Tawook, Kofta Kebabs, and Souvlaki. The flavors pair perfectly, and it really makes the whole meal feel complete.

Mediterranean Rice

My Mediterranean-inspired rice is a delicious yellow basmati rice that goes with a variety of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes. The rice gets its vibrant yellow color from turmeric, though saffron works too, saffron and is a perfect side for grilled meats, kebabs, and fish.

You’ll often find rice like this served in Mediterranean or Middle Eastern restaurants as part of a plate. This style of rice is made in the Middle East as well as countries like Greece, Spain, Iran, and across North Africa.

Ingredients Needed

Please see the recipe card at the end of this post for all ingredient amounts. Here are the things you will need:

• Basmati rice – I love using basmati rice because of its long, fluffy grains and light texture. Make sure to rinse it well to remove excess starch, so it cooks up nice and fluffy.
• Olive oil – I always use extra virgin olive oil for that rich Mediterranean flavor, but you can use any good-quality olive oil you have on hand.
• Spices – The combination of turmeric, cumin and paprika adds warmth and color to the dish. If you want an even deeper flavor, you could use saffron instead of turmeric.
• Garlic – Freshly chopped garlic adds an important layer of flavor to the dish.
• Chicken stock or water – I prefer using chicken stock for a richer taste, but water works just as well if you want to keep it vegetarian.
• Nuts and raisins – Toasted pine nuts, almonds, and raisins give a great contrast with their crunch and sweetness. You can swap in other nuts or dried fruits like pistachios or apricots depending on what you have.
• Ghee – I use this to toast the almonds and raisins in. You can also use regular butter or olive oil.
• Fresh herbs – I like garnishing with chopped parsley in the end, but cilantro works too.

Mediterranean Rice Recipe

Rinse rice: First, I start by rinsing the basmati rice a few times until the water runs clear. This helps remove the extra starch and keeps the rice from getting sticky. Then, I soak the rice in some water while I prep the rest of the ingredients.

Sauté aromatics: When ready to cook, I heat up a bit of extra virgin olive oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Once it’s hot, I toss in some diced onion and sauté it until it’s translucent. After that, I add peppercorns, cardamom, cloves and a cinnamon stick. I let those spices sizzle for a couple of minutes, then add the garlic and stir for a few seconds.

Toast spices and rice: Then, I mix in the turmeric, paprika, cumin, and salt, giving everything a good stir to coat the onions and spices. After that, I drain the rice and add it to the pot. I gently toss and toast the rice for a few minutes, making sure to be careful not to break the grains.

Simmer: Then, I pour in the chicken stock and bring it all to a boil. After a couple of minutes of boiling, I cover the pot, lower the heat to low, and let the rice simmer undisturbed for about 20 minutes. Once it’s done, I turn off the heat and fluff the rice with a fork.

Prep toppings: While the rice is cooking, I toast the pine buts for a few seconds in a hot, ungreased skillet. Be careful, they scorch easily!

After removing the pine nuts, I melt some ghee in the same pan and toast the sliced almonds in the ghee. Once they start to brown up a little, I remove the almonds and cook the raisins in the same pan for a couple of minutes.

Garnish: Finally, I top the rice off with a generous sprinkle of the toasted nuts and raisins, along with some freshly chopped parsley for a pop of color and freshness.

That’s it! It’s ready to serve. Perfect with just about anything!

Serving Suggestions

As I mentioned above, this rice dish goes great with pretty much any kebab. That’s usually my top pick.

When I’m not having chicken Shawarma or Gyro wrapped in a pita, I love serving them alongside this Mediterranean Rice. The flavors really come together, and it’s a perfect way to enjoy those seasoned meats without the wrap!

Also, if you’re looking for a little extra flavor, you can toss in some lemon zest or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice right before serving. It adds a bright, zesty contrast to the warm spices!

If I’m in the mood for something simple, this rice is also great on its own with a fresh salad or some roasted or grilled veggies. Honestly, it’s so versatile, you can’t go wrong with whatever you serve it with!

Try my version of this easy rice from Mediterranean region. It’s packed with flavor, simple to prepare, and feels like comfort food every time. It’s one of those recipes that’ll keep coming back into your kitchen!

More great rice dishes:
Greek Rice Pilaf
Crab Fried Rice
Trinidadian Pelau
Arroz Chaufa
Gallo Pinto
Nasi Goreng

Recipe Video

Mediterranean Rice (Recipe + Video)

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

My easy Mediterranean Rice recipe features fluffy basmati rice that's perfectly seasoned and topped with toasted nuts and almonds.

5.0 Stars (8 Reviews)

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Ingredients

• 2 cups basmati rice
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
• 5-6 whole cloves
• 4-5 cardamom pods
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 4 cups chicken stock or water
• ¼ pine nuts
• 1 tablespoon ghee (or olive oil)
• ½ cup sliced almonds
• ½ cup raisins
• chopped parsley, for garnish

Instructions

1. Rinse and wash basmati rice a few times and soak it in some water while you prepare the ingredients.
2. Heat extra virgin olive oil on medium-high heat in a pot and sauté chopped onion till translucent. Add peppercorns, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon stick, and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add chopped garlic and sauté for a minute.
3. Add salt, turmeric, paprika and cumin and mix well.
4. Strain all the soaked rice from water and add the rice to the pot. Toss and toast the rice gently for a few minutes, being careful not to break up the rice grains.
5. Add the chicken broth or water to the pot and let it boil on high heat for about 2-3 minutes. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low and cook for 20 minutes undisturbed.
6. While the rice is cooking, prepare the toppings. Dry roast the pine nuts till they start to brown up slightly, watching closely not to burn them, then remove them to a plate. For toasting almonds, use a tablespoon of ghee (you can use olive oil too, but personally I like the taste of toasted nuts in ghee) and toast slivered almonds till they start becoming golden brown. Remove them to the plate. For raisins, toast them in ghee as well, till they start to fluff up.
7. After 20 minutes, turn the heat off and open the lid. Fluff the rice gently with a fork.
8. Garnish it generously with toasted pine nuts, raisins, almonds and chopped parsley.

Notes

1. If you don’t have all the whole spices, that’s okay! Just use what you have on hand.
2. If you're using a different type of rice, like medium grain or long grain instead of basmati, just follow the instructions on the package. Each rice type has its own water ratio and cooking time to avoid mushy results.
3. One of the great things about this Mediterranean Rice is how you can easily make it ahead of time. It reheats really well, so if you’re prepping for a gathering or just want to save time, you can cook it in advance. Just store it in the fridge and reheat it with a splash of water or stock to bring back that moisture.

Nutrition Information

Yield 6 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 256Total Fat 13gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 10gCholesterol 5mgSodium 434mgCarbohydrates 30gFiber 2gSugar 8gProtein 7g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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