Celebration Baked Rice Pilaf

This very colorful, vibrant, festive baked rice pilaf is PERFECT for any celebration. Packed with Christmassy flavors, it’s as simple as mixing a pile of lovely ingredients with rice in an oven dish, pouring over hot stock, and popping it into the oven. Drizzle with lots of zingy green tahini sauce, feta, and pomegranate seeds to serve.

Ever since I realized how truly foolproof baking rice is, I have become OBSESSED with it. This cheesy, garlicky life-changing loaded baked rice was my first introduction to the joys of baked rice, and this lovely, very festive version is wonderful for any celebration.

This one is heavily inspired by pilaf rice, with a very Christmassy twist. We’ve got dried cranberries, apricots, and vibrant pistachios baked with the rice itself, so they transfer their lovely flavor into every bite. Then, after it’s baked, we’re topping it with a VERY vibrant green tahini sauce (which helps to cut through the sweetness of the dried fruit) along with creamy feta, juicy pomegranate seeds, and sage.

This truly is SUCH a wonderful recipe that pairs perfectly with a whole host of things (hello lamb koftas, herby roast chicken, honey harissa chicken, or whole roasted cauliflower) and makes such a statement at the table when you’re entertaining.

While this is a brilliant side to introduce to your holiday menu, it’s also a great way to use up leftovers. Stir through shredded cooked chicken (or turkey), juicy sausage stuffing balls, or any leftover roasted vegetables.

Ingredients

• Rice. Use long-grain rice here, like basmati.
• Dried fruit. I’m using dried cranberries and dried apricots, but you can play around based on what you like. Dried mango, figs, sultanas or raisins work well too.
• Pistachios. I LOVE the festive color these bring, but you can swap them for almonds, cashews, pecans or walnuts if you like.
• Leek. You can swap the leek for an onion or shallot.
• Stock. I’m using chicken stock, but vegetable stock is fine too. Make sure it’s hot when you add it, or your rice will take a lot longer to cook.
• The toppings. I’ve gone for creamy feta, pomegranate seeds, sage and my favorite green tahini sauce. I love the color and vibrancy these bring to the rice, but you can play around. Chili flakes, basil, parsley or tahini yogurt sauce are great options. You could also drizzle the rice with fresh basil pesto, sundried tomato pesto or 30-minute chili oil.

How to Make Celebration Baked Rice

Add your rice, seasoning, dried cranberries, apricots, leeks, garlic, pistachios and hot stock to an oven dish. Stir, then cover tightly with aluminum foil and pop into the oven.

While it cooks, make your green tahini sauce and prep the toppings. Remove from the oven, then fluff up the rice with your fork. Drizzle with the green tahini sauce, then scatter with feta, pomegranate seeds and sage and enjoy.

Got a question?

Can I prepare the rice in advance?

You can mix the rice with the other ingredients and seasoning ahead of time, then add the hot stock and pop into the oven when you’re ready to cook. Leftovers will keep well in the fridge for 3 days.

What could I serve with the rice?

This is a brilliant side for SO many things. Try it alongside juicy herb roasted chicken, lamb koftas, hot honey harissa grilled chicken, this whole roasted cauliflower or miso and maple glazed salmon. It’s also fab enjoyed by itself.

Could I add meat to the rice?

Yes! I love to stir shredded cooked chicken through – it’s a brilliant way to use up any leftovers you might have (hello Thanksgiving and Christmas!) Bacon, sausage

Like this recipe? Try these easy ideas next

If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! You can leave a recipe rating and a comment below. And remember to tag @Zageer on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok if you’ve made one of my recipes. Seeing your recreations really makes my day 😊.

This very colorful, vibrant and festive baked rice pilaf is PERFECT for any celebration. Packed with Christmassy flavors, it’s as simple as mixing a pile of lovely ingredients with rice in an oven dish, pouring over hot stock and popping into the oven. Drizzle with lots of zingy green tahini sauce, feta and pomegranate seeds to serve. Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Total Time 40 mins

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: med

Ingredients Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

For the rice –

• 1.5 cups long-grain rice, (like basmati)
• 1 leek, chopped (or use an onion)
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup dried apricots, chopped
• 1/3 cup pistachios, chopped/crushed
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 2.5 cups hot chicken stock, (or vegetable)

For the toppings –

• 1/2 cup tahini
• 1/2 cup chopped flat leaf parsley leaves
• 3 garlic cloves
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/4 cup pomegranate sees
• Handful of sage leaves, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup feta, crumbled

Method

1. Prepare the rice. Heat your oven to 430F/220C fan. Add 1 1/2 cups of rice, chopped leek, crushed garlic, 1/3 cup dried cranberries, 1/3 cup chopped dried apricots, 1/3 cup chopped pistachios, 1 teaspoon of dried thyme, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of allspice and 2 1/2 cups of hot stock to an oven dish (approximately 12"/30cm x 8"/20cm). Stir so the ingredients are evenly dispersed, then cover tightly with aluminum foil and pop into the oven for 30 minutes.
PRO TIP: Make sure your stock is hot when you add it to the rice. If it's cold, your rice will take a lot longer to cook.
2. Make the green tahini sauce. While the rice bakes, add 1/2 cup of tahini, 1/2 cup of parsley, 3 garlic cloves, 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/3 cup of water to the bowl of a food processor or blender. Blitz for a couple of minutes until smooth and creamy.
3. Garnish and serve. After 30 minutes, remove the rice from the oven but keep the aluminum foil on for another 10 minutes, so the rice can finish steaming. After this, remove the foil and fluff up the grains with a fork. Drizzle with the green tahini sauce, then sprinkle with the feta, pomegranate seeds and sage and serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 250g
Calories: 391kcal
Carbohydrates: 59g
Protein: 11.6g
Fat: 12.9g
Saturated Fat: 3.5g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 8.7g
Cholesterol: 14.1mg
Sodium: 1045.2mg
Fiber: 3.3g
Sugar: 11.7g

Notes

PREP AHEAD: You can mix the rice with the other ingredients and seasoning ahead of time, then add the hot stock and pop into the oven when you’re ready to cook. Leftovers will keep well in the fridge for 3 days. SERVING SUGGESTIONS: While this is brilliant served by itself, it’s a fabulous side to enjoy with so many different things. Juicy herb roasted chicken, lamb koftas, hot honey harissa chicken, zucchini meatballs, ‘Marry Me’ chicken meatballs, miso glazed salmon, whole roasted cauliflower…the list goes on! It’s fabulous as part of a festive spread. OPTIONAL ADDITIONS: Stirring shredded cooked chicken (or turkey) through the rice is a brilliant way to use up any leftovers you might have (hello Thanksgiving and Christmas!). Bacon, sausage meat or chorizo also works well.