Middle Eastern Rice Pilaf
This Middle Eastern rice pilaf recipe is an easy-to-make, baked dish filled with fluffy rice, dried fruit, pine nuts, and zesty zaatar spice.
- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cook time
- 25 min
- Yield
- 6 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 4 large shallots
- 1 stick cinnamon
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup golden raisins
- 1/4 cup dried cherries
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 1 tbsp zaatar spice
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups basmati rice
- 2 1/2 cups chicken stock (or water)
- 1/4 cup parsley (chopped )
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 450°F.
- 2
Trim and cut shallots into thin slices. Scatter on bottom of large casserole dish or Dutch oven. Break the cinnamon stick into two pieces and add to the pan. Drizzle the oil over and bake for 15 minutes.
- 3
Bring the chicken stock or water to a boil in a saucepan, or heat in microwave for 3 minutes.
- 4
Remove pan from oven. Add the raisins, cherries, pine nuts, zaatar, salt, pepper and rice. Carefully pour the hot chicken stock or water over, gently stirring to mix. Cover tightly with lid or foil to seal.
- 5
Return to oven and bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand, covered for 10 minutes. Remove lid or foil, stir in chopped parsley, fluff the rice and serve immediately.