Saffron Rice with Almonds and Dates

Kindi Lantz January 23, 2020

How To Make Saffron Rice

Making saffron rice is simple and requires few ingredients. Plus, it’s just so pretty with the vibrant hue of yellow saffron contributes. 

The variations of saffron rice are infinite. That shouldn’t be surprising considering the combination of the two ingredients are found in staple dishes in many countries around the world. When I combine saffron and rice, I also like to add almonds and finely chopped dates. The two ingredients bring in sweetness and a bit of crunch that really work well with the fragrant saffron and fluffy rice. Don’t worry, though, saffron is still the predominant flavor in this dish. 

If you don’t have slivered almonds and dates, no problem. This recipe is beautiful and delicious without these additions. You can also replace the dates with other dried fruits like currants, mangos, apricots or golden raisins. Pine nuts and chopped pecans make a lovely replacement for almonds, as well. 

Regardless of whether or not you throw in these extras, saffron rice is a wonderful dish that proves to be a welcome, comforting, and impressive side to a wide variety of proteins. Enough about how phenomenal these ingredients are together, though. If you found this post, you are probably already well-aware! So, without further adieu, here is the recipe for saffron rice with almonds and dates!

The Best Saffron Rice Recipe Online

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

• ½ teaspoon saffron 
• 1 small white onion, chopped
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 cup long-grain rice like Jasmine
• 1 ½ cups broth or water
• ½ cup slivered almonds
• ½ cup chopped dates
• Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure

1. Crush the saffron with the back of a spoon and add it to a small dish with a couple of tablespoons of water. Stir together and let it sit for at least 30 minutes.
2. Heat the coconut oil in the same pot you plan on cooking the rice in. 
3. Add the onions and cook until they are soft and nearly transparent. 
4. Add the broth, rice, and saffron/water mixture. Stir to evenly incorporate the saffron. Bring to a boil and then turn down to simmer, cover, and let cook for 30 minutes. 
5. Pull the rice from the heat and “fluff” it with a fork. 
6. Stir in the slivered almonds, dates, and salt, and pepper. 

Serving Suggestions

Serve alongside a roasted leg of lamb, blackened fish, tandoori chicken, curried lentils, or anything else your heart desires. 

For this particular dish, I used this high-quality Sargol Cut Persian Saffron. It’s organic, non-gmo, kosher certified, and has incredibly high levels of crocin (the property responsible for saffron’s color and aroma)!