Name: Easy Jeweled Rice Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 cups white basmati rice; ¼ cup olive oil (divided); 4 large cloves garlic (smashed); ½ teaspoon saffron threads; 1 lb. small carrots (peeled and sliced into thin rounds); finely julienned rind of 1 orange; 1 cinnamon stick; 2 ¼ cups water; 2 purple onions (thinly sliced); ½ cup slivered almonds; ¼ teaspoon cumin; ¼ teaspoon cinnamon; ⅛ teaspoon cardamom; ⅛ teaspoon allspice; ½ teaspoon sea salt; seeds of 1 pomegranate; ½ cup golden raisins; 3 scallions (thinly sliced)

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Persian Jeweled Rice is a gorgeous side dish sprinkled with colorful gem-like fruits, nuts and veggies. My Easy Jeweled Rice Recipe takes just 30 minutes to make, is incredibly delicious, and is naturally vegan and gluten-free. You’ll want to make this for holiday celebrations like New Year or Thanksgiving as well as an everyday side dish.

Platter of jeweled rice with colorful pomegranate, pistachio, caramelized onions and scallions.

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Why you will love this recipe
What is Jeweled Rice?
The best way to seed a pomegranate
Ingredients and Substitutions:
How to make it
Meal Prep and Storage
Debra’s Pro Tips
📖 Recipe
Easy Jeweled Rice Recipe

OMG….this delicious side dish will forever change the way you feel about rice. Jeweled Rice is new to me…and it was love at first sight…and then deeper love at first bite.

Be ready for ALL your senses to be engaged….this vegan rice dish is beautiful—-really stunning—-and also bursting with flavor and texture.

The taste is a perfect combination of sweet and savory, with hints of both in every bite….and be ready for the crunch of the nuts and the burst of the pomegranate seeds…oh, Jeweled Rice, where have you been hiding?

Oh, I know….it was hiding under the veil of cumbersome. Traditional Jeweled Rice is a multi-step, multi-day extravaganza…and, therefore, saved for special occasions. No worries friends…I’ve got your back…and I’ve figured out how and where to simplify so not only will you want to serve this for a special Christmas side dish…(insert any holiday here: Thanksgiving rice dish, Rosh Hashanah Side, New Years Eve Side Dishes, etc.)but it’s so easy you can make it for every day!

Why you will love this recipe

Taste explosion with every bite!
Less fussy than traditional jeweled rice recipe. So easy to make. I’ve figured out all the short cuts…without compromising on flavor at all.
Unique and beautiful…everyone will love it…and it’s perfect for a holiday side dish.
Whole grain rice is naturally vegan and gluten-free.
Super satisfying…in every category.

What is Jeweled Rice?

White rimmed plate filled with jeweled rice: rice, carrots, raisins, caramelized onions, almonds, scallions.

There are many versions of this Persian rice dish. Sometimes called Iranian Jeweled Rice, Persian Jeweled Rice, or Javaher Polow. Generally, jeweled rice refers to basmati rice dish that’s named for its gemstone colors that look like sparkling jewels. The rice is colored yellow from saffron, and there are beautifully colored dried fruits, nuts, herbs or veggies that look like jewels, sprinkled throughout. It’s a popular Middle Eastern Wedding Dish that’s also served for holidays and on the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah.

The best way to seed a pomegranate

You can buy a whole pomegranate and remove the seeds, or you can buy just the seeds. Buying the whole pomegranate will save money and buying pomegranate arils in a container will save you time.

Some people recommend submerging the pieces of pomegranate in water and working in the water, to avoid staining. I didn’t find this method any less messy and it took longer and used more equipment since I then had to strain the seeds out from the water. Plus, more dishes to clean afterwards.

Others will recommend cutting the pomegranate into halves and then beating with a wooden spoon into a bowl. This method didn’t get all the arils out and I had to go in and use my hands to finish up the job….so why not just do it that way to start with?

The best way to seed a pomegranate is to use a sharp knife and your hands. If you wash your hands (and your cutting board) immediately afterwards, there’s no need to worry about staining.

Grid of 4 photos showing how to prepare a pomegranate

Cut a thin slice off the bottom and top of the pomegranate.
Make slits on four sides of the pomegranate heading towards the middle, but all the way through.
Use a bowl MUCH LARGER than you think you need. This is super important to contain any mess from the pomegranate seeds. Use your hands to separate the seeds from the white membrane. Honestly, it takes about 2-3 minutes for the entire pomegranate.
The seeds are ready to use in a recipe, or eat straight from the bowl.

Ingredients and Substitutions:

Don’t be intimidated by the ingredient list. This is an easy version of traditional jeweled rice taking just 30 minutes to make, rather than several hours.

Small bowls of ingredients for jeweled rice: white basmati rice, sliced carrots, scallions and onions, spices, saffron, cinnamon stick, garlic cloves, golden raisins, slivered almonds, orange peel.

Rice: I used white basmati so the rice would take on a beautiful yellow hue from the saffron. You could also use jasmine rice or long grain brown rice.
Carrots: I love the addition of orange in this recipe, but you could easily substitute thinly sliced parsnips for the carrots.
Onions: I used one purple and one white onion. The purple onions get darker when cooked. Vidalia onions would be a sweet choice, but any onion you have will work well in this recipe.
Orange Peel: This adds so much flavor and texture, and also some nutrition! Orange peels are rich in Vitamin A and C plus phytonutrients. Lemon peel would be a good substitution.
Pomegranate Seeds: I love the jeweled look these provide, along with fiber, antioxidants and vitamin E. Dried cranberries or cherries would offer some nice color if pomegranates aren’t available.
Scallions: If the caramelized onions are enough for your taste buds, skip the scallions and add in a chopped fresh herb for color. Good choices would be parsley, oregano, thyme or cilantro.
Nuts: Awesome for crunch and a bit of protein and healthy fats. Pistachios add a nice jeweled color. Slivered almonds or chopped walnuts would also work. If you can’t do nuts, try sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds.
Golden Raisins: You could sub any dried fruit here. I’ve used dried apricots, cherries, figs, and chopped dates. Look for dried fruit that doesn’t have any added sugar or sulfates.
Garlic: Cooking the rice with whole cloves of smashed garlic infuses the whole dish with flavor. The garlic softens (and the flavor becomes mild) and it is easy to mix into the cooked rice.
Saffron: This spice brings a beautiful yellow hue to the rice. If you don’t have any, substitute ground turmeric for the same beautiful color.
Olive Oil: If you’re oil free, no problem. Just omit the oil when cooking the rice. To make oil-free onions, use an air-fryer or cook on the stove top with a bit of water or broth.
Dried Spices: Cinnamon, cumin, allspice…these really flavor the onions and add so much to the finished dish.

How to make it

First make sure to wash the rice well. Use a fine mesh sieve and continue to rinse, while you stir, until the water runs clear.

Instant Pot insert with rice, carrot rounds, spices, garlic, cinnamon stick and orange peels.

Step 1: Place rinsed rice, carrot rounds, smashed garlic cloves, orange peel, cinnamon stick and saffron threads into the bowl of an instant pot.

Instant pot with rice, carrot rounds, orange peels and spices, covered with water.

Step 2: Pour in water and stir well. If you don’t have an instant pot, you can use a saucepan on your stove. NOTE: you will need more water and a few extra minutes. The exact directions with amounts and times are in the recipe card.

While the rice is cooking, prepare the onions.

Sliced purple onions in a cast iron skillet.

Step 3: Heat heavy cast iron skillet over medium heat. Swirl in remaining 2 Tablespoons olive oil and add sliced onions. Turn the heat down to medium-low.

Onions, that have been caramelized, in a cast iron skillet.

Step 4: Continue to cook until they’re brown and crisp. The slower the process, the more the onions will caramelize rather than burn.

Caramelized onions in a cast iron skillet with slivered almonds sprinkled into the pan.

Step 5: Add nuts and spices.

Caramelized onions, seasoning and nuts in a cast iron skillet, numbered "6".

Step 6: Turn the heat down. Cook, stirring constantly until nuts are toasted and onions have absorbed spices.

Instant pot insert with cooked rice, veggies, spices and orange peels.

Step 7: Let rice cook in the Instant Pot for 12 minutes. Use a natural release.

Instant pot insert with cooked rice, carrots and spices.

Step 8: When rice is done, fluff with a fork. Make sure saffron threads and garlic are well incorporated into the rice.

Jeweled Rice layered onto a platter with caramelized onions, scallions, pomegranate seeds, raisins and nuts.

Step 9: Use a large platter to layer everything beautifully. First mound the rice and carrot mixture. Then add the caramelized onions. Finally top with raisins, scallions and pomegranate seeds.

Jeweled Rice can be served warm, at room temperature or even cold, straight from the fridge.

Meal Prep and Storage

Prep ahead: Rice mixture and onion mixture can be made in advance, kept at room temperature for a few hours or in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 5 days. Slice scallions and seed pomegranate in advance as well.
Storage: Jeweled rice will stay good in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 days. Freshen with a sprinkle of toasted nuts and fresh herbs before serving.
Reheat: If you’d like to serve this as a warm side dish, preheat a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Swirl in 1-2 Tablespoons olive oil and spoon the rice into the skillet. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, leaving undisturbed. The bottom will crisp up and the top will get warm. Alternately, preheat oven to 350 and bake in a casserole dish until heated through, about 15 minutes.

Debra’s Pro Tips

Large glass bowl filled with yellow rice, sliced scallions, pomegranate seeds, golden raisins and caramelized onions.

Don’t forget to wash the rice well before cooking. You’ll want to rinse off any dirt, chemicals or bugs…and also rid the rice of any surface starch that could give the rice a gummy texture or cause it to stick together.
For a little bit of everything in every bite, use a large bowl to mix everything together rather than taking the layered approach.
Reheat leftover rice in a cast iron skillet….leave it sit for a bit to get crunchy. YUM!
Pistachios are a great sub for the almonds as they look like little green jewels.
Make extra caramelized onions….they will shrink…and also, someone is always stopping by to nibble on them!

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Easy Jeweled Rice Recipe