Saffron Rice with Raisins and Pine Nuts
Saffron Rice with Raisins and Pine Nuts combines the luxurious flavor of saffron with the natural sweetness of golden raisins and crunchy pine nuts. The plump raisins offer a lovely contrast in flavor and texture, providing a burst of sweetness in every bite!

Why We Love This Golden Saffron Rice Recipe
Aromatic and so flavorful, this Golden Saffron Rice is one of my absolute favorite ways to make rice! The rice is sautéed with olive oil, pine nuts, and onions, then cooked with golden sultanas raisins, and saffron for a rice dish that has a variety of textures and flavors that are to die for!
This healthy Saffron Rice Recipe is from An Edible Mosaic. It’s gluten free and vegan, although you could add protein to it easily. An aromatic dish, colored and scented with saffron! Faith from an Edible Mosaic suggests serving it with Middle Eastern Shrimp in Tomato Sauce, which you can find in her cookbook!
Ingredients You Need
- Basmati Rice – or any long-grain rice such as jasmine rice
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – to sauté the pine nuts and onions
- Pine Nuts – for an added nutty flavor and crunchy texture
- Onion – for aroma and flavor
- Sultanas Golden Raisins – for a hint of sweet
- Boiling Water – to cook the rice, or boil up some chicken stock or vegetable stock for extra flavor
- Salt
- Saffron Threads – just a pinch of saffron is enough, or substitute with turmeric

How to Make Saffron Rice
- Soak the Rice: Soak the rice in tepid water for 10 minutes, then drain. While the rice is soaking, put half a kettle of water on to boil.
- Toast Pine Nuts: Add the oil to a medium, thick-bottomed saucepan with a lid, over medium heat. Add the pine nuts and cook until golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Transfer the pine nuts to a small bowl and set aside.
- Sauté Onion & Start Rice: Add the onion to the saucepan you cooked the pine nuts in, and cook until softened and starting to brown, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the rice and cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the sultanas, boiling water, salt,, and saffron (or turmeric), turn the heat up to high, and bring it to a rolling boil.
- Let the Rice Cook: Give the rice a stir, then cover the saucepan, turn the heat down to very low, and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Do not open the lid during this time! Turn the heat off and let the rice sit covered for 15 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
- Serve: Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle the toasted pine nuts on top, then serve!

Persian Rice Tips & Tricks
- Make sure to soak the rice! Soaking the rice releases the starches so that the rice doesn’t stick together once it is cooked. This Persian-style saffron rice is great because it has individual grains of rice that are tender, but not mushy!
- Cook on low heat! Make sure to cook the rice on low heat, and then leave the lid on for 15 minutes after to let the rice soak up all the moisture.
- To add extra spice, throw in two pods of cardamom, two whole cloves, and a cinnamon stick at the same time that you add the rice.
- The liquid you use to cook the rice needs to be hot before you pour it into the pot or saucepan! This will immediately start the cooking process. If you use water, simply boil it in a kettle. But if it is vegetable broth or chicken broth, you can boil it in a saucepan before pouring it over the rice!


Frequently Asked Questions
Golden saffron rice is aromatic and flavorful thanks to the saffron. However, it is actually the world’s most expensive spice! So you don’t have to use saffron in this recipe if you don’t have any on hand. You can definitely substitute it with turmeric to get that classic yellow color and an added subtle flavor!
You can serve this rice dish in so many different ways! These Middle-Eastern-inspired flavors would go well with simple grilled chicken or salmon. But you can also serve it with chicken shawarma, some tandoori chicken skewers, or a delicious saag paneer! Saffron rice with golden raisins and pine nuts would also make a wonderful gluten-free side dish for Thanksgiving!
Store any leftover rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days! Reheat in the microwave, until piping hot.


Looking for More Side Dishes? Be sure to also try:
- Aromatic Indian Rice
- Homemade Naan
- Israeli Salad Recipe
- Mediterranean Rice Recipe
- How to Cook Basmati Rice

Saffron Rice Recipe with Raisins and Pine Nuts
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups basmati rice rinsed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons pine nuts
- 1 large onion finely diced
- 4 tablespoons sultanas golden raisins
- 1 3/4 cups boiling water
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads or 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
Instructions
- Soak the rice in tepid water for 10 minutes; drain. While the rice is soaking, put half a kettle of water on to boil.
- Add the oil to a medium, thick-bottomed lidded saucepan over medium heat. Add the pine nuts and cook until golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Transfer the pine nuts to a small bowl and set aside.
- Add the onion to the saucepan you cooked the pine nuts in, and cook until softened and just starting to brown, about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the rice and cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the sultanas, boiling water, salt, and saffron (or turmeric), turn the heat up to high, and bring it to a rolling boil.
- Give the rice a stir, then cover the saucepan, turn the heat down to very low, and cook until tender, about 10 minutes (do not open the lid during this time). Turn the heat off and let the rice sit (covered) 15 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
- Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle the toasted pine nuts on top; serve.
- Optional: Add two pods of cardamom, two whole cloves, and one 2-inch (5 cm) piece of cinnamon stick at the same time that you add the rice.
I made this without raisins & served it as the side of Fresh Baked Salmon. Very nice combination.
I was looking for a recipe like this my mom did. It included Orzo mixed in with the rice, so cooked 3/4 C Orzo (when dried) and mixed into the recipe once it was all done. It is almost exactly as the one I remembered growing up. Yummy warm or cold. Thank you!
A few years ago I did this and my family was a big success. Delightful! Happy! I’ve since made it several times. Tonite on the menu and water for my mouth!
Legit speechless, that saffron rice with golden raisins and pine nuts recipe look unreal! Definitely, I will make it on the weekend for my family.
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I made this a couple of years ago and it was a huge hit with my family. Delicious! Have made it several times since. On the menu tonite and making my mouth water!
I have added coconut oil and ghee instead of olive oil and 4-5 cloves and 1 anise to make this recipe rich. I have also made your 15 Bean Salad to side this recipe. My next trial will be your Roasted Red Pepper Pesto Pasta.
My husband hails from UAE so I use to make him Arabic dishes. One such recipe which i tried recently and came out well is Kuwaiti Chicken Biryani . I will share you with the link if you want to try with :http://www.nestle-family.com/recipes/english/kuwaiti-chicken-biryani_16748.aspx
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Looks amazing! Growing up, my best friend’s family was from Iran, and her mom would always make us saffron rice with pine nuts and raisins, and it was always my favorite. I would eat so much of it! Sooo delicious. Can’t wait to try this recipe.
This is truly an amazing recipe. Can’t wait to check out other recipes in the book! :)
Gorgeous dish, Sommer. Mmmmm…I love golden raisins and pine nuts!
I saw this pic on your FB page and had to check it out! I have a jar of saffron just begging to be used. I love the option of all the added spices, too. I gotta get this cookbook!
I love love this, Sommer! Looks so good and the cookbook looks awesome!
Such pretty pictures of Faith’s delicious saffron rice dish. I think all of us lucky enough to get an early copy of the recipe really enjoyed it. Your version looks great, Sommer. :)
I have been eyeing this cookbook and what gorgeous photos Sommer!
Great to see Faith have such support. You did justice to the recipe. Looks good.
Your rice looks lovely! I love the little strands of saffron! I used turmeric in mine, it’s interesting to see the difference. I think I need to try the rice again the other way :D
Your rice looks beautiful, I need to try it!
I love seeing all of these amazing recipes :) Looks so comforting!!
Amazing! I love those bright little raisins scattered through out!
Thank you so much for your beautiful post, Sommer! I am truly honored to have you participating. xo
this looks amazing! I love this flavor combination!
What a great book! I have seen several recipes from other sites using Faith’s cookbook! I have to check it out on Amazon!! The rice dish looks amazing!!
Loving everyone’s versions of this most favorite dish!
Beautiful rice….love it!
This is gorgeous rice. I can practically taste the saffron right now. Soooo good!
Isn’t the launch fun?? I’m really enjoying seeing everyone’s versions of Faith’s dish. Love your photos. The golden hue of that staffron rice really is lovely!
Beautiful photos as always!!! I’ve always loved Faith’s blog.. I know her book will be just as amazing.
The book cover is exquisite. Congratulations Faith!
I love MiddleEastern cuisine. It is so healthy, tasty and diversified that we should incorporate more of these dishes into our home menus! Thank you Faith and thank you Sommer.
Great looking recipe. I love middle eastern dishes, especially the spices.
Faith’s recipe rocks! It is such a pleasure to support her.
Your photos are gorgeous Sommer!
LL
That rice looks amazing. I’m a sucker for saffron.
Yaaaaay! So glad to see you were a part of Faith’s cookbook release party!! You did a wonderful job and your rice looks like it turned out fantastically!! You did a wonderful job with your photographs, too (as always!) I’m excited for Faith and can’t wait to make my way through her book one recipe at a time :)
I love Middle Eastern food, but I’ve always been a little too intimidated to cook it. I definitely want to pick up this book–the rice looks fantastic!
I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy of this cookbook. Middle Eastern is probably my favorite ethnic cuisine and everything I’ve heard about her new books sounds wonderful!
Yuuuuum! I loved it too! And now I miss it.
I am visiting from Faith’s site- looks like I’ve found another blog to read :-)
I had bought “An Edible Mosaic Cookbook” and I love it. This Rice Dish will be served at my Thanksgiving dinner. Thank you so much for posting.
Just the kind of weeknight dish I love to make. Would probably serve it with stir-fried veggies and shrimp. Looks great Sommer!
Gorgeous photos Sommer – love the saffron threads running through the rice. I love Faith’s new cookbook – I’ve made a bunch of recipes from it already and everything has come out so good! I can’t wait to try this recipe and many more from An Edible Mosaic.
Hi! I am visiting from Faith’s site, and I just love the little “nibbles and bits” of your site that I have perused. Your photography is AH-MAZING! I had better subscribe so that I don’t miss out!
Thanks Letty, I’m so glad you like ASP and am always happy to make new friend!
This rice looks so fabulous! Love your photos. And I’m so excited for this cookbook!!