RECIPES / SALADS & SIDES
Cranberry & Almond Rice Pilaf
Jasmine rice toasted in butter with dried cranberries, simmered in broth with thyme, and finished off the heat with toasted almonds and green onion.
BY FELICITY KENNEDY
CO-FOUNDER AT 4SISTERS / SEPTEMBER 3, 2026
PREP
15 min
COOK
35 min
SERVES
8 to 10
RICE
Jasmine
Why Toast the Rice First?
Pilaf is not a flavour, it is a method. The grains are toasted in fat before any liquid touches them, and that one step is the difference between a pilaf and a pot of rice with things stirred into it.
Toasting does two things. It coats each grain in butter, which helps them stay separate through the simmer, and it develops a nutty flavour in the starch that plain boiled rice never has. Seven minutes is what their recipe asks for, and it is worth the time.
The cranberries go into the pot for that toasting step rather than being stirred in at the end. That is deliberate. They plump in the butter and then in the broth, so they end up soft and savoury rather than sitting on top like sweets.
The almonds are the opposite. They go in at the very end, off the heat, so they stay crisp against the soft rice. Toasted and slivered, as the ingredient list specifies. Our Jasmine White Rice is the variety here, and its natural floral aroma is a good match for the thyme.
TIP FROM THE FARM
Their ingredient list says two cups cooked jasmine rice and the directions say to add the raw rice. Follow the directions: two cups of dry rice goes into the pot to toast, and the four cups of broth cook it. That is the standard long grain ratio.
• 2 cups cooked 4Sisters Jasmine rice
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup yellow onion, diced
• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1⁄2 cups dried cranberries or craisins
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1⁄4 tsp. black pepper
• 1⁄2 tsp. dried thyme
• 3 green onions, chopped, tops and bottoms
• 1⁄2 cups slivered almonds, toasted
• Garnish: Fresh parsley
Directions
1. In a medium pot, saute the onions in the butter until tender.
2. Add the raw rice, and cranberries and lightly toast, about 7 minutes.
3. Add the chicken broth, salt, pepper, & thyme. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and cook on low for 25 minutes.
4. Remove from heat, stir in green onions & almonds.
5. Garnish with fresh parsley.
Serves 8-10
Almonds at the end, off the heat. Anything crisp that goes in before the lid does comes out soft.
Serving It
This is a holiday side and it behaves like one. It goes with turkey, ham, roast chicken and pork, and it holds its temperature on a crowded table better than a potato dish does. Serving eight to ten, it is scaled for a gathering rather than a weeknight.
Fluff it with a fork before the green onions and almonds go in, not a spoon. A fork lifts and separates the grains; a spoon presses them together, which undoes the work the toasting step did.
It can be made a few hours ahead and held covered in a low oven. Keep the almonds back and stir them in just before it goes to the table so they are still crisp.
Questions We Get
Should I use two cups of raw rice or two cups of cooked?
Raw. Their ingredient line reads cooked, but their directions say to add the raw rice to the pot and then cook it in four cups of broth, which only works with dry rice. Two cups dry to four cups liquid is the correct long grain ratio and produces about six cups cooked, which matches the eight to ten servings.
Can I use dried cherries or raisins instead?
Yes. Dried cherries are the closest swap in both tartness and size. Golden raisins are sweeter and softer, so use a little less. Whatever you use, add it at the toasting stage as the recipe does, so it plumps properly.
How do I toast the almonds?
A dry skillet over medium heat, shaken often, for about four minutes until they smell nutty and turn pale gold. Or 350 degrees on a sheet pan for six to eight minutes. They go from toasted to burnt quickly, so stay with them.
Can I make it vegetarian?
Swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth and it is done. Everything else in the recipe is already meat free, and the thyme and toasted almonds carry enough savoury weight that you will not miss it.
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