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This Moroccan rice recipe packs tart barberries mega-fluffy texture, and gentle warming spices, all cooked easily on the stovetop without making a mess of your kitchen. No broth or butter needed. And no stress either!
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Recipe tips tailored to what matters most to you:
Gluten-free straight through: rice, dried fruit, spices, water. You are good to go!
Cook it up to 4 days ahead, it holds that long in the fridge. Reheat with a splash of water over medium-low, stirring for 5-6 minutes.
Skip the saffron, it's a pricy splurge and the rice still rules without it. Raisins or dried cranberries stand in for barberries for a lot less money.
My wife doesn't eat processed sugar, so I use coconut or palm sugar here and it works just fine. Added chickpeas turn this side dish into a whole meal.
Barberries not available by you? Use currants, dried cranberries or raisins. Dates or golden raisins cover the apricots, and the saffron you can skip outright.
Give the rice a truly proper rinse and none of that half-hearted splash-and-go stuff. Swish it around in cool water until the water runs mostly clear.
Steam's your secret weapon here. If your lid leaks, throw a clean kitchen towel between the pot and lid to keep that steam locked down.
Don't even peek and let out steam after the initial cooking. Let the pot sit off the heat, still covered, for at least 10 minutes before fluffing.
Oodles more tips, step-by-step recipe photos, info on weird ingredients, and FAQs are all still here. I just tucked 'em out of the way so you can start cooking sooner.
This rice takes cues from everyday Moroccan cooking, usually served with tagines or scooped up with harissa chickpeas, Moroccan loubia, or a bowl of harira.
Grab a pot and let's make this supremely-fluffy Moroccan magic happen!
Amazing and delicious! My entire family loved it.
Mi should also mention that my 16-year-old is extremely picky (and not vegan). He wouldn't touch it at first as he doesn't like rice with "stuff," but I convinced him to at least try a bite. Next thing I knew, he had a heaping plate of it.
Excellent!
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🥰Why you'll adore this Moroccan rice recipe
✊ Vegan AF & GF: Like all of my vegan Middle Eastern recipes, this has no chicken stock, and no broth from anyone's bones/feet (ewwww). If you need vegan gluten-free recipes, this rice might make your new bestie, too.
⏱️ 1-pot, weeknight-worthy: Goes from pantry to plate in under 40 minutes, with minimal cleanup and zero drama.
🛒 Pantry MVPs: Uses rice, dried fruit, spices, and oil-no rare ingredients or last-minute store runs needed. Substitution ideas are provided for your convenience, too.
✅ Tested and Approved Worldwide: Like all of my vegan recipes, this went through multiple rounds with a massive team of hundreds of recipe testers, and it came back polished and fool-proof for ya (not saying you are a fool, but if you are, you're safe with this one).
I'm on my knees staring weirdly into your eyes, asking you in a soothing voice to be my taste-testing partner in crime. Sign up for the recipe testing crew and get early access to new recipes before they're published.
🍚Moroccan rice Ingredients
The Rice
Aged basmati rice is my fave, not only in this recipe but for nasi minyak and vegan biryani too. It's very aromatic and on the lower end of the starch spectrum, which means fluffier rice with better separation of the grains.
You can also use long-grain white rice or jasmine rice both work fine, though they'll be a bit softer and milder tasting.
Cumin Seeds
My dessert island cumin seeds are the wild mountain cumin seeds from Burlap & Barrel, which I keep stocked like a spice goblin.
Tossed in the oil first to build that warm, toasty base, they're key for this rice and show up all over Middle Eastern cooking from borani banjan to harissa hummus. If you're using ground cumin instead, hold off and add it with the rest of the spices later on.
Get my fave cumin seeds for free!
Using this link, add the wild mountain cumin to your cart, spend at least $15 on some of the other absurdly good spices from Burlap & Barrel (they all seriously slap) and the bottle of this bangin' wild mountain cumin becomes FREE, and you will love it so much.
Saffron
Just a few threads bring that unmistakable Moroccan aroma. It's a kinda pricy splurge ingredient. If you don't want to pay many many money to the greedy and mean saffron man, just skip these lovely threads in your rice.
Cardamom
The Cloud Forest cardamom from Burlap & Barrel is super floral and fragrant, and I use it in everything from zhoug sauce to vegan baklava. Of course, you can use any ol' cardamom, but that's my personal ride-or-die. You can swap in a couple of whole cardamom pods, just don't forget to pull them out before serving.
Barberries
These tart little berries add super-fruity cranberry-like complexity to the rice. If you don't have them, currants, dried cranberries, or raisins can be used in their place.
Dried Apricots
I love using California apricots here-they're tarter, more intense, and taste like apricot turned up to eleven. That punchy flavor is why I use them in my harissa carrots, too. They bring chew and just the right amount of sweetness to balance the spices. Dates or golden raisins are good subs.
Brown Sugar
My wife doesn't eat processed sugar, so sometimes I make this with coconut sugar or palm sugar instead, and it works just fine. But otherwise, just use regular ol' brown sugar, ok?
*See the recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact quantities, nutritional info, and detailed cooking directions.
🤯Variations
Lebanese Rice
Lebanese rice is fluffy, savory, and super simple-just rice, a few basic spices, and toasted vermicelli, no sweet elements. It's perfect for serving with Lebanese lentil soup or vegan shawarma.
Persian Rice
Persian rice goes big on aroma with saffron, rosewater, and cardamom.
Turkish Rice
Turkish rice has toasted orzo and brings in mint, Turkish pepper paste, and coriander. It leans more herbal and savory, which is why it's awesome to serve with soslu patlican, or Turkish saksuka.
Egyptian Rice
Egyptian rice is flavored with lightly fried durum wheat vermicelli It's softer and less sweet.
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📖 How to make Moroccan rice
This rice doesn't ask for much, but mess around and it'll call you out. Nail the steps below and you'll end up with fluffy grains, deep flavor, and zero regrets.
Step One
The Starch Bishop of Canterbury:
Submerge the rice in a bowl of cool water and squeeze it in your hands to release starch.
Step Two
Lord of the Rinse:
Drain and rinse the rice in a fine-mesh strainer under cool water until the water runs clear. Let it drain and dry for a few minutes.
Step Three
Onion the Midnight Sun:
Set a wide pot over medium heat and add the olive oil. After 90 seconds, when the oil is hot, add the cumin seeds and onions. Stir-fry for 4-5 minutes until the onions are golden.
Step Four
Rice JJ Fish:
Add the drained rice, saffron, turmeric, ground cardamom, cinnamon, barberries, and apricots. Stir for 1 minute to coat the onions evenly in the spices.
Step Five
Boiler Alert:
Pour in the water and add the salt and sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat.
Step Six
Steam-ven Seagal:
Once boiling, cover with a tight-fitting lid, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 17 minutes without lifting the lid.
Step Seven
HR Fluff and Stuff:
Remove from the heat and let the pot rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Uncover and gently fluff the rice with a fork.
Step Eight
Dress For Success:
If using, top with toasted pistachios, toasted almonds, chopped apricots, and parsley before serving.
💡Serving Ideas
This rice is built for scooping, dunking, and loading up with your faves.
Tuck it into Turkish stuffed grape leaves.
Cover it with harissa cauliflower, or turn up the heat with a couple spoonfuls of shatta or zhoug on it.
👉Top tips
- Rinse Thoroughly: Give the rice a truly proper rinse and none of that half-hearted splash-and-go stuff. Swish it around in cool water a few times until the water runs mostly clear. That's how you keep the grains from clinging together like one big scary rice blob from outer space.
- Use a Pot with a Tight-Fitting Lid: Steam's your secret weapon here. A lid that actually seals helps trap it in so the rice cooks evenly. If your lid leaks, throw a clean kitchen towel between the pot and lid to keep that steam locked down.
- Rest Before Fluffing: Don't even peek and let out steam after the initial cooking. Trust in the process! Let the pot sit off the heat (still covered) for at least 10 minutes before fluffing. This gives the rice a chance to finish steaming and stay intact, instead of turning to mush when you fork through it.
🤷♀️ Recipe FAQs
Technically, yes, but you'll lose some of the signature fragrance and texture. Stick to basmati, particularly an aged variety, if you want it extra long-grain, fluffy, and hyper-aromatic
Yes-chickpeas are the classic move. Toss in 1 cup of cooked rice when you are fluffing the rice.
You know I'd never advise you to consume a chicken, cow, or fish. But an edible human baby is quite another story…
🧊 Refrigerating:
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
🔥 Stovetop Reheating:
Add a splash of water to a pan and reheat over medium-low, stirring over the course of 5-6 minutes until warmed through.
⚡️ Microwave Reheating:
Place rice in a microwave-safe bowl, cover with a damp cloth or lid, and heat in short bursts, about 45 seconds to 1 minute at a time.
✌️You'll love these vegan Middle Eastern recipes too:
Learn the secrets to perfect falafel in this fun cooking class with Chef Adam Sobel!
Moroccan Rice
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups aged basmati rice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 8 threads saffron
- ⅛ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 cup onion diced
- ¼ cup barberries or dried currants
- ½ cup dried apricots chopped
- 2 cinnamon sticks or 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 ¼ cups water
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 ¼ teaspoons salt or to taste
Optional garnishes:
- Pistachios toasted and chopped
- Almonds toasted and chopped
- Additional apricots chopped
- Parsley chopped
Instructions
- Submerge the rice in a bowl of cool water and squeeze it in your hands to release starch.
- Drain and rinse the rice in a fine-mesh strainer under cool water until the water runs clear. Let it drain and dry for a few minutes.
- Set a wide pot over medium heat and add the olive oil. After 90 seconds, when the oil is hot, add the cumin seeds and onions and stir-fry for 4-5 minutes until the onions are golden.
- Add the drained rice, saffron, turmeric, ground cardamom, cinnamon barberries and apricots. Stir for 1 minute to coat the onions evenly in the spices.
- Pour in the water and add the salt and sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat.
- Once boiling, cover with a tight-fitting lid, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 17 minutes without lifting the lid.
- Remove from the heat and let the pot rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Uncover and gently fluff the rice with a fork.
- If using garnishes, top with toasted pistachios, toasted almonds, chopped apricots, and parsley before serving.
Notes
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Michelle says
Amazing and delicious! My entire family loved it.
Mi should also mention that my 16-year-old is extremely picky (and not vegan). He wouldn’t touch it at first as he doesn’t like rice with “stuff,” but I convinced him to at least try a bite. Next thing I knew, he had a heaping plate of it.
Excellent!
Lisa Braithwaite says
Made as instructed, but with raisins instead of barberries (none on hand) and with regular basmati rice instead of aged. I loved the flavors, and the chopped toasted nuts added good texture. I gave four stars only because I think all the spice quantities could be increased! And I would use ground cinnamon instead of a cinnamon stick next time. I might also add a dab of vegan butter for a bit more richness. I'll definitely make it again with these adjustments!
Debbie Meek says
When would you add the butter