Pomegranate Rice Pilaf with Tasty Pistachio

This unique (and delicious) pomegranate rice pilaf recipe is perfect for a Thanksgiving side dish. Features wild rice and pistachio.

I love pomegranates! There’s nothing quite as satisfying as popping those little red gems in your mouth and feeling the burst of fresh, tart-sweet, crisp flavor. See, I really do love pomegranates.

They’re also the perfect fruit for the holiday season – they make a nice change from cranberries, their color is perfection, and best of all, they’re in season! They’re perfect for adding interest to an otherwise standard dish: wild rice pilaf.

Pomegranate Rice Recipe

In this side dish, we have pomegranate complementing nutty, sweet pistachios in a brown and wild rice pilaf with a delicious honey and lemon dressing. The combination of flavors sounds a little ‘nutty’, but it’s really quite delicious.

This would be an excellent holiday side dish (for example, Thanksgiving) and it is also easy to throw together and taste great with a quick honey-glazed salmon fillet.

You can refrigerate the leftovers and have them the next day as well with leftover turkey!

When are pomegranates in season?

You can usually buy them any time of year, but they are typically in season October through January.

What is the easiest way to remove pomegranate seeds?

Wash the pomegranate. Slice in half horizontally. Place the cut side down in your hand and whack using a spoon and your other hand. Do this above a bowl and really spank it! They’ll all come out.

Can I use a different type of rice?

Absolutely! You’ll want to add seasoning though. The quick-cook rice that I use just makes this dish easy, and includes the seasonings. If you scroll down for tips below the ingredients I will share more about seasoning the rice.

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Are you ready to get the recipe? Here’s what you’re going to need.

Ingredients

• 2 packets quick-cook seasoned brown and wild rice
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 4 tbsp chicken stock or water (vegetable stock works too)
• 1 medium pomegranate, seeds removed
• ½ cup shelled pistachios
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp high quality honey

Tips for this recipe I think you should know:

1. If you use plain white or brown rice, you’re going to want to add some seasoning so that the finished dish is flavorful. This recipe gives you the seasonings and amounts (roundabout) including garlic, onion, turmeric, etc.
2. Remember that the rice is already cooked in my recipe . . . so if you want to cook your own, you have to account for that time and do it before you make this.
3. You can add this rice to kale or spinach and make more of a salad. It also goes well with butternut squash mixed in.
4. If you don’t like lemon, you can omit the lemon juice. Some people feel lemon overshadows a dish! I’m not one of them but I understand it.

The printable recipe is below – and don’t forget to let me know what you think of this dish in the comments!

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If you like this delicious rice recipe, check out these other potential Thanksgiving side dishes:

• Roasted Potatoes Side Dish Recipe
• Cider Roasted Brussel Sprouts
• Cranberry Sweet Potato Casserole