Fig and Cranberry Rice Pilaf (Gluten Free)

Figs are one of The Artist’s favorite fruits and he craves them all year long. This Fig and Cranberry Rice Pilaf is the perfect blending of savory and sweet, loaded with sautéed vegetables and macerated dried fruits. He was delighted when he heard what I was making this month for Progressive Eats!

My mother was a huge fan of having something sweet on the table for big meals. There was cranberry sauce at Thanksgiving and mint jelly with a leg of lamb at Easter. I definitely inherited that inclination from her – I like adding dried fruits to many dishes. You can use fresh figs if they are in season, but the beauty of dried fruits is they are available all year long! 

Pilaf is a technique designed to help keep the rice grains separated. You cook the rice in oil, coating each grain and lightly browning them before adding seasonings and liquids. I like to sauté vegetables in the oil first, softening them and flavoring the oil, then adding in the rice. You can use this technique to create a whole variety of delicious rice dishes.

I love my large, deep skillet from Anolon for this recipe. You can sauté the veggies, add the rice and cook everything in the same pan which makes for easy clean up. It acts like a wok with tall sides that hold in splattering oil. It is great for all kinds of dishes and I use mine all the time.

If you don’t have a lid for a specific pan, you can use a universal lid. They are designed to work with nearly any size of pan, from 7-inches to 12-inches. My favorite one has a way to release steam through the top or keep it closed to contain all the moisture, which is what you need for this recipe.

This Fig and Cranberry Rice Pilaf would make a wonderful side dish for your holiday meals and is a delicious gluten-free/vegetarian/vegan option. Add some nuts or cooked legumes for protein and you have a complete meal.

Welcome to Progressive Eats, our virtual version of a Progressive Dinner Party. Each recipe in this menu this month features figs and our host is Coleen who blogs at The Redhead Baker.

If you’re unfamiliar with the concept, a progressive dinner involves going from house to house, enjoying a different course at each location. With Progressive Eats it’s a virtual party. A theme is chosen, members share recipes suitable for a delicious meal or party, and you can hop from blog to blog to check them out. Come along and see all of the delicious dishes! Make sure you check out the links below the recipe.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Did you enjoy this recipe? Let me know in the comments, I love hearing from you!

Key Ingredients for Fig and Cranberry Rice Pilaf:

• Dried figs, dried sweetened cranberries, olive oil, onion, carrots
• Celery, red bell pepper, dried thyme, long-grain white rice, water
• Vegetable stock, salt and pepper

 

PRO Tip:

Follow the cooking directions on the package the rice came in for the best results. I use Lundberg rice and my directions in the recipe follow the guidelines on their packaging.  

 

PRO Tip:

The type of rice you use makes a huge difference in the final product. This recipe is written to use long grain white rice. Do not use short grain rice, it will turn out sticky. If you choose to use brown rice, note that it will take up to 45 minutes of cook time and you will need to make adjustments to the amount of liquid according to package directions.

 

How to make Fig and Cranberry Rice Pilaf:

1. Sauté the onions, carrots, celery, and bell peppers until softened and translucent, 5 to 8 minutes – use a large, deep skillet with high sides and a lid; add the rice and stir until all the grains are coated with the oil, then stir in the thyme
2. Pour the water and stock over the rice, season with salt and pepper (don’t over salt if you are using a salty stock); bring to a boil, cover with a lid, reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes, then move the pan off the heat and let sit, still covered, for another 10 minutes to finish cooking the rice (follow directions on the rice package)
3. Meanwhile, rehydrate the dried fruits by placing the figs and cranberries in a heatproof bowl and cover with hot water and set aside to soak
4. When the rice is done, fluff it with forks to separate the grains; drain the rehydrated fruits and add them to the rice; toss everything together, taste and add seasonings as needed
5. Transfer to a warmed serving bowl and serve hot

 

PRO Tip:

You can use plain water for the liquid, but I find that using some stock improves the flavor of the final dish. If you don’t have vegetable stock on hand, you can use chicken stock in its place.

 

Recommended Tools (affiliate links; no extra cost to you):

• Chef’s knife
• Cutting board
• Liquid measuring cups and dry measuring cups
• Large skillet
• Universal lid
• Mixing bowls

 

Gluten-Free Tips:

Watch the stock and be sure it is gluten-free before using it. And be sure you are using plain, unflavored rice. 

 

 

This recipe is part of our monthly progressive dinner party, Progressive Eats. See the links below for more inspiration and great recipes!

 

 

 

 

Create a New Tradition Today!

 

Welcome! The suggestions here are not intended as dietary advice or as a substitute for consulting a dietician, physician, or other medical professional. Please see the Disclaimers/Privacy Policy page for additional details. Unauthorized use, distribution, and/or duplication of proprietary material from The Heritage Cook without prior approval is prohibited. If you have any questions or would like permission, please contact me. We participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small amount from qualifying purchases without any additional cost to you. This page may contain affiliate links. This post was first shared in Sept 2018. The article was updated in 2022.