Egyptian Rice with Nuts

Pass it along!

Egyptian Rice with Nuts is fluffy, creamy, meaty, and nutty all at the same time. It’s a delicious blend of flavors that is mellow enough to serve alongside just about anything–a truly easy-going, simple side dish.

---

Egyptian Rice Dish

Growing up, I was exposed to many different ethnic foods around my family’s table. My mom is a lover of international food to this day, and she found that making foreign dishes was both economical and a great way to develop her children’s taste palettes.

It comes as no surprise, then, that my mom was the first in our family to discover Egyptian rice. She found it through a homeschool curriculum cookbook (yay, Sonlight Curriculum!). And after that first taste, Egyptian rice became part of her regular rotation of meals.

But just what is Egyptian rice? you might be wondering.

What is Egyptian Rice?

All around the world, there are diverse varieties of rice. Egyptian rice is a type of white, short-grain rice. When cooked, it has a fluffy texture rather than a sticky texture (unlike Jasmine rice). It requires a different cooking process than long-grain or medium-grain rice. Egyptians often serve their rice mixed with vermicelli noodles but also sometimes with beef, almonds, and yogurt (as in this recipe). Egyptian rice is an easy pairing to serve alongside many other foods and so makes the perfect side dish to many Egyptian recipes and other foods throughout the Middle East.

Egyptian Rice Recipe Ingredients

To make Egyptian rice, you need:

• short grain rice (Egyptian rice or Calrose rice)
• ground beef (or ground turkey)
• beef broth (or beef bouillon)
• slivered almonds
• sour cream or plain, thick yogurt (such as unsweetened Greek yogurt)
• onion
• olive oil
• soy sauce
• Worcestershire sauce
• sliced mushrooms
• salt and pepper

Egyptian Rice Tools

Egyptian rice is a one-pot meal. (Thank God for simple cooking!) So all you need to make it are a few tools:

• a cutting board
• a spoon
• a knife
• a stainless steel pot with a lid

How to Make Egyptian Rice

Egyptian rice is a one-dish meal and is easy to make.

Follow these steps to make delicious Egyptian rice:

1. Brown the meat and onion in olive oil in a pan over medium heat.
2. Add beef broth, black pepper, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, mushrooms, and rice.
3. Lower the heat to a simmer and let the rice simmer until done, about 20 minutes.
4. Turn off the stove.
5. Taste the rice and add salt to taste. (I never need to do this. You probably won’t need to add salt to your Egyptian rice unless you use a very low-sodium soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and beef broth.)
6. Serve the Egyptian rice with sour cream (or plain yogurt) and toasted slivered almonds.

What to Serve with Egyptian Rice

Egyptian rice is a splendid companion to many foods. Its neutral flavor makes it a great side dish, while also allowing it to star as the main dish in a meal, if preferred.

Serve Egyptian rice with:

• plain yogurt or sour cream for topping
• toasted slivered almonds for topping
• a meat main dish
• curry
• pita bread or flatbread
• falafel
• roasted spiced carrots (or other roasted vegetables)

Storing Leftover Egyptian Rice

Store leftover Egyptian rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. This rice keeps well but doesn’t keep as long as plain rice due to the meat and flavorings added while cooking.

How to Reheat Leftover Egyptian Rice

You can reheat leftover Egyptian rice just as you do normal rice–in a microwave or in a pan on the stove.

How to reheat leftover rice on the stove:

1. Bring the rice to room temperature, if possible.
2. Add a little bit of drinking water to a pan. (For 1 cup of rice, I use about 2 tsp of water.) This will keep the rice from becoming too dry while you are reheating it.
3. Heat the rice in a pan over low-medium heat for about 5-10 minutes, or until the rice is heated through.

How to reheat leftover rice in the microwave:

1. Place the rice in a microwave-safe bowl.
2. Add about 2 tsp of drinking water for every cup of rice.
3. Heat the rice over medium heat for about 3 minutes, or until the rice tests hot.

How to Use Leftover Rice?

If you happen to have some Egyptian rice leftover, you can reuse it in several creative ways:

• Make a rice casserole, such as chicken and rice.
• Use the rice in a taco salad.
• Pair leftover Egyptian rice with beans to make a burrito.
• Make fried rice

Can You Freeze Leftover Rice?

You can technically freeze rice, though it will not have the same texture. Frozen rice tends to become more sticky when it thaws, which is exactly what you don’t want when it comes to Egyptian rice. To preserve the fluffy nature of Egyptian rice, refrigerate it instead of freezing it.

Closing Thoughts on Egyptian Rice with Nuts

Isn’t it fun to experience other countries through their food? Even if you are unable to travel, you can sense a bit of another nation’s culture and heritage through their cuisine.

I hope you enjoyed this peek into Egyptian recipes today. When you try Egyptian rice, make sure to comment with your recipe rating and to tag #thesantoscookbook. I love to see what you are whipping up in your kitchen!

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to the purchaser.

Pass it along!