If you’re looking for a delicious gluten-free side dish that channels all the beautiful Middle Eastern flavors and spices, this Mediterranean rice recipe is for you. This rice recipe is infused with vegetables and cooked in your rice cooker for a no-fuss meal. This post contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosures.
Rice is life for the gluten-free community. When you can’t eat gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley, rice can be a tasty accompaniment to any meal. Rice is naturally gluten-free, inexpensive, and widely loved by many cultures.
While I did not entirely invent this recipe (it’s from my mother-in-law based on a couscous recipe she wanted to make gluten-free), I have futzed with it enough to call it my own.
I wanted to share this recipe today because I made it in honor of Omer Shem Tov, a 21-year-old Israeli hostage. I share Omer’s story on Instagram and explain why I created this particular meal for him.
I hope you enjoy this beautiful Mediterranean rice dish with Middle Eastern spices and wonderful textures. It makes a nourishing and filling side dish or main meal.
Ingredients Needed
Don’t be overwhelmed by the list of ingredients in this beautiful rice dish. Each spice adds so much to the wonderful flavors and aromas of the dish, and every vegetable adds texture, flavor, and color, too.
- 2 cups long-grain rice, rinsed until the water runs clear
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 2 Tbsp + 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
- 1 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- Fresh ground pepper
- 1/2 cup golden raisins (or chopped dates or a combination of dates and raisins)
- 1 medium zucchini, diced into 1/4-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
- 2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
- 1/2 red onion, cut into 1/4-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
- 1/2 cup canned chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
- Juice of two lemons (about 1/4 cup)
- 1/2 cup almonds, sliced
How to Make Mediterranean Rice & Vegetables
Place the rice, vegetable stock, two tablespoons of olive oil, turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, salt, and pepper into a rice cooker. Set the rice cooker to cook the rice per the manufacturer’s instructions.
When the rice is cooked, open the rice cooker, stir in the raisins, then close the rice cooker to keep the mixture warm for 15 minutes. The steam will plump the raisins.
Transfer the rice to a large bowl. Add the zucchini, carrots, onion, chickpeas, lemon juice, and 1/4 cup olive oil. Stir together well. Gently fold in the almond slices, and it’s ready to serve!
The longer this rice dish sits, the stronger the flavors will develop. I recommend serving the rice warm and reheating before serving.
Recipe Notes
How to Enjoy this Rice Recipe: Enjoy this wonderful rice dish as a side to fish, chicken, or beef brisket. I also enjoy it on Thanksgiving instead of stuffing.
Below, I served the rice dish with harissa-seasoned baked tilapia. It made for a deliciously spicy and sweet Mediterranean meal.
Rice Cooker Recommendation: I love using my rice cooker and think everyone with celiac disease, gluten intolerance, or non-celiac gluten sensitivity should get one. I recommend Aroma rice cookers. They’re affordable and good quality.
Don’t Have a Rice Cooker? If you don’t have a rice cooker, you can make this recipe in a pot on your stovetop. Add all the ingredients to a medium pot as you would have added to the rice cooker. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat low, cover, and cook for 12-15 minutes until the rice is cooked through and tender. Add the other ingredients as instructed in the recipe.
Leftovers: Store leftovers in an airtight container in your fridge for up to five days. Reheat in the microwave. This side dish tastes best warm.
More Recipes
You might enjoy these gluten-free recipes, too:
- Rice-A-Roni Isn’t Gluten-Free, But My Copycat Recipe Is
- Cauliflower Tabbouleh Salad without the Gluten
- Blackened Salmon Salad with Jalapeno Lime Vinaigrette
- Quinoa Pasta Salad with Lemon Dill Vinaigrette
- One-Pot Mediterranean Pasta – Gluten-Free, Vegetarian
- Mediterranean Charcuterie Board with Homemade Olive Tapenade
- Mediterranean Cucumber Salad
Mediterranean Rice and Vegetables
Equipment
- 1 rice cooker
- 1 large bowl
Ingredients
- 2 cups long-grain rice rinsed until the water runs clear
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- Fresh ground pepper
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
- 1 medium zucchini diced into 1/4-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
- 2 carrots peeled and cut into 1/4-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
- 1/2 red onion cut into 1/4-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
- 1/2 cup canned chickpeas drained and rinsed
- Juice of two lemons about 1/4 cup
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup almonds sliced
Instructions
- Place the rice, vegetable stock, two tablespoons olive oil, turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, salt, and pepper into a rice cooker. Set the rice cooker to cook the rice per the manufacturer’s instructions.
- When the rice is cooked, open the rice cooker, stir in the raisins, then close the rice cooker to keep the mixture warm for 15 minutes. The steam will plump the raisins.
- Transfer the rice to a large bowl. Add the zucchini, carrots, onion, chickpeas, lemon juice, and 1/4 cup olive oil. Stir together well. Gently fold in the almond slices.
- Serve the rice warm as a side dish to any chicken or fish meal, or enjoy it as the main meal instead.
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