Cranberry Pecan Rice – Easy Holiday Side Dish

Why You’ll Love Cranberry Pecan Rice

My husband and I have been super busy this week. Our daughter came home from college for winter break, but our sons are still in school. So, one of us (our daughter) gets to relax but it’s still full on work, sports, and events for the rest of us. That means dinner is sometimes on our minds right about the time that it should be on the table.

That’s where recipes like this Cranberry Pecan Rice save the day. It’s quick, delicious, and festive enough to serve for a weeknight dinner or a holiday gathering.

f you enjoy easy recipes with simple ingredients, you’ll also love my Easy Salmon and Asparagus in Foil Packets and Easy Baked Pork Chops & Rice.

We dreamed up this delicious side dish because we had Minute Rice, cranberries and pecans on hand.  Plus, the flavors and colors in this recipe are so yummy and festive.  I mean…how pretty is this?  Sooo pretty!  Good too!  It was a miracle we had enough cranberries though because I kept eating them.  LOL!

Ingredients You’ll Need

• White rice (cooks in minutes)
• Fresh whole cranberries
• Pecans (roasted for extra flavor)
• Orange juice
• Sugar & water

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Boil water, sugar, and orange juice.
2. Stir until sugar dissolves.
3. Add cranberries; boil 5–10 minutes until they burst.
4. Cool slightly.
5. Prepare the rice.
6. Spoon cranberry mixture over rice.
7. Sprinkle with roasted chopped pecans.

Serving Ideas

We served this side dish with baked chicken breasts, of course, it would go GREAT with turkey or as part of a vegetarian meal.

Don’t Skip Roasting the Pecans

I roasted the pecans!  That was my contribution.  LOL!  I always try to take a few minutes to roast nuts to bring out their full flavor.  When you roast any kind of nut just roast them until they begin to turn darker and smell nutty.  If you can smell them, they’re done.  Here’s the full recipe for this delicious dish!

Tip: Roast nuts until they darken slightly and smell nutty, that’s when they’re perfect!

Cranberry Pecan Rice Recipe

JoysLife.com

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Ingredients

  

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 12 oz package of fresh whole cranberries
• rice
• Pecans or other nuts chopped and roasted

Instructions

 

• Bring water, sugar and orange juice to boil.
• Stir until sugar is dissolved.
• Add cranberries and boil for 5-10 minutes
• Cool for 15-20 minutes or until ready to serve.
• Top rice with cranberry mixture.
• Add roasted chopped nuts.

Other Rice Recipes to Try

If you enjoyed this Cranberry Pecan Rice, here are more rice dishes you might love:

• Easy Shrimp with Green Chile Rice – Juicy shrimp and mild green chiles come together in a quick rice bowl that’s both savory and satisfying.
• Gluten-Free Pineapple Coconut Chicken with Rice – A naturally gluten-free dish made with pineapple, coconut, and tender chicken. Tropical flavor in every bite.
• Chicken Teriyaki Pineapple Bowls – Colorful pineapple halves filled with rice, teriyaki chicken, and veggies. A fun way to serve dinner.