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You are here: Home / Cooking Times / b) 30 - 60 mins / Christmas Rice

Christmas Rice

11th December 2017 - By Michelle Minnaar
This post may contain affiliate links.

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Vegetarians and vegans will love you for this Christmas rice, for not having to eat yet another nut roast. This Christmas recipe is definitely filling, full of different textures accompanied by exciting flavours.

Rice Christmas

Being a custom recipe, it captures Christmas on a plate with classic Christmas spices and dried fruits. Who said vegan food was boring?

With all those rich Christmas recipes out there, it’s no surprise that vegans suffer this time of year. So, this Christmas rice acts as main course and is a perfect addition or even a substitute for a healthy Christmas meal.

You can even serve it as a healthy side dish to your usual Christmas recipes. It is perfectly balanced with plenty of starch from the rice, beans for vegetables and nuts for protein.

Also, there is some fruitiness in these that goes down a treat! Again, an excellent feature of this Christmas rice recipe is that you can tweak it to your taste.

Ramekins Bowls Pyrex

christmas rice with Pyrex

Another great feature that comes with making this Christmas rice is the fact that it stores well. You can keep it in the refrigerator for three days or you can easily freeze it for a later occasion.

In order to do so, you’ll need the Pyrex 7 piece Cook & Freeze set and the Expert Bowl. Pyrex has been around since 1915 and is trusted by millions of cooks and bakers all over the world.

Having originally developed the borosilicate glass pieces, Pyrex’s innovative products still unleash our creativity in the kitchen. Today, more than 75% of British kitchens have a Pyrex quality product. If you look at the photos, you’ll see that I’ve had the luck to try these products myself.

Rectangles Pyrex

the review

I’ve mixed all my ingredients for this Christmas rice in the Expert Bowl. What I like about it most, is that it is see-through with its 35-degree angled side. This way I can see how well my ingredients mix together.

Also, it’s compatible for right-hand and left-hand users! The wide spout allows pouring control and prevents ingredients from spilling. Did I mention, that this 4.2L bowl has a measuring markings?

I could easily measure out everything, so I got the recipe right! The Expert Bowl has a guarantee for 10 years! You can get it from Pyrexuk.com or selected stockists including John Lewis and Lakeland.

Rice Nuts Dried Fruit Beans

I used the Glass Ramekins for my nuts and dried fruits. However, I can imagine myself making beautiful crème brulees in it, or even serve granola or yoghurt in them.

They are perfect for storing all types of ingredients. As it’s borosilicate glass, it is oven resistant up to 300°C. You can also use these in a microwave or store them in the fridge or freezer. A very versatile product, if you ask me, plus it’s scratch resistant!

Lastly, once I was done with my Christmas rice, I used the Cook & Freeze boxes to store it in my freezer for the big day. They have a smart lid for when you put ingredients for storage in the fridge or freezer.

Cook & Freeze is perfect for mixing, preparing and storing ingredients. Believe it or not, the Cook & Freeze is also microwave safe and has a guarantee for 10 years too. You can find it on Pyrexuk.com or at selected stockists including Dunelm.

Rice Beans Cranberries Cooked

green beans

The green bean is one of my favourite vegetables to use in salads or rice dishes. I like to parboil them, leaving a bit of extra crunch. You can also cook them for a bit longer if you don’t like them too firm with a bite.

Just remember to top and tail them. Also, ideally you should cut the green beans into 2.5cm (1in) bite-sized pieces.

These can be substituted with green or white asparagus, or broccoli, spinach or kale. Although, it might be hard to find these substitutes as they are currently not in season.

If you want to be seasonal, substitute with sweet potatoes, which are fantastic for people who suffer with diabetes. Sweet potatoes have a low sugar content and they help regulate sugar spikes in our blood. Plus, it’ll make this Christmas rice even more colourful!

Nutty Rice Spiced
For Freezer Ready

the rice

The best would be to go easy on the rice and heavy on the vegetables and nuts if you are aiming for a low-carb side dish. However, the rice itself is a healthier alternative to the traditional long grain rice.

Brown basmati and wild rice, especially, are high in protein with little fat content. This type of rice takes a bit longer to cook, but the extra crunch is totally worth waiting for.

I love the texture of wild rice and when I eat it, it sort of pops in my mouth. At this point you can freeze the rice mixture in a large Pyrex container for later use.

Christmas Rice

the nuts, spice and fruits

The nuts are fantastic sources of protein. Pecans and cashews have those good fats and oils that are very beneficial to the body and they fill you up. You can substitute these nuts with almonds, macadamia nuts, chestnuts or even pistachios. For healthier alternatives, buy unsalted, raw cashews.

Mixed spice, which is a combination of nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves, is delicious with this Christmas rice. You can add generously or just add a hint of it. You are in control!

Rice Recipe Vegan

As for the fruit, I mixed the dried cranberries in with the rice, and fresh pomegranate seeds sprinkled on top of the Christmas rice. These give a lovely fruity touch and provide a subtle acidity to the overall dish.

If you’ll want to substitute, you’ll need to go for acidic fruit. This could be apple, apricots, raisins or figs – best dried. You can make a lot of substitutions – it just depends on your palate and preference.

I think dried apricots would work extremely well with the savoury flavours of the Christmas rice. Remember to sprinkle with fresh parsley!

Vegan Dinner Xmas

serve as a side

You can either serve this Christmas rice as a main or as a side. As a side dish, why not serve it along some delicious Marmite Potatoes, Sprout and Chestnut Gratin, or Red Cabbage with Orange and Raisins?

You can also try more of my vegan-friendly recipes like the shredded rainbow salad edamame salad. If eating a delicious Christmas rice inspired you for more vegan rice recipes, you can also try a rice with delicious Indian flavours.

Finish the meal off with some boiled custard!

What is your favourite Christmas side dish you prepare before the big day?

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Rice Christmas

Christmas Rice


★★★★★

5 from 3 reviews

  • Author: Michelle Minnaar
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 10 1x
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Ingredients

  • 500g (1lb) brown basmati and wild rice
  • 1.5ℓ (6 cups) vegetable stock
  • 300g (10oz) fine green beans, cut into 2.5cm (1in) pieces
  • 2 onions, finely chopped
  • 30ml (2 tbsp) vegetable oil
  • 5ml (1 tsp) mixed spice
  • 100g (3oz) pecan halves
  • 100g (3oz) cashews, roasted and salted
  • 100g (3oz) dried cranberries
  • 1 pomegranate, seeds only
  • 60ml (4 tbsp) flat leaf parsley, washed and chopped

Instructions

  1. Boil the rice for 25 minutes in the stock. Drain and set aside.
  2. Boil the beans in salted water for 10 minutes or until tender. Drain and set aside.
  3. Meanwhile, in a large casserole dish, fry the onions in the oil until cooked and softened.
  4. Add the beans, rice and mixed spice to the onions and stir well.
  5. (At this point you can freeze the rice mixture in a large Pyrex container and freeze for later use. After thawing the dish can simply be placed in the oven and reheated.)
  6. Stir in the pecans, cashews and cranberries.
  7. Serve with pomegranate seeds and parsley sprinkled on top.

Notes

  • This dish is vegan-friendly but serves as a great side dish as well.
  • Category: Side Dish
  • Cuisine: International

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 serving
  • Calories: 387
  • Sugar: 8.9 g
  • Sodium: 167 mg
  • Fat: 18.4 g
  • Saturated Fat: 2.9 g
  • Carbohydrates: 51.6 g
  • Fiber: 5.9 g
  • Protein: 3 g
  • Cholesterol: 1 mg

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kim Neville says

    11th December 2017 at 9:03 pm

    Sticky spiced red cabbage

    Reply
    • michelle says

      13th December 2017 at 8:54 am

      sounds awesome. Love cabbage!

      Reply
  2. Solange says

    12th December 2017 at 12:43 am

    Pig in blankets.

    Reply
    • michelle says

      13th December 2017 at 8:55 am

      yum, I love these!

      Reply
  3. sam macaree says

    12th December 2017 at 8:01 am

    we peel and chop potatoes in preparation

    Reply
    • michelle says

      13th December 2017 at 8:56 am

      nice!

      Reply
  4. Tracey Peach says

    12th December 2017 at 10:15 am

    Has to be the pigs in blankets we cook them the day before so just heat them up on Christmas day

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • michelle says

      13th December 2017 at 8:56 am

      Nice! 🙂

      Reply
  5. Tracy Nixon says

    12th December 2017 at 10:20 am

    Roast chestnut stuffing balls!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • michelle says

      13th December 2017 at 8:56 am

      sounds interesting!

      Reply
  6. hannah wood says

    12th December 2017 at 11:00 am

    I love anything veggie such as veggie stew

    Reply
    • michelle says

      13th December 2017 at 8:57 am

      me too

      Reply
  7. michel says

    12th December 2017 at 4:40 pm

    my mother makes this amazing chestnut side

    Reply
    • michelle says

      13th December 2017 at 8:58 am

      what type? Savoury or sweet 🙂

      Reply
  8. Hayley F says

    12th December 2017 at 8:48 pm

    I like pigs in blankets x

    Reply
    • michelle says

      13th December 2017 at 8:59 am

      love them

      Reply
  9. Hayley f says

    12th December 2017 at 8:52 pm

    Subscribed by email x

    Reply
    • michelle says

      13th December 2017 at 9:00 am

      Yay! Welcome!

      Reply
  10. Jade Hewlett says

    15th December 2017 at 9:52 am

    Stuffing or pigs in blankets

    Reply
    • michelle says

      15th December 2017 at 11:11 am

      yummy

      Reply
  11. Andrea Upton says

    16th December 2017 at 7:54 pm

    A side dish that I make sometimes which always goes down well is a all the trimmings tart, basically it has a crisp pastry base and then is topped with stuffing balls, bacon, little sausages, and shallots and you just cut a slice each

    Reply
    • michelle says

      18th December 2017 at 3:23 pm

      thanks for the tip Andrea 🙂

      Reply
  12. melanie stirling says

    23rd December 2017 at 11:27 pm

    Red cabbage with apple.

    Reply
    • michelle says

      24th December 2017 at 11:36 am

      nice!

      Reply
  13. Jane Willis says

    27th December 2017 at 6:09 am

    My special bread sauce, livened up with fried onions and spices, which seems to taste even better after a couple of weeks in the freezer.

    Reply
    • michelle says

      28th December 2017 at 1:06 pm

      nice tip! I might try this out

      Reply
  14. Maya Russell says

    27th December 2017 at 9:09 am

    I like making sprouts with chopped bacon.

    Reply
    • michelle says

      28th December 2017 at 1:08 pm

      nice

      Reply
  15. Claire Davies says

    27th December 2017 at 9:35 am

    Brussels sprouts with bacon & chestnuts 🙂 Delicious!

    Reply
    • michelle says

      28th December 2017 at 1:09 pm

      indeed 🙂

      Reply
  16. Hazel Rea says

    27th December 2017 at 3:54 pm

    My mother in law was American and one of their side dishes at Christmas is what they called apple salad – eating apples (Gala or Egremont Russett are best) chopped, celery chopped very, very finely and mixed with mayonnaise. My husband still loves eating it at Christmas.

    Reply
    • michelle says

      28th December 2017 at 1:12 pm

      wow! I’ve heard of these Christmassy salads. I should try out a recipe for next year

      Reply
  17. Lindsay A. says

    29th December 2017 at 9:34 pm

    One of my favorite side dishes to make at Christmas (as well as all winter long!) is a roasted butternut squash bake with caramelized onions, sage, & fontina. However, it’d be equally good without the fontina or with a vegan cheese used. 😀

    Reply
    • michelle says

      1st January 2018 at 9:49 am

      that sounds so delicious!

      Reply
  18. Jayne Kelsall says

    30th December 2017 at 10:52 am

    I love making roast vegetables, especially roasted sprouts with carrots and parsnips .x

    Reply
    • michelle says

      1st January 2018 at 9:57 am

      me too. You should check out my roasted carrots, roasted Jerusalem artichokes, roasted chickpeas and roasted beetroot recipes. They are fab!

      Reply
  19. sharon martin says

    30th December 2017 at 4:19 pm

    stuffing balls and the roast potatoes

    Reply
    • michelle says

      1st January 2018 at 10:04 am

      nice!

      Reply
  20. Kathryn Mckenzie says

    30th December 2017 at 9:55 pm

    Do cookies count as a side dish? If so, then white chocolate chip & cranberry cookies!

    Reply
    • michelle says

      1st January 2018 at 10:11 am

      hehe nice!

      Reply
  21. Allen Gibson says

    30th December 2017 at 9:55 pm

    Turkey & Wild Rice Casserole. Best dish ever. Staple dish for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • michelle says

      1st January 2018 at 10:12 am

      aggreeeeed 🙂

      Reply
  22. Sara says

    8th December 2018 at 8:08 pm

    I’m glad I found this recipe early, cuz I have to order “mixed spice” off Amazon! I hope the clove isn’t too overpowering… I’m not a huge fan. I’ll smell it and see… And probably use it sparingly. But I’m really excited! Rice for Christmas? Yes, please! I’m going to go with the asparagus option, because yummmm…. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply

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