A sweet and fragrant rice pilaf, this Rosh Hashanah Sweet Basmati Rice with Carrots & Raisins is the perfect vegetarian side dish that works for any meal and perfectly comments a variety of main dishes. This gorgeous rice tastes as amazing as it looks, so use it to dress up the table.
With just a few ingredients, you can make our festive and easy rice pilaf recipe --it's a traditional family favorite you can fall in love with.
Rosh Hashanah is here again. Crazy how each year time goes by faster and faster. Scary, really. Yet with this beautiful holiday comes memories, celebrations, and of course, the food.
This Rosh Hashanah Sweet Basmati Rice with Carrots & Raisins recipe we're sharing today is one of the recipes my precious Mom came up with to incorporate some sweetness into the Rosh Hashanh recipes. It is traditional to start the Jewish New Year with sweet foods. Carrot and raisin rice happens to be one of my very favorites. And the funny thing is, as delicious as it is, she only made it during the holidays. Maybe that's what makes it so special :).
What is Rice Pilaf?
While I have always maintained that my mom came up with this recipe herself, it does happen to be a very traditional rice pilaf and is also very similar to Kabuli Pulao, which is an Afghan recipe. Rice pilaf begins with sautéeing aromatics like onions and garlic, adding the rice with a broth to infuse it with flavor. Additional ingredients such as vegetables, fruit, or meat are often added to the rice and specifically raisins are a common addition.
Ingredients for Rosh Hashanah Sweet Basmati Rice Pilaf
- Medium Onion. A sweet onion or Vidalia onion will amp up the sweetness in this recipe nicely.
- Freshly Shredded Carrots. The bags of pre-shredded carrots will not add as much sweetness. You need about five whole carrots.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
- Water. You can use vegetable broth or chicken broth if preferred.
- Salt.
- Raisins. Any kind you like will work. You could also use dried cranberries.
- White Rice. Basmati rice is the best choice. You could use a jasmine rice instead. Please do no use minute rice or par-boiled rice or any of the cheap rice available today.
Ingredients for the Rice Pilaf Topping
- Toasted Slivered Almonds. Toasting them lightly in a skillet improves the flavor.
- Pomegranate Seeds. More sweetness, a little crunch, and beautiful color!
How to Make Sweet Basmati Rice for Rosh Hashanah
Step-By-Step Instructions for Rice Pilaf
- Sauté onions for 5 minutes until translucent.
- Add shredded carrots and continue cooking at medium-low heat for about 7 minutes.
- Add water, salt, and raisins and bring to a boil.
- Add rice and stir well. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer.
- In a separate skillet, toast slivered almonds.
- Uncover the rice and quickly and gently fluff it up with a fork. Put the lid back on and let it sit, off the heat, for 10 minutes.
- Top with almonds before serving.
Do you want more Rosh Hashanah Recipe Ideas? Be sure to check out an additional 18 Fabulous Rosh Hashanah Recipes
Tips for Cooking Rice Pilaf Perfectly
If you can't eat almonds or don't eat nuts on Rosh Hashanah, you can replace them with pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds.
Change things up! You could also add some combination of peas, diced bell peppers, dried fruit, chopped celery, or mushrooms.
If you have the time, toasting the rice before you add the water helps intensify the flavor and prepare the rice to absorb liquid.
Make Ahead Options for Rice Pilaf
- The onions and carrots can be made ahead and frozen. Defrost the day you want to make the rice.
- Make the whole recipe and freeze it. Rice actually freezes well. Once defrosted it just has to be reheated with a couple tablespoons of water.
- It can be made 2 days head. As it turns out, Rosh Hashanah Carrot Rice keeps in the fridge for 3- 4 days and can be reheated easily!
How to Store and Reheat This Recipe
Keep your rice pilaf in the refrigerator in an airtight plastic container or freezer-safe plastic baggy for up to four days. Freeze extra rice in a similar manner for up to six months.
Reheat it with a little bit of water in the bottom for two minutes in the microwave and add time as needed. It could also be reheated in the skillet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Rice Pilaf Gluten Free?
Yes. This recipe is gluten-free. Although in some cultures pilaf is made with wheat, as long as it is made with rice it is gluten-free.
Is Rice Pilaf Healthy?
This is such a subjective term. If you are trying to eat low-carb, this is certainly not the most low-carb dish. However, if you use a good quality rice and fresh ingredients, you will be getting vegetables, vitamins, and minerals with this dish and it is better for you than a casserole made with cream soup and canned vegetables.
The Story That Inspired This Recipe
I have to say, as much as we enjoy the holidays, this year for us they are going to be kind of bittersweet. Our parents won't be able to spend them with us and I can't even tell you how difficult that is.
We've talked many times about our childhood memories growing up in Barcelona. For me, some of my favorites happened around the table on Rosh Hashana, which we always spent with the our aunt, uncle and cousins. Basically our only family living in Barcelona.
Our mom used to cook the head of a lamb (unheard of here in America!) as part of our tradition. I remember how every year, our cousin Solly, the only boy in the family, used to grab pieces of meat dangling from the eye socket and chase Ruth and his sister Vanessa with them. Gross... and hilarious at the same time.
I also remember my dad trying to be all serious doing the prayers, while we all laughed hysterically.
And of course, our mom's wonderful food, especially this Rosh Hashanah Sweet Basmati Rice with Carrots & Raisins.
Hope you like it as much as I do!
Since we posted this recipe back in 2012 we've since received some comments that this recipes is very similar to Kabuli Pulao an Afghan recipe that is usually served with lamb. You can read the comments below. We can assure you that our mom did not have access to Afghan recipes and we remember eating this carrot and raisin basmati rice recipe since before the internet existed ( are we dating ourselves here? :-)). So we find it fascinating that 2 cultures crossed without realizingit.
Carrots, onions, raisins and rice. Very simple and easy to find ingredients infused our carrot rice with wonderful warm flavors.
Other Carrot Recipes You May Enjoy
- The Best Moroccan Carrot Salad
- Coconut Ginger Carrot Soup
- Chili Roasted Carrots with Avocado-Cilantro Dressing
- Carrot and Parsnip Vegan Latkes
- Passover Coconut Ginger Carrot Rice
If you enjoyed this recipe, it would help us tremendously if you left us a star rating in the comments below or on the recipe card. Do you have any questions about the recipe? Do you need a swap for any of the ingredients? We are here to help, just leave us a question in the comments below.
PrintA Rosh Hashana Family Favorite: Sweet Basmati Rice with Carrots & Raisins
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 8 cups 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Sweet and fragrant basmati rice with carrots and raisins. The perfect vegetarian side dish for any holiday meal. In our house this is a Rosh Hashanah Favorite. Vegan and Gluten Free.
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 4 cups freshly shredded carrots ( about 5 medium carrots)
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 ½ cups water
- 2 tsp salt
- ¾ cup raisins
- 2 cups white basmati rice you can also use jasmine rice
- Topping:
- 5 tbsp toasted slivered almonds
- ¼ cup pomegranate seeds
Instructions
- In a 3 qt sauté pan for which you have a lid, heat oil and cook onions at medium heat until translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add shredded carrots and continue cooking at medium-low heat for about 7 minutes
- Add water, salt, and raisins and bring to a boil
- Add rice and stir well. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low. Cover the pan and simmer for 25 minutes.
- Uncover the rice and quickly and gently fluff it up with a fork. Put the lid back on and let it sit, off the heat, for 10 minutes.
- Top with almonds and pomegranates before serving
Notes
- If you can't eat almonds or don't eat nuts on Rosh Hashanah, you can replace them with pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Category: Sides
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: Jewish
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ½ cup cooked
- Calories: 155
- Sugar: 6.4 g
- Sodium: 23.5 mg
- Fat: 3.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28.8 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 2.9 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Julie Hansen Intuitive says
Looks delish. Shana tova!-Julie
mayihavethatrecipe says
Thank you! Shana Tova to you too!
C.C. says
How much tumeric did you use? About a teaspoon?
Vicky & Ruth says
Hi, there is no turmeric in the rice. The color comes from the carrots. It is important that you shred your own carrots instead to buy them pre-shredded at the store. The color and flavor of the rice will be better. However if you would like to add turmeric, let us know how you like. We would add between 1/4 tsp and 1/2 tsp of turmeric. If you like a spiced rice, we would recommend this recipe:
https://mayihavethatrecipe.com/2015/08/21/sephardic-jeweled-rosh-hashanah-rice/
Rosa says
The rice in the recipe you linked is beautiful!
Vicky & Ruth says
Thank you so much!
Vicky & Ruth says
https://mayihavethatrecipe.com/2015/08/21/sephardic-jeweled-rosh-hashanah-rice/
Jenny @ BAKE says
ooo I love the idea of adding all that yummy carrot to the rice! delicious!
sunidhi says
Hi, This looks very yummy and mouth watering. definitely i will try and let u know. you have described it really good anyone can follow it . thanks for a wonderful recipe.
mayihavethatrecipe says
Thank you. This makes great side dish, our guests love it!
Leslie says
How many does this serve approx.? Thanks...looks so delicious and colorful.....
Vicky & Ruth says
It serves approximately 6-8 people.
Staci S says
Can I use sliced almonds instead of slivered??
Vicky & Ruth says
Yes, you can use sliced almonds. Just watch them carefully when you are toasting them, so they don't burn.
leah says
I know you said the carrots turn the rice yellow and I used 4 cups of carrots but my rice did not turn yellow its white . if i knew I would have put in a little tumeric.
Vicky & Ruth says
So sorry your rice did not turn yellow. We made this recipe again this year for Rosh Hashanah and the rice turned yellow. Did you use freshly grated carrots? Because that makes a difference. Turmeric is a great addition to this recipe to add color and flavor. We hope you still enjoyed the recipe even though it did not turn yellow for you. 🙁
leah says
thank you for responding. no i did not use freshly grated. I used the shredded from my supermarket. they shred it and put it in plastic containers themselves (it was not like a pkg of dole shredded carrots) would that have made the difference . why would fresh shredded turn it yellow and not shredded carrots sitting for a few days in a container. also I meant saffron not tumeric to add yellow color=is that better. thank you
Vicky & Ruth says
Freshly shredded carrots are very juicy and their juice is what helps color the rice. Saffron will definitely give this rice a beautiful more intense color, I would try it.
leah says
sorry one more quick question . approximately how many carrots would you say you would need to get 4 cups of shredded carrots. thanks so much
Vicky & Ruth says
It will depend on the size of the carrots, but we think at least 10 medium/large size carrots. I would buy at least 12 carrots just to be safe.
leah says
I made the rice again for succos and you are so right. the freshly shredded carrots make the rice yellow and I used craisins instead of raisins-the dish was a big hit and delicious and the red craisins looked so good with the yellow rice. thanks for a great recipe that will go into my favorite recipe book.
Vicky & Ruth says
Thank you Leah, we are so glad we were able to be part of your holiday table.
Jill says
Can't wait to try this with brown basmati rice! I just took a cookie sheet full of your Lemon Chia Seed Biscotti out of the oven and they look and smell wonderful!
Vicky & Ruth says
Thank you so much for sharing with us and for making our recipes!
Sara says
This looks yummy! Can I make this in advance and reheat? What s the best way to do that? (I don't leave a big enough flame on chag to cook rice from scratch.)
Vicky & Ruth says
Hi Sarah,
Yes, you can prepare this in advance and reheat. Instead of adding the almonds right away, save them and mix them in when you're ready to serve. Hope this helps!
Be Sultani says
I am not sure if you are aware of this, but rice topped with carrots and raisins is actually a classic in Afghnistan. My mother makes this during special occasion/holidays and not trying to be a rude inconsiderate asshole, but your mother actually made an "Afghan/persian recipe" unknowingly. Depending on the region you go to, variations do exist (on spices e.t.c) but carrots and raisains are always there.
I am sure your mother is a fantastic cook but this is not really an "invention" per se. For her it may be but she actually made food from a diffrent region. Again, if I come across as rude I apologize. My point was to show that your recipe is coincidentally an afghan recipe. This is often eaten with a meat sidedish (lamb/goat/beef) and always comes out good unless you burn the rice.
Again thanks for your time in reading this long paragraph. 🙂
Vicky & Ruth says
Sorry for the delayed response. We actually didn't know this was an Afghan/Persian recipe. Thank you for letting us know.
Miriam says
Yes!!! I recognized that too... it's called Kabuli, a traditional Afghan dish. Although I'm Jewish and not Afghan, I grew up eating this because my best friend is Afghan. I also alerted the author to the real name because I knew that she probably didn't realize it wasn't a new "invention" but rather a traditional dish of another culture. It may have been accidental but the corrected name and description should be included so the author won't be accused of cultural appropriation. Important to give credit where credit is due.
Adelman says
Last minute question - Will this be good made the day before and re-heated the next day?? Are there certain things that should be left out while re-heating and then added right before serving, like the raisins??
Thank you!
Vicky & Ruth says
Hi!
Yes, you can reheat it without a problem. Just leave the almond topping out and added it before serving. Let us know if you have any more questions 🙂
Adelman says
Thank you so much!! Excited to try it!
Sheri says
This looks delicious. Quick question, how would you recommend reheating the dish? Stove top? oven? microwave? Thanks!
Vicky & Ruth says
We would either use the microwave or the oven.
Nancy Cohen says
Can this be frozen?
Vicky & Ruth says
Hi Nancy,
Yes, this dish can be frozen. The rice will not be as tasty when frozen, but it can be done. Another option is to cook the onions, carrots ahead of time and freeze them. Then the day you want to serve the rice defrost the carrot mixture and make the rice. We hope that helps.
Anna says
Any chance you can double or triple this recipe? Have you tried?
Vicky & Ruth says
Hi Anna, rice can be tricky when you double or triple the recipe. If you need a larger quantity we would recommend that you make 2 or 3 separate batches instead. It will come out much better that way.
Leslie says
Can this be made a day ahead and reheated?
Vicky & Ruth says
Yes, you can reheated or serve it at room temperature. Juts make sure you use a gentle heat when re-heating. However, it is always better when made fresh.
Vic says
Nice but seems kind of bland Needs an herb, like chopped fresh sage, dash of freshly ground black/cayenne pepper.
Vicky & Ruth says
Hi Vic,
Thank you for your comment. We are sorry you found this dish to be bland. We have been eating it since we were kids and always loved it. We always encourage our readers to experiment and make our recipes their own. If you try again adding herbs or anything else, please let us know!
leah says
so not bland at all. so tasty the best rosh hashona dish
Vicky & Ruth says
Thank you so much Leah. We also love this rice.
lauren margolin says
For a large group, i'll need to double. Should I do that in one really large pan, or make the single recipe in two different pans.
Vicky & Ruth says
Hi Lauren,
We recommend making the single recipe in two different pans. Hope you enjoy it!
Robin says
I am planning to make this recipe for the holiday but a couple of guest do not like raisins. Do you have any substitute suggestions?
Vicky & Ruth says
Hi Robin,
You can replace the raisins for dried cranberries or diced dried figs. You can also replace them for chopped dates, but just add the chopped dates to the rice, once is cooked and cooled.
Claire says
Do you use American basmati or Indian basmati? The cooking instructions on the box is different for each. Thanks!
Vicky & Ruth says
We use American Basmati. We usually find that the cooking instructions on the rice package use too much water and the rice tends to come out mushy. Try our rice / water ratio, and tell us what you think.
Leah Goldman says
on the 9/4/13 recipe for this you called for two cups of water, when you left message about water rice ratio I checked and see that now it says 2 1/4 cups of water. did you change the ratio since 2013 and why
Vicky & Ruth says
Hi Leah,
Thank you for your comment. We must have adjusted the water for this recipe after further testing. We know you have made this recipe, so if it worked for you with 2 cups of water, you can continue using that amount of water. Sometimes, people get different results depending on their stovetop.
Leah Goldman says
Im surprised you didnt post the change so people would know. I think it could use the extra 1/4 cup of water.
Vicky & Ruth says
It is hard to reach everyone with changes.
Leah Goldman says
im sure it must be hard but just email everyone the change like you email them the recipes and they will get it. thank you very much.
Dylan Wittman says
This looks delicious. Thanks for sharing
Miriam says
Yes, I love this dish... I believe it's name is "Kabuli" and it's traditionally an Afghan dish. My best friend is Afghan so I grew up eating this at her home. Lol, so it's definitely not anyone's new "invention"!! What a great idea to add it to a Rosh Hashanah dinner though 🙂 Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Vicky & Ruth says
Hi Miriam, our mom is not familiar in Afghani cuisine, so it is very interesting that she came out with a similar dish. We will let her know. Thank you for letting us know.
Shab says
This recipe caught my eye. I am from Afghanistan and rice with carrots and raisins is one of our staples. We cook it usually in a meat broth (using lots of browned onion). We use cardamom and cumin to spice up the rice. Anyway, it is just wonderful to see how small this big world really is.
Vicky & Ruth says
Hi Shab, thank you for your comment. The world is small... we will have to tell her about the Afghani rice you are mentioning. The addition of Cardamom and cumin sound wonderful in this dish.
Amira Foods says
Wow! this is a simple and great recipe.
Patty Mitter says
Have you tried serving this cold? Looking for a make-ahead recipe. thanks!
Vicky & Ruth says
Hi Patty, we usually serve this rice at room temperature, so it can be made ahead.
Mimi says
Can this rice recipe be prepared a day ahead and reheated?
Vicky & Ruth says
Yes! Absolutely. You can also serve the rice at room temperature, just take it out of the fridge 2-3 hours before your meal.
Ellen says
I made this recipe tonight, the colors were so vibrant, I should’ve taken a picture...but instead we just gobbled it up. It will be part of our holiday table from now on!
Vicky & Ruth says
LOL. Thank you so much! We are so happy you enjoyed it!
Amina says
This is an afghan dish called "qabli palao"
Vicky & Ruth says
Cool cultural cross over, thank you for sharing!
Fatana Olomi says
Omg! I’m afghan and we make this rice with lamb! We call it Kabuli Palow or palou. I’m so excited seeing others make similar things.
Mayim says
This is Afghan qabuli
MT says
Could I substitute rice for couscous?
Vicky & Ruth says
Yes, you may substitute the rice for couscous, you would have to adjust the amount of water, just check the couscous packaging instructions.
Stacey says
This was fantastic! I made half the recipe and used some chicken brother with the water. Totally forgot to put the almonds on top but it came out perfect. Will definitely be making it again!
Vicky & Ruth says
We are so glad you enjoyed it!
kathy says
this is delicious and so easy. I used fresh grated carrots and dried cranberries. My family really enjoyed this dish.
Vicky and Ruth says
Fantastic! We love it when you enjoy our recipes!
Dorie says
I think this would be a great dish for one of my Dutch oven gatherings. I'm from Wisconsin and have a friend from Morocco who made lambs head complete with brains and eyeballs. I ate some brains but passed on the eyeballs, lol.
Vicky and Ruth says
LOL, good idea, I have a feeling, they are kind of slimy 🙂
Tanya Cohen says
Question - how would you adjust for brown basmati rice? Or, would jasmine rice work in this dish? Thanks!
Vicky and Ruth says
Jasmine rice works for this recipe. Regarding brown rice,it tends to get mushy, so I would probably cook it separately, they way you normally do and then mix in the carrots,onions, raisins etc.
Katrin says
My favourite rice recipe ever. Thank you for sharing
Vicky and Ruth says
Thank you so much! It's one of our favorites too!
Audrea Danskin says
Yours is yellow. Did you add turmeric?
Vicky and Ruth says
No the freshly shredded carrots give the rice its color.
Hannah Azizollah says
I have made this recipe a number of times. My mum used to make the Afghan recipe sometimes with meat cooked in the rice and I found this recipe on line searching for a one pot quick method. It is fantastic! So much easier! I like to add cinnamon and some dried barberries....from Iranian shops, they are small slightly sour berries. Brown basmati works for me, takes a bit longer.White rice more luxurious but less healthy!! Thanks for saving me time and washing up!!
Vicky and Ruth says
We are so happy that you found us too! We want to try barberries, if we find it. Thank you for taking the time to leave us a commnent.