Instant Pot Rice Pilaf with Saffron & Almonds
Instant Pot Rice Pilaf, made with saffron, chicken broth, toasted almonds, and fluffy white rice, is fragrant, fluffy, and an easy-to-make, healthy side dish.
Rice is one of my favorite dishes to make in the Instant Pot. And while it couldn’t be easier to make simple and perfectly fluffy white rice, brown rice, or even forbidden rice, it’s also just as easy to make a flavorful rice pilaf.
This recipe elevates white rice with a rich saffron broth, gorgeous color, and crunchy, nutty almonds for garnish.
Update: My family loves homemade rice pilaf in the Instant Pot with a simple protein for dinner, so I’ve updated this post with tips and tricks so your family can dig in too!
How to Make Rice Pilaf in the Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker
This Saffron Almond Rice Pilaf recipe will work in any brand of electric pressure cooker, including the Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi, or Power Pressure Cooker XL.
This dish is flavored with a rich saffron chicken broth. When cooking with saffron, it’s important to bloom the spice first. This means simply soaking the dried saffron threads in warm liquid before adding them to your dish.
For this pilaf recipe, bloom the saffron directly in the warm chicken stock you use to cook your rice.
In a pinch you can skip the saffron, though it adds a deep, delicious flavor and a beautiful color. We use either coupe grade or superior saffron. We’re currently using this beautiful saffron from Penzey’s.
Also, you don’t have to toast the almonds for your pilaf, but I recommend it if you have the time. It takes just a few minutes in a large skillet over medium heat or in a 350°F oven.
The toasted nuts will be much more flavorful, fragrant, and crunchier. They add the perfect textural contrast to the fluffy rice.
What Is Rice Pilaf?
Did you know that pilaf is the name of both the dish and the cooking style? To cook in the pilaf style means that you toast the rice in oil or another cooking fat before adding the cooking liquid (in this case chicken broth).
Pilaf also must cook in a covered pot and is not stirred after the rice and liquid are incorporated. That’s why the Instant Pot / electric pressure cooker is the perfect way to make easy rice pilaf at home. There’s no need to babysit the pot, worry about overflow, or make sure you have the right liquid to rice ratio.
Often, pilaf has other ingredients mixed into the rice—in this case, saffron, celery, and onions. You’ll also find pilaf made with herbs, mushrooms, or other vegetables. The possibilities are pretty endless when it comes to flavoring homemade rice pilaf.
What to Serve with Rice Pilaf
This is a hearty and flavorful rice pilaf that I love to serve with simple grilled chicken or pork chops and steamed vegetables for a well rounded and easy weeknight meal.
Other great pairings for saffron Instant Pot Rice Pilaf include Instant Pot Butter Chicken and Chicken Shawarma.
More Pressure Cooker / Instant Pot Rice Recipes
If you ask me, an Instant Pot is the best way to make perfect Instant Pot rice recipes like these:
- Cilantro Lime Rice is bright and perfect to fill homemade burritos.
- Instant Pot Chicken Broccoli and Rice Casserole is a complete, filling meal in one pot: grains, protein, and vegetables.
- Instant Pot Congee with Brown Rice and Turmeric from All Ways Delicious is a savory, creamy Chinese breakfast porridge perfect for chilly mornings.
- The Best Instant Pot Rice Pudding proves that the pressure cooker isn’t just for savory cooking!
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Instant Pot Saffron Almond Rice Pilaf
Saffron Almond Instant Pot Rice Pilaf is fragrant, fluffy, and easy to make with long-grain white rice, saffron, chicken broth, and toasted almonds.
Ingredients
- 1 14-ounce can chicken broth
- 1 1/4 cup water
- Pinch of saffron threads
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
- 2 cups long grain white rice, rinsed
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
Instructions
- Heat broth and water in a small saucepan over moderate heat until hot, then stir in the saffron. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Place the butter in the pressure cooking pot. Select Sauté, and when the butter is melted and sizzling, add the chopped onions and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally until vegetables are tender, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Stir in the rice and cook, stirring frequently, until rice becomes opaque, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add saffron broth and salt. Lock the lid in place and select High Pressure and a 3 minute cook time.
- When the cook time ends, let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, then finish with a quick pressure release. When the valve drops, carefully remove the lid.
- Fluff the rice, stir in the almonds, and serve immediately.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 113Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 352mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 3g
Nutrition information is calculated by Nutritionix and may not always be accurate.
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By “stalk” of celery, I assume you mean a rib (i.e. a single piece)?
Yes, a rib of celery. Enjoy!
Hi ~ just wondering if long grain brown rice would work in this recipe?
Hi Deb – I haven’t tried it, but I think brown rice would work well in this recipe. You’d just have to change the cook time to 22 minutes and do a 10 natural release. Let me know how it goes.
I already follow this website on Pinterest.
My sister’s in-laws taught her to grind the saffron with a mortar and pestle, then add a small amount of water to the spice before adding to the recipe. She made a delicious Grilled Saffron Chicken for years. Later she replaced the saffron with basil and liked it just as well. I did love the Saffron Chicken, though.
Thanks for the tip Dorothy. I’ve been meaning to buy a mortar and pestle.
This sounds great Barbara! I never thought of using the pressure cooker for rice 🙂
Two notes on the saffron – There is a Mexican saffron available and is much cheaper, although you need to use more. When you soak the saffron, I’d suggest heating the water first, by itself, in the microwave and then soak the saffron. After 10-15 minutes, add the chicken broth and reheat in the microwave. Saffron has a hard time diffusing in liquid that has any fat in it. You could also replace the water in this recipe with half water/half white wine.
Thanks Drew for the info on saffron. I’ll give that a try next time.
Definitely saving this recipe. Love making rice in my PC. Have you tried making it without making the saffron broth first? I’m always looking for ways to reduce the number of pots I need to clean.
Last time I made it I just heated the broth and water in a microwave safe bowl. You could use the same bowl you want to serve the rice in. That would save on clean up.
You do know I set up a Pinterest board JUST for your pressure cooker recipes, right? 😉
Thanks Em! I was hoping you’d get one for Christmas.
Another great pressure cooker recipe! I’ve never done rice in mine, but I’m about to give it a try 🙂
I’m excited to try this recipe! Who knew? Now to just get my hands on some saffron . . . 😀
Hi Deon – you can omit the saffron, but it does add a nice color and a little bit extra flavor.
Howdy-do! Popping back to tell you I made this recipe this evening, and it turned out fantastic! I gotta say I’m kind of blown away that long grain rice could cook so quickly, but indeed it turned out to be perfect! Thanks a ton!
Yeah!! So glad you loved it as much as we do.