Egyptian Rice with Spices and Nuts
Last Updated on May 23, 2025 by Betty Davies
This authentic Egyptian rice recipe is loaded with flavor and texture. Quick to make in one pot on the stovetop, this delicious Middle Eastern rice recipe is perfectly balanced with spices and topped with fried almonds for extra crunch.
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If you find rice to be on the dull side, you have to try this amazing Egyptian rice recipe! Cooked with lamb drippings and spices, this is definitely not boring!
This traditional Egyptian recipe is blow your mind delicious, and I love how easy it is to make! It all comes together in one pot and requires very little hands on time.
It’s so rich and flavorful, this is one of those dishes you will eat once at a restaurant and never forget about it!
Be sure to check out my Yellow Rice and Garlic Chili Fried Rice recipes too!
Why you will love this recipe!
- Easy: This rice side dish requires very little prep and the cooking time is quick and mainly hands off.
- Versatile: This is a delicious side dish as it is, but it’s easy to add your twist on it and even turn it into a full meal.
- Traditional: This recipe was kindly shared with me by my Egyptian friend. It’s one her Mother taught her how to cook and it’s a staple in their home.
- Dietary info: This Egyptian Rice recipe is gluten-free.
Ingredients
- Rice: This recipe uses basmati, a long grain rice. The grains expand in size during cooking and soak up all of those delicious flavors.
- Onion: Use a very small onion, or half of a larger one.
- Lamb drippings: This key ingredient adds so much flavor to this rice dish. When you roast some lamb, save the drippings by letting them cool and then freeze them for later use. You can make this recipe without the drippings, but if you can, plan ahead and save them!
- Spices: Curry powder, cinnamon, ginger, salt, turmeric and Middle Eastern 7 spice.
- Stock cube: Half a stock cube for added flavor.
- Almonds: The final dish is topped with fried almonds for added crunch.
Tips for making this Egyptian Rice Recipe
- This recipe comes together very quickly, so have everything together and ready to use before you start cooking. Measure out your ingredients so that they are ready to add to the pot.
- If you don’t have lamb drippings, you can substitute those with the same amount of ghee. Beef or chicken drippings will also work well.
- Use a heavy bottomed pan to make this recipe. It will have a more even heat distribution and hold the heat more efficiently so that you won’t get hot spots that can burn the rice.
- Use a hand blender to mince the onion into very fine pieces.
- Add salt to taste during, and at the end of cooking.
- Keep your eye on the rice during cooking and add more water if needed.
Serving Suggestions
This Egyptian rice recipe is perfect to serve alongside Air Fryer Koftas. It’s also great to serve with roasted meats.
Make it a full meal!
You can easily bulk this Egyptian rice up to make it a full meal. You can add additional veggies in like carrots or peas, when you add in the onion, and once cooked, stir in some shredded or rotisserie chicken. Delicious!
Make Ahead, Storage and Reheating
This recipe is easily halved, or make a bigger batch to enjoy over a few nights! Once cooked, let the rice cool and store in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat the rice in a pot on the stovetop til piping hot. Cooked rice should only be reheated once.
This Egyptian rice recipe really is a must try! The flavors are so deep and rich and the texture is silky smooth, thanks to the combination of spices and fats. The first time I tried this, I just knew I had to share it with you!
Recipe Created by Aliaa Ali
Aliaa was born and raised in Cairo, Egypt where she studied medicine and worked as a professor of audiology in Cairo university. When she left her professional life to join her husband who was working in Europe, she found her love for cooking and baking, searching for, and recreating the food she grew up with. Aliaa’s mother was her inspiration for everything delicious and her cooking was the deepest, purest act of love. She loves sharing her traditional recipes and show stopping bakes with her friends whenever she gets a chance! Aliaa lives in Quebec with her husband and 3 children.
Egyptian Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup whole almonds
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- 1 small onion (use a hand blender to mince the onion, or chip it as finely as you can)
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon powdered ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon 7 spice
- ½ stock cube
- 2 cups basmati rice
- ½ cup lamb drippings (can use beef or chicken, or substitute with ghee)
- 3 cups water (more if needed)
- salt added to taste
- oil for frying
Instructions
- Measure all of your ingredients out before starting cooking so that they are ready to use.
- Place the almonds in boiling water to blanche for 10 minutes. Peel off the skins and place to one side.½ cup whole almonds
- Put a pot on the stovetop on a medium high heat and add in the ghee.1 tablespoon ghee
- Once hot, add in the onion and cook til softened. Do not brown it.1 small onion
- Add in the spices and stir for 30 seconds.1 teaspoon curry powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon powdered ginger, 1 teaspoon 7 spice, ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- Crumble in the stock cube.½ stock cube
- Add in the rice, stir to combine.2 cups basmati rice
- Pour in the lamb drippings, stir to combine.½ cup lamb drippings
- Add in the water and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then place on the lid and turn the heat down to a very low boil. Cook for 10 minutes.3 cups water
- Carefully taste and add salt to your liking (we used about a tablespoon, but add slowly)salt
- Check the water level, and add more water if needed. Continue to cook until the rice is done.
- Heat about ¼ cup of oil in a small pan. Once hot, add the almonds and fry for a couple of minutes til light brown. Drain.
- Serve the rice with the fried almonds served on top.
Notes
- This recipe comes together very quickly, so have everything together and ready to use before you start cooking. Measure out your ingredients so that they are ready to add to the pot.
- If you don’t have lamb drippings, you can substitute those with the same amount of ghee. Beef or chicken drippings will also work well.
- Use a heavy bottomed pan to make this recipe. It will have a more even heat distribution and hold the heat more efficiently so that you won’t get hot spots that can burn the rice.
- Use a hand blender to mince the onion into very fine pieces.
- Add salt to taste during, and at the end of cooking.
- Keep your eye on the rice during cooking and add more water if needed.
