If there is any rice side dish you want on your holiday table, it has to be this Christmas rice. Deconstructed stuffed bell peppers to fit the occasion without the usual cheese or protein as that can be served on the side.
This Christmas rice is effortless and fast to prepare, making it a delightful addition to any weeknight or holiday dinner.
Christmas rice recipe
Make your holiday dinner stress-free this Christmas season with this simple and delicious rice dish! Rice makes an appearance as a savory side dish on my table all year round, however, most times, it is either Jollof rice or Nigerian fried rice.
This year, I thought I would switch things up and make colorful festive Christmas rice. This rice is fluffy, flavorful, and delicious, even your pickiest eater wouldn't say no to it. Serve with a side of proteins or vegetables, and you have yourself a delicious, festive meal everyone will love.
I cooked the rice in my instant pot and finished it off on the stove. That said, you can cook the rice on the stovetop using the same method the only difference would be that the stovetop method will take about 15 minutes longer to cook. Both instructions can be found below.
This rice recipe is vegetarian and can be made vegan friendly by using vegan or other plant based butter of your choice.
What you will need to make the best Christmas rice
You will need the following handful of ingredients to make your holiday rice. It is colorful and packed full of holiday flavor.
Uncooked rice: basmati (pure or golden sella), long grain or brown rice would work here.
Bell peppers: green and red obviously, it's Christmas!
Bouillon powder: vegetable or chicken bouillon powder would work best for this recipe
Italian seasoning: sub with Herbs de Provence
Red pepper flakes
Unsalted butter
Mixed spice: this is an equivalent of pumpkin pie spice
Vegetable oil: sub with any flavorless cooking oil of choice
Salt and pepper to taste
How to make Christmas rice (Stove top instructions)
Prep: Dice 2 green bell peppers and 1 red bell pepper, slice the onions and roughly the garlic then set aside. Wash the rice until the water is clear.
Cook the Rice: Heat vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat, add the onions and garlic, and cook until softened. Add the washed rice, stirring regularly for about 1 minute or two to avoid burning. Add bullion powder, Italian seasoning, mixed spice (if using), salt, and red pepper flakes, to the rice. Pour water into the rice and stir all to combine.
Let it come to a boil, reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 15 minutes or until all the water is absorbed and the rice is fully cooked and fluffy.
Stir fry: Place a saute pan on medium-high heat, add and melt. Add the diced bell peppers, chicken bouillon powder, salt, and pepper to taste. Stir fry the bell peppers until they are al dente. Add the cooked rice to the stir-fried peppers, stir all to combine, take it off the heat and serve hot.
Instant pot instructions
Turn on the instant pot and select the saute button on normal heat. Saute the onions and garlic in vegetable oil until soft. Turn off the saute button.
Add washed rice to the sauteed aromatics and stir to combine (this will also help cool the pot slightly). Add chicken bouillon powder, Italian seasoning, mixed spice (if using), salt, and red pepper flakes, to the rice. Pour 3 cups of water into the rice and stir all to combine deglazing the bottom of the pot at the same time.
Securely cover the instant pot turning the valve to the seal position.
Select manual or pressure cook and cook on high pressure for 6 minutes. When the cooking cycle is completed allow the pot to come to natural pressure for 5 minutes then carefully do a quick release.
Remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork. Transfer the rice to a large bowl and proceed to stir-fry the bell peppers
Turn on the saute button, when it is hot, add butter and melt. Add diced bell peppers salt and bouillon powder and stir to combine. Stir fry the peppers until aldente, add the cooked rice, and stir to combine. Serve as a side with other protein of choice and enjoy!
Tips
- Add a squeeze of lemon or lime juice to the rice before serving for extra flavor.
- You can also use vegetable (chicken) stock instead of bouillon powder if you prefer.
- Throw in other green or red vegetables of your choice such as spinach and tomatoes.
- If you don’t have mixed spice, use a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice instead or omit it completely
- Adding fresh parsley, chives, or spring onions to the rice before serving is a nice way to add color and flavor.
How to store and reheat
This rice will stay fresh in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days provided it is stored at the right temperature. You can freeze it for up to 3 months in a Ziploc freezer bag or an airtight container.
To reheat: simply put the rice in a microwave-safe dish and microwave until pipping hot before consuming.
What to serve with Christmas rice
Christmas rice is delicious as a side and can be served with other proteins like baked chicken, beef, or pork. It also goes well with seafood dishes such as shrimp and scallops.
It is also amazing when served with veg and salads like Roasted cauliflower steak, beetroot salad or coleslaw. The possibilities are endless! Enjoy and have a merry Christmas.
Other dishes to serve this Christmas
Garlic butter smashed potatoes
Christmas Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups uncooked rice i used golden sella basmati rice
- 3 large Bell peppers green and red bell peppers
- ½ cup onion
- 2 large garlic cloves
- 1 Tablespoon bouillon powder reserve about ½ teaspoon
- ½ Tablespoon Italian seasoning
- Red pepper flakes to taste
- 3 Tablespoon unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon mixed spice optional pumpkin pie spice
- 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Stove top instructions
- Prep: Dice 2 green bell peppers and 1 red bell pepper, slice the onions and roughly the garlic then set aside. Wash the rice until the water is clear.
- Cook the Rice: Heat vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat, add the onions and garlic, and cook until softened. Add the washed rice, stirring regularly for about 1 minute or two to avoid burning. Add bullion powder, Italian seasoning, mixed spice (if using), salt, and red pepper flakes, to the rice. Pour water into the rice and stir all to combine.
- Let it come to a boil, reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 10-15 minutes or until all the water is absorbed and the rice is fully cooked and fluffy.
- Stir fry: Place a saute pan on medium-high heat, add butter and melt. Add the diced bell peppers, chicken bouillon powder, salt, and pepper to taste. Stir fry the bell peppers until they are al dente. Add the cooked rice to the stir-fried peppers, stir all to combine, take it off the heat and serve hot.
Instant pot instructions
- Turn on the instant pot and select the saute button on normal heat. Saute the onions and garlic in vegetable oil until soft. Turn off the saute button.
- Add washed rice to the sauteed aromatics and stir to combine (this will also help cool the pot slightly). Add chicken bouillon powder, Italian seasoning, mixed spice (if using), salt, and red pepper flakes, to the rice. Pour 3 cups of water into the rice and stir all to combine deglazing the bottom of the pot at the same time.
- Securely cover the instant pot turning the valve to the seal position.
- Select manual or pressure cook and cook on high pressure for 6 minutes. When the cooking cycle is completed allow the pot to come to natural pressure for 5 minutes then carefully do a quick release.
- Remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork. Transfer the rice to a large bowl and proceed to sir fry the bell peppers
- Turn on the saute button, when it is hot, add butter and melt. Add diced bell peppers salt and bouillon powder and stir to combine. Stir fry the peppers until aldente, add the cooked rice, and stir to combine. Serve as a side with other protein of choice and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutritional data: Please note that the nutrition label provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator. It will vary based on the specific ingredients and brands you use. Under no circumstances will thedinnerbite.com be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information.
There you have it, a simple and flavorful rice recipe that you can make at home under 30 minutes. As always, if you made this recipe, I would love to hear from you! Kindly rate the recipe 5 star and leave me feedback in the comment section below. Tag me @thedinnerbite on Instagram and save it away to your Pinterest. Please subscribe to the blog if you haven’t for free new recipes in your inbox
Judy Gann says
I tried this with cilantro lime chicken and my family loved it so much that it’s on our rotation menu. Thanks for sharing this recipe ❤️
Ajoke says
Yay! Thanks, Judy. I'm delighted that everyone enjoyed it and that the Christmas rice can be enjoyed any time of the year.