This fluffy, moist Orange Cranberry Rice is an easy side dish infused with fresh oranges and studded with ruby red cranberries. It never fails to impress, whether made in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop.
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Do me a favor. Grab your menu plan for next week and add this rice to any night of the week. It’s sooooo delicious! I am much more of a potato kind of gal, but this rice wins me over every single time.
Misty and I have looked for the original inspiration for this recipe but just can’t find it. About 10 years ago she typed it out on a Word document and stuck it in our recipe binder. It is truly a family favorite. In recent years we adapted it to the Instant Pot. I must say...wow! It turns out perfectly!
🥇 Why It’s Great!
- It uses economical, staple pantry items. Who doesn’t need more easy, filling sides that don’t break the budget?
- It comes together very quickly, perfect for a last minute meal plan or an easy weeknight dinner.
- It can be frozen and reheated perfectly. I have done it this way many times before parties so that I can focus on cooking the main dish, and it always comes out great.
- Because it is cost-effective and can be frozen ahead of time, this rice makes an excellent crowd pleaser. Try it for your next dinner party!
- The flavors are subtle, yet bright. It compliments almost any fall or holiday seasonal menu, so you have a lot of serving options!
🍎 Ingredients
Butter: Salted butter is the best choice here.
Onion: Yellow or white onion will work.
Rice: Long-grain white rice is the perfect background flavor for the orange and cranberry.
Oranges: You will need both the zest and the juice. Although you may use a high quality bottled orange juice if you don’t want to juice your oranges.
Chicken Broth: Canned or homemade are delicious.
Bay Leaves: They add the perfect amount of subtle herb flavor.
Salt: Kosher salt is our standard salt choice.
Dried Cranberries: Standard sweetened and dried cranberries.
Green Onions: A fresh punch of flavor added at the very end.
🔪 Instructions
Start by sauteing the onion and butter in the Instant Pot or in a pot on the stove. Stir in the rice, then add the chicken broth, orange juice, zest, bay leaves, and salt. Cook the rice on the rice setting in the Instant Pot or on the stove for about 20 minutes. Add cranberries and allow to steam for 5 minutes. Finally, sprinkle on the green onions and fluff with a fork.
👨👩👧👦 For a Crowd
Because this rice freezes and reheats so beautifully, it is a no-brainer side when you’re serving a crowd. Make as many batches as you need depending on the size of your crowd. Serve the day of making, or follow the freezing instructions below and reheat the day of serving.
**Note: The size of your Instant Pot or pot on the stove may only hold 1-2 recipes. My 6 quart Instant Pot can hold a double recipe. If you need more, make separate batches.
🙋 Questions and Answers
Orange Cranberry Rice freezes beautifully. Once it is fully cooled, spread on a sheet pan and freeze. Then store in a zipper bag or disposable pan. For a full guide, read this post on How to Freeze and Reheat Rice Perfectly Every Time.
Yes, definitely. You can make it and leave it covered on the stove for up to an hour before dinner. Or make it in a large batch and freeze ahead for a crowd. Or you can double the recipe and freeze half for the next time you need rice in a flash.
To reheat a dinner-sized portion, sprinkle it with a teaspoon or so of water, then cover with a paper towel. Microwave on full power until hot, stirring with a fork to keep the grains separate.
If you are reheating a whole recipe from frozen, use the oven. Preheat the oven to 300°F and bake covered for 20-30 minutes. No need to thaw first.
Yes, lots of them! For a full list see the Side Dishes section of our recipe index.
📖 Serve With
- If you haven’t tried this Mind-Blowing Maple Glazed Pork Tenderloin, now is your chance. It is the perfect main dish to complement this rice.
- This Autumn Chopped Salad combines succulent pears, salty bacon, tart cranberries, sharp cheese, and crunchy pecans with a sweet balsamic dressing on a bed of romaine. WOW!
- For dessert, these Apple Pie Biscuits are dipped in butter, coated in brown sugar & cinnamon, topped with an AMAZING 5-ingredient apple pie filling, then baked in a skillet to sticky perfection. A perfect weekend breakfast or dessert!
👨🏼🍳 Tips & Tricks
- Zest the oranges before juicing them.. because zesting a squeezed orange is enough to make a person crazy (speaking from personal experience).
- Allow the raw rice to toast in the butter for a few minutes before adding the liquids. This helps keep the granules separated - no sticky, clumpy rice here!
- When fluffing the rice, use a fork instead of a spoon. Spoons tend to smash the rice, but a fork will keep it fluffy.
- If your cranberries are old they will stay too hard in the rice. Use cranberries that are dried but still moist.
👋 Connect with us!
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📋 Recipe
Orange Cranberry Rice (Instant Pot or Stovetop)
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp butter
- ½ onion diced
- 1 ½ cups long-grain white rice
- 1 orange zested
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth 1 ¾ cups for stovetop method
- ½ cup orange juice
- 2 bay leaves
- ¾ tsp salt
- ½ cup dried cranberries diced
- 3 scallions chopped
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions
- Select "saute" option. Once pot is very hot, melt butter and saute onions for 3-5 minutes until onions are translucent.
- Add rice and toast for 1-2 minutes, stirring well to coat every grain with butter.
- Add orange juice, chicken broth, salt, bay leaves, and orange zest. Seal the Instant Pot and press "rice."
- Once Instant Pot beeps, allow it to naturally release for 10 minutes (do NOT release the steam yet). After 10 minutes, release the steam and open the lid. Add cranberries. Cover with the lid and let sit for 5 minutes.
- Remove lid. Add green onions and fluff with a fork. Serve warm.
Stovetop Instructions
- Heat a medium saucepan on medium-high heat. Once hot, melt butter and saute onions for 3-5 minutes until onions are translucent.
- Add rice and toast for 1-2 minutes, stirring well to coat every grain with butter.
- While rice is toasting, microwave juice and 1 ¾ cups stock until hot. Add hot liquids, salt, bay leaves, and orange zest to pot. Cover immediately and cook on low heat for 20 minutes (should simmer softly).
- Once finished cooking add cranberries and allow to sit with lid on for 5 minutes. Remove lid. Add green onions and fluff with fork. Serve warm.
Notes
- Zest the oranges before juicing them.. because zesting a squeezed orange is enough to make a person crazy (speaking from personal experience).
- Allow the raw rice to toast in the butter for a few minutes before adding the liquids. This helps keep the granules separated - no sticky, clumpy rice here!
- When fluffing the rice, use a fork instead of a spoon. Spoons tend to smash the rice, but a fork will keep it fluffy.
- If your cranberries are old they will stay too hard in the rice. Use cranberries that are dried but still moist.
Nutrition
All nutrition information is provided by a third party and is an estimate only. Use your own nutritional calculator for more specific measurements.
Patricia G. says
I made this rice last night with the stovetop cooking method. I paired with a chicken and their roasted broccoli recipe. So easy and absolutely delicious! This reminds me of the perfect kind of rice for the upcoming holidays. I will definitely be making it again.
Danielle says
Thanks for your feedback! It is always great to hear when our recipes are loved by others!
YtheWait says
Love your recipe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Misty says
Thanks, we're so glad you like it! It's my all time favorite rice recipe 🙂