When I think of extremely special ingredients, one that comes to mind is saffron. It’s expensive. It’s delicate. And it is totally worth whatever you pay for it, especially because so little goes such a long way.

Saffron is used in a lot of dishes, from risotto to paella. One that requires a little less effort in the kitchen is rice, and this recipe I share with you today showcases how the use of just a few ingredients transforms a dish from ordinary to exceptional.

This Sage Saffron Rice uses fresh sage leaves along with a healthy pinch of saffron and a few other key components that take only seconds to prepare. Before you know it, you’ll have a rice dish that you won’t mind eating all by itself.

 

Saffron Rice with Sage

(recipe serving size – 3 1/2 cups)

For the rice:

1 1/4 cup long grain white rice

2 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock)

1 small onion, diced

2 tb butter

4 sage leaves, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 pinch saffron

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp oregano

Saute the onions in 1 tb of butter, 1/4 tsp kosher salt, and 1/4 tsp oregano over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the sage and garlic. Saute for another 2 minutes, stirring to make sure the garlic does not burn. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add the rice, 1 tb of butter and 1/4 tsp of salt. Bring the heat down to low, place a lid on the pot and cook for 20 minutes or until the rice is tender and all of the liquid has been absorbed.

Add 1/8 crushed red pepper flakes and fluff the rice with a fork, incorporating the pepper. Spoon into a dish and serve while warm.

Creative liberties:

To make the dish vegan, simply omit the butter and replace with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Use vegetable stock and you are good to go!