Ic Pilav (Turkish Rice with Currants and Pine Nuts)

Name: Ic Pilav (Turkish Rice with Currants and Pine Nuts)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons olive oil; 1 small onion (finely chopped); 35 grams pine nuts (plus more for optional topping); 200 grams long grain rice (rinsed well); 1 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; ¾ teaspoon allspice; 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (or use more if you want); 35 grams currants; 260 ml hot water; 1/4 cup parsley (chopped); 1/4 cup fresh dill (chopped)

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This Turkish rice with currants and pine nuts (iç pilav) is a wonderful side dish with a rich flavor that can also be served as a meal on its own. It has incredibly well-balanced sweet and savory flavors thanks to the currants, spices (allspice and cinnamon), pine nuts and herbs.

Allspice rice pilaf with raisins, pine nuts and parsley and a spoon in it.

This is a classic side dish also known as ic pilav in Turkish cuisine. It was traditionally used for stuffing chicken, turkey or lamb, but today it is widely enjoyed as a delicious accompaniment to weeknight dinners.

What Is Ic Pilav?

İç Pilav (Turkish), which means stuffing rice, is a type of rice pilaf loaded with flavors. It is made with pine nuts, onions, rice, currants (or raisins) and spices and fresh herbs.

It was traditionally used for stuffing lamb ribs, chicken, turkey and grape leaves to make yaprak sarma, but it has changed a lot over time. Now it is used both for stuffing and as a side dish to accompany chicken dishes and meat dishes.

Finished Turkish iç pilav served on a plate, made with rice, pine nuts, currants, fresh herbs, and warm spices.

Besides, ic pilav is sometimes served as a main dish on its own. We mostly add some meat (lamb, beef or chicken) when we want to enjoy it for main meal. So flavorsome and satisfying for all family members!

Why We Love This Recipe

It has well-balanced flavors. The spices, herbs, currants, pine nuts, and rice creates a great combination of sweet and savory flavors.
It is a very easy recipe to make. Once the base has been made, all you have to do is cook the rice and allow it to rest – minimal work with maximum flavor.
This iç pilav recipe is meatless. It can be served as an accompaniment to a wide range of recipes, but you can also make it a complete meal by adding lamb, ground beef, chicken or liver.

About The Ingredients

You can find the full list of ingredients with their exact measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Overhead view of ingredients for Turkish iç pilav, including rice, onion, pine nuts, currants, spices, olive oil, and fresh herbs.

Pine nuts: They have a very mild nutty flavor that blends in seamlessly with the other ingredients. But in some regions, almonds or chestnusts are used instead.
Rice: We prefer using white rice like Baldo rice because of its characteristics. It is a plump, milled, short-grain variety found in Turkey and Italy. Alternatively, you can use Arborio rice or any long grain rice.
Water: We use just plain water, but you can use chicken broth or vegetable broth to make it even tastier.
Currants: This recipe traditionally uses currants, which are a type of small black raisins. We call them kuş üzümü in Turkish. If you can’t find them, use your regular raisins or the smallest raisins you can find.
Spices: We use allspice, cinnamon, salt and pepper.
Herbs: We use fresh parsley and fresh dill.

How To Make Ic Pilav

This ic pilav recipe brings together sweet and savory flavors in a very simple way. It’s an easy vegetarian dish, but you can also turn it into a complete meal by serving it with chicken or lamb.

Step-by-step overhead view of making Turkish iç pilav, from sautéing onions and pine nuts to cooking and mixing the seasoned rice with herbs.

Start by heating the olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and pine nuts. Cook for about 3–5 minutes, stirring often, until the onion turns translucent. (You can reserve some pine nuts for topping if you like — see the note below.)

Add the well-rinsed rice and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add the spices and currants, and stir well so the rice is evenly coated.

Pour in the boiling water, cover the pan, and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and let it simmer until the rice is cooked and all the liquid has been absorbed.

Remove the pan from the heat and let the rice rest, covered, for about 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork, then stir in the chopped parsley and dill.

Note: If you like, you can toast extra pine nuts in a small pan until golden and sprinkle them over the iç pilav before serving.

You can find the full instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.

Our Tips

Close-up of Turkish iç pilav with rice, pine nuts, currants, and fresh herbs, ready to serve.

No matter what type of rice you use, rinse it well for a wonderful fluffy rice pilaf. You can put rice in a fine mesh strainer and rinse under hot water by shaking it to remove excess starch.
It is very important to allow the rice to sweat a bit with the spices (before adding the water). This will help all of the ingredients release their flavor and ultimately create a much more aromatic dish.
You can substitute chicken stock for plain water to have more flavor.
Pilaf is a simple rice dish that requires long slow cooking, so please do not rush this by increasing the heat. Continue cooking it over low heat until all of the water has been absorbed.
You can add 1 tablespoon butter after the water is absorbed and let it melt when rice is still hot.
You have to leave the rice to rest for 15 minutes. During this time more water is fully absorbed and the rice also develops its fluffy texture.

Variations

This recipe is a vegetarian side dish. However, turning it into a complete meal by simply adding some liver, chicken pieces, or cooked lamb is very common in Middle Eastern cuisine.

There are traditional versions of this dish that include lamb liver or chicken liver. To add cubed liver or any other type of meat, you can simply brown the meat in a pan first, then follow the pilaf steps as is.

Serving Suggestions

Ic Pilav is a staple side dish we love to accompany with Kuzu Tandir. Together, they make a great option for a special dinner.

Oven-roasted kuzu tandır served over rice pilaf, garnished with fresh thyme and pomegranate seeds. — *Ic Pilav topped with Kuzu Tandir*

It also pairs well with many classic Turkish dishes, such as:

We also love serving iç pilav for lunch with a small bowl of cacik or homemade yogurt or a refreshing salad like Turkish Beetroot Salad or shepherd salad on the side.

Turkish iç pilav served with toasted pine nuts and currants, photographed with fresh herbs and a side salad. — Ic Pilav served with Turkish Beetroot Salad.

FAQs

Can I use saffron in this recipe?

Traditionally this middle eastern rice dish doesn't contain any saffron, however, you can easily add some if you'd like. Saffron will add a delicately sweet and floral taste to it that will go exceptionally great with lamb versions of this dish too.

Is it freezer-friendly?

We wouldn’t recommend it, our rice pilaf recipe is best on the day it has been made.

More Turkish Side Dishes

As always: If you make this recipe, let us know what you think by rating it and leaving a comment below. And post a pic on Instagram too—tag @give_recipe so we can see!

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📖 Recipe

Rice with raisins, pine nuts and herbs in a white bowl and a spoon inside it.

5 from 8 votes