Rustic skewers with saffron rice
- Gluten Free
- Lactose Free
- Energy Kcal 666
- Carbohydrates g 50.6
- of which sugars g 4
- Protein g 22.7
- Fats g 41.4
- of which saturated fat g 13.91
- Fiber g 2.4
- Cholesterol mg 84
- Sodium mg 895
- Difficulty: Average
- Prep time: 30 min
- Cook time: 60 min
- Makes: 6 pieces
- Cost: Average
PRESENTATION
Colorful plates make rustic skewers with saffron rice a favorite for casual get-togethers and everyday family meals—especially when you want something great that looks as inviting as it tastes. A nice pile of moist saffron rice underneath juicy, well-seasoned skewers creates real crowd appeal, and the rich aroma from grilled recipes turns any table into a little celebration. Even picky eaters usually love that soft texture and flavorful, slightly smoky taste—always a good sign. Families with kids tend to notice how the bright color of the saffron rice gets everyone hungry, while home cooks enjoy that this dish plays nice with so many American recipes or Mediterranean dishes (think quick midweek meal OR party tray...either way, all smiles at dinnertime). The nice contrast between golden rice and those browned skewers just works for both casual picnics and heartier sit-down meals.
Busy households often go back to chicken kebabs paired with saffron rice, since it’s friendly on the budget and easy to mix up with whatever’s on hand. The sweet notes from the rice, plus those rustic grilled flavors, deliver the kind of satisfaction regular families look for after a long day—this is comfort you can count on, but it still feels special enough for guests. While rustic skewers offer all sorts of options (beef, chicken, veggies), serving them over saffron rice pulls everything together for a good, versatile dinner. Mediterranean-inspired dishes usually find a spot on the regular rotation because they’re so adaptable; swap out different proteins, serve with simple sides, or use leftovers for easy meal prep ideas all week. Families love dropping this grilled recipe into the mix—it brings some excitement and a dash of color without fussing, great for family dinners or even a quick lunch. The fluffy rice and rich taste combine for a dish that earns repeated requests...and honestly, that’s what every home cook wants: a reliable, delicious meal that everyone at the table can agree on.
INGREDIENTS
- Ingredients for the rice
- Basmati rice 1 ½ cup (320 g)
- Saffron 1 bag
- Water 3 cups (700 g)
- Onions 1.8 oz (50 g)
- Extra virgin olive oil 1 ½ tbsp (25 g)
- Fine salt 1 pinch
- Bay leaves 1 leaf
- Cloves 4
- for 6 skewers
- Luganega sausage 7.1 oz (200 g)
- Pork loin 7 oz (200 g)
- Pancetta 7 oz (200 g)
- Red peppers 2.8 oz (80 g)
- Bell peppers ½ cup (80 g) - yellow
- Green peppers ½ cup (80 g)
- Zucchini 2.75 oz (80 g)
- Cherry tomatoes 3.2 oz (90 g)
How to prepare Rustic skewers with saffron rice
To prepare the rustic skewers with saffron rice, the first thing to do is prepare the rice, so in a pot pour the water and bring it to a boil, you will need it right after toasting the rice; fix the bay leaf with the cloves on the onion 1 and let it flavor for a few moments in extra virgin olive oil 2, then add the rice and toast it for a few minutes, stirring constantly 3.
Collect some hot water in a container (if you prefer, a vegetable broth is also fine) and pour in the saffron 4, dilute it well 5 and then pour it into the pot with the rice 6.
Also add the rest of the boiling water (alternatively, to make the rice even tastier, you can use vegetable broth) 7 and continue cooking over low heat, covering with a lid 8 until the rice has completely absorbed the water 9.
Meanwhile, prepare the skewers, starting with the pork loin, removing the excess fat 10, then slicing it into slices about 1 inch thick 11 and after obtaining the lozenges, you can cut them into cubes about 1.5 inches in size 12.
After washing the bell peppers, dry them and remove the seeds and the central part 13 and cut them into squares roughly the size of the pork loin chunks 14; wash the cherry tomatoes and detach them from the branch 15.
Then remove the ends of the zucchinis 16 and cut into slices about 0.5 inches thick 17; also cut the sausage into pieces as big as the pork loin 18.
When you have all the ingredients ready, you can assemble the skewer by inserting the pieces onto a wooden skewer, starting with the cherry tomato 19, then the piece of sausage 20, the zucchini slice, and the piece of loin 21.
Continue with the yellow bell pepper 22, the piece of bacon 23, and continue with sausage, red bell pepper, bacon, loin, and green bell pepper 24.
Keep going like this until you have all 6 skewers 25. Heat a grill and place the skewers on it 26, letting them cook for 2-3 minutes on each side 27.
Finally, if you want, you can serve the rice at the bottom of the serving plate, or more originally you can pour it into a small container 28, filling it to the brim and leveling it with the help of a spoon, let it cool for a few minutes 29, then unmold by placing the shape on the serving plate and immediately serve the rustic skewers with saffron rice 30.