A classic Egyptian dish, Baked Rice (also known as Roz Maamar) is made in a variety of ways, but this savory version is how we grew up eating it. Made with creamy butter and rich clotted cream, it’s crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and unbelievably delicious!
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What Is Roz Maamar?
A recipe practically as old as Egypt itself, Roz Maamar is a dish found in the south of the country and made in a clay pot known as a bram. A rich side, it’s loaded with full-fat butter and cream and served at special occasions such as weddings or during the month of Ramadan. More than your average rice recipe, it’s luxurious taste is well worth every calorie!
Savory Egyptian Baked Rice Ingredients
Short Grain Rice contains more starch than long grain rice, making it plump and sticky once cooked. Without it, you won’t achieve the super soft texture we’re looking for with this baked rice.
Room Temperature Butter not only makes this dish extra flavorful, but it also helps to create the crispy coating on the outside of the dish.
Sour Cream adds a bit of a tangy flavor while also locking in moisture, keeping the rice soft and fluffy.
Sea Salt and Black Pepper help bring out the other flavors of the dish.
Cream – In true Egyptian fashion, this baked rice recipe uses both heavy cream and clotted cream to create the robust flavor it’s known for.
Beef Broth – Is essential to cook the rice thoroughly and also provides an extra boost of flavor.
Easy Alternatives and Add-Ins
If you can’t find clotted cream, it can be replaced with either heavy cream or whole milk.
Clotted cream can usually be found in specialty stores in the United State, but if you need a substitute, creme fraîche works great, too!
Technically, any broth you have on hand can be used, but we think beef broth provides the best taste.
Short grain rice works the best, but if it’s all you have on hand long-grain rice can be used, too. It just might not be quite as soft and fluffy.
Add protein with beef or chicken to make this baked rice recipe a complete meal!
What Is Clotted Cream?
If you’ve never tried clotted cream, you’re missing out! Also known as Devonshire Cream, it is common in the Middle East and the UK and is made by boiling heavy cream. Once boiled, the cream will form a thick layer on top. This layer is then skimmed off, creating what we call clotted cream. Extra soft and creamy, it’s most commonly served with bread and jam. Just to give you an idea of its richness, clotted cream is made up of 48% milk fat! Meanwhile, whole milk is 4% milk fat and heavy cream is 36% milk fat!
How to Make the Best Baked Rice Recipe
- To start, preheat your oven to 350° Fahrenheit.
- Then, be sure to wash your rice until the water runs clear. Do not skip this step!
- Once clean, combine the rice with your salt and pepper.
- Coat the bottom of a 4-quart dutch oven with a thick layer of butter. Spread the sour cream on top.
- Next, add the rice to the dutch oven along with the heavy cream, clotted cream, and broth.
- Be careful not to stir the ingredients! Just give them a stir without touching the bottom.
- Cover the dutch oven, and let it cook in the oven for 2 hours.
- Wrap the pot in a big blanket or large towel to keep it warm and tenderize the rice until you’re ready to serve.
Can You Overcook Baked Rice?
Yes, if you set the temperature too high, the bottom layer of your rice will overcook and burn.
Storage Options
If you don’t plan on serving your baked rice right away, wrap a towel around the dutch oven (with the lid still on), and the rice will stay warm and tender for hours!
If you want to store your Roz Maamar longer, place it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
When you’re ready to eat, reheat your rice in a covered dish in the microwave.
More Rice Recipes
- Surprisingly good for you and full of fresh flavor, Coconut Turmeric Rice is a wonderful vegetarian dish!
- Seasoned with warm spices, Easy Spanish Style Rice is next-level good.
- The easiest way to use up leftover white rice, Wok Fried Rice is loaded with veggies and perfect for weeknight meals.
- If you love Greek flavors as much as we do, this quick Greek Rice Bake definitely won’t disappoint!
Egyptian Baked Rice Recipe (Roz Maamar)
Ingredients
- 4 cups short grain rice
- 1 Tablespoon sea salt
- 2-3 teaspoons black pepper more or less to taste
- 8 Tablespoons room temperature butter
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup heavy cream or whole milk
- 1 cup *clotted cream aka ishta
- 2 cups beef broth
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Wash the rice until water runs clear. Do not skip this step!4 cups short grain rice
- In a bowl, add rice, salt and pepper. Mix until rice is combined with the salt and pepper.1 Tablespoon sea salt, 2-3 teaspoons black pepper
- In a 4 qt dutch oven add butter and spread until the inside is completely coated. Add sour cream and do the same. Make sure to spread an even layer across the inside of the dutch oven.8 Tablespoons room temperature butter, 1 cup sour cream
- Add rice, heavy cream (or milk), clotted cream (see note below), and broth. Do not stir. You can give it a gentle swirl without touching the bottom and sides. Cover and cook for 2 hours.1 cup heavy cream or whole milk, 1 cup *clotted cream, 2 cups beef broth
- Wrap the pot in a big blanket or large towel for at least 30 minutes before serving or for up to 4 hours. Wrapping the Dutch oven in a blanket or towel helps to tenderize the rice and maintain its warmth for hours! Taita’s (grandma) Pro Tip: Prepare this dish a few hours ahead, tightly wrap it in a blanket or towel, and it'll be ready to serve whenever desired!
Video
Equipment
Notes
Notes:
-If you don’t plan on serving right away. You can take the whole dutch oven (with the lid) and wrap it with a big blanket or towel! Yes, it sounds crazy but the dutch oven will retain the temperature for hours! The steam inside the dutch oven will keep the rice nice and tender! -If you cannot find clotted cream: You can substitute with heavy cream or whole milk. -You can also add tender braised beef before it is baked. -We initially baked this at 375 degrees F. It worked great in our oven, however, many mentioned that it was too high and the rice got too crispy.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Notes:
-If you don’t have a dutch oven you can use any enameled pot.
-If you don’t plan on serving right away. Wrap the dutch oven with a big blanket or towel. Yes, it sounds crazy but the dutch oven will retain the temperature for hours. The steam inside will keep the rice nice and tender!
-You can also add tender braised beef before it is baked.
-We initially baked this at 375 degrees F. It worked great in our oven, however, many mentioned that it was too high and the rice got too crispy.
Egyptian Baked Rice Recipe (Roz Maamar)
This blew my MIND, guys. When my husband and I took our first bite of it, we just stared at each other across the table. It’s creamy and soft on the inside, and crunchy and fried on the outside. I actually made it as an entrée, rather than a side, and it was totally satisfying. You won’t find a better effort : deliciousness ratio. Instant staple in our family recipe book, for sure. (Also, rice doesn’t usually reheat well, but this recipe has so much moisture and cream that it still tasted great for the next couple days.)
This is amazing! Thanks so much for sharing! xo, Alia & Radwa
I’m waiting for mine to come out of the oven, I cant wait to try it. I’ll let you know!!
Amazing, keep us posted!
THIS!!! Wow…just wow!!! I cut recipe to 1/4 for dinner for 2. wrapped in towel till ready to serve…BANGIN’!!! Thank you!!!😊
Yay! That is amazing! Thanks for giving it a try! xo, Alia & Radwa
I am looking to reduce the recipe as well, did you reduce the cooking time any or cook as per the directions?
Hi! We recommend keeping the baking time the same. Let us know how it turns out!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
Can I make this recipe in pressure cooker ??
We have not tried this in a pressure cooker. We will have to give it a try and report back!
Probably a dumb question but is short grain rice just sushi rice? Also, where do you buy clotted cream? Looks so yummy!
Yes, it’s pretty much the same! You can usually find clotted cream in specialty grocery stores. Otherwise, you can make it at home. To make clotted cream, you boil heavy cream, the skin/top layer that forms is clotted cream. You can substitute it with more heavy cream!
Fantastic. I have sushi rice and actually found some clotted cream on amazon. Any recommendations on meat/veggie pairing? 🙂
This would be amazing with braised beef, baked chicken, and a salad!
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Can I reheat it? We are just getting ready to try it for the first time!!! I’ll let you know!! I’m sure we can’t eat it all tho.
Yes, to reheat make sure it is covered and heat in the microwave!
Are you adding both clotted cream and heavy cream?
Yes, that is correct!
Hi! I’m so excited to taste this! Mine is is the oven right now. However, I had to use a 5.5 qt Dutch oven as that’s all I have. Should I lower the temp for this or the time? Thanks for sharing!
Hope it turned out great! No need to lower the temperature!
This looks yummy! If I cut the recipe in half, what will the cook time be?
You shouldn’t need to reduce the baking time! You can also try using a smaller dutch oven or oven safe pot!
This was so delicious and I’m making it again tonight! However, when I made it 2 nights ago the center wasn’t soft and fluffy, it was dried out and crunchy, children didn’t like it. The outside and bottom were absolutely amazing. Did we need more liquid?
Did you use a dutch oven? You can try two different things, either lower the temperature or as soon as it is out of the oven, wrap the whole pot with a blanket and let it sit for at least 30 minutes. It sounds crazy but the steam softens up the rice beautifully! Sometimes our mom does this HOURS before she serves it and it still retains the temperature!
Looks delicious! Will this work with long grain or basmati rice?
Yes, it will work!
Quick question, do we stir the broth and clotted cream into the rice or just leave on top? Thank you!
No we do not mix, you can gently just swirl everything without touching the bottoms or sides.
If I don’t have cast iron or heavy enamel, can I use pyrex or corning ware dish? If so would I need to use a lower temperature or cook for a different time?
You can still use corning ware , no need to change the temperature.
Maybe a silly question…. is the rice pre-cooked?
Not silly at all :). It’s not pre-cooked. Just rinsed with water!
What do you serve this with? Can it be eaten alone, or what do you suggest?
You can eat this with grilled or baked chicken/beef, and a salad or veggies on the side!
I must try this, I love arabic food & this will go awesomly with grilled honey lamb or roasted Chicken.
I know it won’t be as amazing but do you have a non dairy version of this for those lactose intolerant?
We have not tried a dairy free recipe! It would probably be amazing with coconut milk and coconut cream but it will be similar to coconut rice! We will be sure to let you know if we give it a try!
How many people does this recipe serve?
This serves 8-10 adults!
Thank you!
If I don’t have a Dutch oven is there something else I can make this in?
You can do a heavy enameled pot too!
Hi! I just saw this delicious recipe for Egyptian baked rice- I had a few questions. How much is one serving? How many calories are in one serving? I’m wanting to pair this with veggies and am trying to stick to my weight loss goal (as this rice is definitely decadent!)
We have not calculated the calories. If you would like it a little lighter here are some subtitutions- greek yogurt for the sour cream and add low-fat milk instead of the heavy cream. Reduce the butter by half. It wont be as rich and decadent but it will still be fabulous!