Yellow Rice Recipe

How to Make Yellow Rice at Home

Yellow rice is exactly what it sounds like – rice that has a yellow color. It is a traditional rice used in Afghan, Caribbean, Cuban, Indonesian and Spanish cuisines.

What kind of rice you use and the ingredients used to give it a yellow color depends on where you live and your family’s culture.

While researching yellow rice, I’ve found recipes using long grain rice, short grain rice, medium grain rice, basmati rice and Jasmine rice. As for coloring agents, I’ve seen Achiote  (made from Annatto seeds), saffron and turmeric.

Depending on where you are from, different combinations of these ingredients and others will be used.

Commercial Brand Yellow Rice

I’ve purchased and served commercial yellow rice but if you look at the list of ingredients on the package, there are a lot of additives and chemicals I know I could do without. And when you see how easy it is to make your own yellow rice at home, you’ll see why I’m suggesting making your own yellow rice at home.

Health Benefits

This version uses turmeric to give the basmati rice a nice yellow color. It’s said to have been used in India for thousands of years as a spice and medicinal herb.

It’s the hot health food right now because of it’s reported anti-inflammatory properties. There are many other benefits being described all over the Internet but I’ll let you search for yourself to come up with your own opinions.

Print Recipe

Yellow Rice Recipe

A Great Side Dish

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time25 mins

Total Time30 mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: rice

Servings: 4 people

Ingredients

• olive oil
• 1 yellow onion peeled and diced small
• 3 cloves garlic peeled and minced
• 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
• 1½ cup white basmati rice
• salt & pepper to taste
• 3 cups water
• 1 lime

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Heat a small pot or saucepan over medium heat until hot.
• Add 4 tablespoons olive oil to the pan and when hot but not smoking, add the onion. Saute for about a minute, then add the garlic.

  Continue cooking for another 4 - 5 minutes until the onion and garlic are fragrant and begin to soften. Stir frequently.
• Add the turmeric, stir and cook for about one minute or until the turmeric smells toasted.
• Add a pinch of salt to the pot and then 3 cups of water. Increase the heat to high and bring the liquids to a boil.
• Once the water comes to a boil, add the rice, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 15 to 18 minutes.

  You'll know it is done when all the water gets absorbed. Be careful not to let the rice burn on the bottom of the pan.
• Remove the pan from the heat and add the juice from the lime to the rice. Stir, taste and adjust the seasoning with salt & pepper.

Yellow Rice Served with Sauce Veracruz