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Add a bit of color to your family meals with this easy turmeric rice recipe. All cooked in one pot, this yellow rice is a simple side dish to serve with all of your favorite meals.
Ingredients & substitutions
- Long grain rice: Long grain basmati rice is the best for this recipe. It fluffs up really nicely and doesn’t clump together like shorter grains. Rinse the rice well before cooking it to remove excess starch that can cause it to be sticky.
- Stock: Use chicken stock to cook the rice for extra flavor. To make this a meat-free dish, you can use vegetable stock instead. If you are in a pinch, you can just use water to cook the rice, but it won’t be as flavorful as using stock.
- Onion: Use a small yellow onion that is finely diced to add more flavor to the dish. You could also add in a clove of garlic if you like.
- Olive oil: For cooking, you can use olive oil per the recipe, but canola or vegetable will work well.
- Turmeric: Turmeric gives this rice its vibrant yellow color. It’s an amazing spice to include in your diet as it’s a great antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. It has an earthy and slightly bitter taste, but we just use a little so that it’s not overpowering. Turmeric is the star of this rice dish, so try not to leave it out or substitute.
- Salt & pepper: For seasoning.
- Almonds: Almonds add a great nutty flavor and crunchy texture. Pine nuts or cashews make a good substitution.
How to make turmeric rice
- Toast the almonds until they are golden brown and set aside in a small bowl.
- Cook the onion until softened.
- Add in the rinsed rice, turmeric, salt and pepper.
- Stir to combine.
- Add the broth, stir together, cover and cook.
- Let rest before fluffing with a fork. Serve with the toasted almonds and fresh parsley.
Tips for making the recipe
- Soak the rice. Pre-soaking the rice actually helps to lower cooking times and it can help preserve the aromatic scent that basmati rice is known for.
- Use long grain basmati rice. That’s because long grain rice will give you a light and fluffy texture when cooked. It also separates when cooked rather than clumping together.
- Don’t skip the resting step. Resting the rice after it’s been cooked is really important to getting that fluffy texture. Make sure to set the timer for at least 5-10 minutes of rest time after the turmeric rice is cooked.
- Double check the cook times for the specific rice you’re using. The suggested cook time in the recipe card applies for long grain basmati rice and may differ depending on the exact rice you’re using.
Frequently asked questions
This turmeric rice is so quick and easy to make, but you can make it ahead of time or store the leftovers for later in the week. The best way to reheat it is in the microwave, add a couple of tablespoons of water to the rice and heat on full power for 3 to 4 minutes until piping hot.
This is such a simple and easy rice dish, but you can easily add in other ingredients to suit your tastes. Raisins make for an excellent add in, and when you cook the onions, you could also toss in some extra vegetables like carrots or peas. Add some shredded chicken for a heartier main dish.
This turmeric yellow rice is great to serve with Mediterranean and Indian dishes, from curries to kebobs, grilled chicken and everything in between. Try it with:
Grilled Chicken Kabobs
Coconut Curry Chicken
Beef Kafta
Lebanese Ground Beef
This turmeric rice is such a simple dish that requires minimal effort, and it adds such a wonderful color to the table. Perfectly seasoned, it’s one delicious side!
More rice recipes:
If you’ve tried this healthy-ish feel good Turmeric Rice recipe or any other recipe on FeelGoodFoodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories!
Turmeric Rice
Ingredients
- 2 cups long grain white rice
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
- ¼ cup silvered blanched almonds
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 tablespoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 ½ cups chicken broth
- Chopped parsley for serving
Instructions
- Rinse the rice with cold water until the water runs clear. Drain well and set aside.
- In a medium non-stick pot, heat one tablespoon olive oil on medium heat. Add the silvered almonds and cook, stirring frequently until the almonds reach a golden brown color; remove and set aside.
- Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in the same pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer the rinsed rice over the cooked onions, season with turmeric, salt and pepper and stir to combine until the rice is well coated in the turmeric.
- Add the chicken broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 15 minutes.
- When the time is up, remove from the heat and allow the rice to steam for 10 minutes. Then uncover and fluff with a fork.
- Serve warm with the reserved toasted almonds and fresh parsley, if desired.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Its looks delicious . I will try this recipe at home.
Thank you! Let me know how it goes!
Supper felt like such a special occasion tonight with this rice. It is delish!! I made adjustments for the instant pot and it worked out perfectly!! Thank you!!
That’s amazing! I absolutely love that. You’re so welcome!
Excellent recipe. Super easy to make. I served with lamb burgers and tzaziki. I highly recommend.
Thank you! That sounds amazing!!
Loooove tumeric rice! Perfect addition to any meal. Thank you for sharing this basic but key recipe.
It really is! You’re so welcome!