My yellow rice recipe is a great side dish that easily cooks on the stovetop or in a rice cooker. Add simple spices for an easy rice recipe that has tons of flavor.
We love to serve Instant pot White Rice Recipe with the majority of our meals because it is easy to make and budget-friendly. This yellow rice is one of our favorites because of the flavor and how fluffy it cooks.
If you love cooking rice as much as I do, you may also love Jasmine Rice Recipe, Lemon Rice, Mexican Rice, Garlic Butter Rice, Sticky Rice, Butter Rice and Kimchi Fried Rice.
What is Yellow Rice?
Yellow rice is found in many cuisines, including Caribbean, Latin American, Middle Eastern, African, and Asian cooking. This version uses turmeric, chicken broth, and simple seasonings for an easy, flavorful side dish inspired by those traditional preparations.
Ingredients
- Butter – Adds richness and helps toast the rice
- White Rice – The brightest yellow will be achieved by using white rice. Long-grain white rice works best because it cooks evenly and absorbs the seasoning well. Jasmine or basmati rice can be used with similar cooking times. Brown rice will need more liquid and a longer cooking time, usually about twice as long.
- Fresh Minced Garlic – Adds savory flavor. Learn How to mince garlic cloves
- Chicken Broth – Adds more flavor than water.
- Onion Powder – Adds mild onion flavor. If you are out, see Best Onion Powder Substitutes
- Ground Turmeric – Gives the rice its yellow color and earthy flavor. If you do not like Turmeric, you can use Saffron
- Paprika – Adds color and mild flavor. See Best Paprika Substitute if you are out
- Salt and Black Pepper – Simple spices added for flavor.
- Fresh cilantro – Adds color and flavor to the cooked yellow rice.
Scroll to the bottom for the full recipe and full ingredients in the recipe card.
How to Make Yellow Rice
Follow my simple step-by-step instructions to learn how you can make your own yellow rice in your own kitchen.
Step 1 – Rinse the rice in cold water until the water runs clear. Drain well.
Step 2 РIn a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add minced garlic and saut̩ for 1-2 minutes until fragrant but not browned.
Step 3 – Add the rinsed rice to the pan and stir to coat with the butter. Toast the rice for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Step 4 – Pour in the chicken broth, onion powder, ground turmeric, paprika, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil.
Step 5 – Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 18-20 minutes, or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.
Step 6 – Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork, then stir in the chopped cilantro. Serve warm and enjoy!
Turmeric vs Sazon for Yellow Rice
This uses turmeric to give the rice its bright yellow color and mild earthy flavor. Puerto Rican and other Latin yellow rice recipes often use sazon or annatto, also called achiote, which gives the rice a deeper orange-yellow color and a different savory flavor.
If you use a sazon packet instead, reduce the added salt since sazon already contains seasoning.
Expert Tips
- Keep Lid Closed – Do not remove the lid on the pan while the rice is steaming as this will cause the rice to not turn out properly.
- Toast Rice – After rinsing the rice, place the rice in the saucepan to toast for about 2 minutes. This helps to provide the best texture.
- Rest Rice – After cooking the rice allow the rice to rest to finish absorbing the water.
Variation Ideas
- Add Veggies – You can easily add in bell peppers, carrots or frozen peas for a delicious variation.
- Cajun Flavor – This is a great recipe to add in Cajun Spices to change the flavor. Add in black beans and shrimp for a complete meal idea.
- Mexican Flavor – Add in diced jalapenos and diced onions for a twist on a Spanish Rice Recipe. Sprinkle in cumin with the broth for delicious flavors.
- Vegetarian version – Make this rice vegetarian by swapping the chicken broth with vegetable broth and use a plant-based butter.
How to Make in a Rice Cooker
Add the rice, chicken broth, garlic, butter, and seasonings to the rice cooker. Use the regular white rice setting and cook until the cycle is complete, usually about 20 to 30 minutes. Let the rice rest for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork and stir in the fresh cilantro.
Serving Suggestions
Yellow Rice makes a delicious side dish to many recipes. Serve it with Baked Chicken Thighs Recipe, Grilled Teriyaki Steak and even Shake and Bake Pork Chops.
This rice is loaded with amazing taste and pairs perfectly with any grilled, baked, or air fry recipes.
Storage Instructions
Refrigerator
- Store the leftover Yellow Rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave in 30-second intervals in a microwave-safe dish.
Freezer
- Cool the rice completely before placing it in a freezer-safe container. Freeze the yellow rice for up to 2 months.
Reheat from frozen
- Microwave the rice covered with a splash of water, stirring halfway through, until heated through. You can also warm it in the crock pot on low with a little water, then switch to warm before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
The addition of the Ground Turmeric makes the rice a yellow color and with delicious flavor.
Yes, we do recommend rinsing the rice before cooking. This helps to remove any starch from the rice.
Puerto Rican yellow rice is often colored with sazon or annatto, also called achiote. These seasonings give the rice its yellow-orange color and savory flavor.
Long-grain white rice is the main ingredient. In this recipe, turmeric gives the rice its yellow color and mild, earthy flavor.
Try adding peas, corn, bell peppers, or cooked chicken. Keep the rice-to-liquid ratio the same so the rice cooks properly.
More Easy Rice Recipes
We love to hear from you. If you make Yellow Rice Recipe, please leave us a comment or a star review.
Yellow Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 cups long-grain white rice
- 1 teaspoon fresh minced garlic
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 2-3 tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped
See how we calculate recipe costs.
Instructions
- Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear. Drain well.
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 1–2 minutes, until fragrant but not browned.
- Add the rice and stir to coat it in the butter. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Stir in the chicken broth, onion powder, turmeric, paprika, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 18–20 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed. Do not remove the lid while the rice cooks.
- Remove from the heat and let the rice rest, covered, for 5 minutes.
- Fluff the rice with a fork and stir in the chopped cilantro.
- Serve warm.
This was a huge hit at our house! The flavors were perfect, and everyone went back for seconds.
Easy to make and packed with so much flavor!
So delicious!
This turned out great and didn’t cost much to make.
I made in rice cooker , turned out perfect
I really enjoy your recipes, and I like the fact that your recipes are fairly easy and definitely affordable. The economy has taken a toll on my pocketbook, and because I love to cook, and finding that most ingredients I already have, and makes me feel like a kitchen goddess thanks to you, Carrie!
Thank you so much, Darlene! We try really hard to provide budget friendly and delicious recipes. This means so much!
Tons of Flavor!