Is it just me or does yellow rice taste better than white rice? Maybe it’s the savory spices or the vibrant golden color, but something about it just feels more special. This stovetop basmati yellow rice is a simple, flavorful variation that jazzes up plain white rice with a beautiful golden hue and rich flavor! Quick and easy to make, this rice is ready in 30 minutes.
*Want to double the recipe? This stovetop basmati yellow rice can easily be made into a larger batch, just use a large pot and double all the ingredients.
What makes this rice yellow?
Turmeric! A cousin to ginger root, turmeric root looks very similar until you cut into it and reveal it’s brilliant orange color.
Turmeric is commonly used in Asian and Middle Eastern dishes, adding not only a richness of color but is also packed with powerful health benefits including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-viral, and anti-bacterial activities, thanks to the curcumin in turmeric.
Fun fact: Curcumin is the main active ingredient in turmeric but our bodies don’t easily absorb it, so always pair turmeric with fresh ground black pepper. The active ingredient in black pepper, piperine, increases the bioavailability of curcumin by 2,000%!
Why you’ll love this stovetop basmati yellow rice
- Ready in 30 minutes.
- Fluffy rice, not gummy!
- No fancy equipment necessary.
- Consistent each and every time.
Tips for Success
- Don’t soak the rice. Soaking will cause rice to become waterlogged and throw off the crucial rice-to-water ratio.
- Allow rice to rest 10 minutes after cooking. Not optional if you want perfect, fluffy rice! Don’t lift the lid, don’t fluff, just remove the pot from the burner and let is rest. This allows the rice to evenly absorb any additional moisture, resulting in tender, fluffy rice.
- Buy rice grown in California, India, or Pakistan. Avoid buying rice from the southern U.S. such as Texas and Arkansas as the fertilizers of yore were arsenic-laced when growing cotton crops, now currently rice fields. There were 30,000 tons of arsenic dumped in the southern U.S. back in the day so even organically grown rice won’t be able to avoid contamination.
- Don’t fluff rice with a fork. Fluff rice with a wooden spoon, plastic paddle, or silicone spatula in order to keep the rice intact and avoid breaking the delicate pieces.
Stovetop Basmati Yellow Rice
Equipment
- 1 Medium sized pot with lid
Ingredients
- 1 cup white basmati rice (see notes below for brown basmati rice). This recipe can also be doubled if desired.
- 1 ½ cups water
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 5-10 grinds of black pepper
Instructions
- Place white basmati rice in medium-sized uncovered pot on the stovetop, along with 1 ½ cups of water and the rest of the ingredients. Stir to combine. Turn heat up to high and bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, reduce heat to low and cover with a lid. Gently simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest for 10 minutes. Don't lift the lid!
- After rice has rested, remove lid and fluff rice with a paddle or spatula. Serve immediately or refrigerate in a well-sealing container for up to 5 days.
Notes
- For 1 cup brown basmati: add rice, 2 cups water and all the spices to a medium sized pot on high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, then cover with a lid. Simmer for 50 minutes, undisturbed, then remove pot from heat. Let rest for 10 minutes. Fluff and serve!
- Remember to refrigerate leftover rice immediately! Rice (and beans) are very prone to bacteria that causes food-borne illness if left out at room temperature for more than two hours.
Did you make this Stovetop Basmati Yellow Rice? Leave me a comment and let me know how it went!
