Yellow Rice Two Ways

Yellow rice, as the name suggests, is rice with a beautiful yellow color. Here is how to easily make it at home two ways. Easy and simple, as well as gourmet-style with lots and lots of flavor.

I cook rice in the Instant Pot exclusively because it consistently gives me the best results. If you prefer to cook it on the stovetop, make sure you use a small pot with a tight-fitting lid without any holes in the lid. Also, add an extra 1/3 cup of water to account for evaporation.

Apart from yellow rice, you can also make Peruvian Green Rice, which is equally delicious. Imagine how pretty your dinner table will look with green rice and the gourmet version of this yellow rice. *shreek*

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Rice – my favorite is white Jasmin or white Basmati rice for this. You can of course also use brown rice but the brightest yellow can only be achieved with white rice.
• Turmeric – if you absolutely hate turmeric you can use 10 strands of Saffron instead. However, trust me, I’m not a huge fan of turmeric myself and I love the gourmet version of this yellow rice. Give it a try, even if you’re not a fan of turmeric.
• Sea salt – use as much or as little as you usually would for regular rice. You could also use a little piece of a chicken broth cube.

• Onion & Garlic – the flavor givers of any fantastic recipe. In many cases one may replace by dried and ground but in this case using fresh is a must if you ask me.
• Spices – get creative and use a teaspoon of any spice that goes well with turmeric: Coriander, cumin, all-spice, ginger, or a mix of any or all. If you like it spicy add another teaspoon of your favorite chili paste. My favorite is ají amarillo paste.
• Peanuts & Raisins – this is my favorite combo for yellow rice but slivered almonds and chopped-up dried apricots are a great alternative.
• Parsley – either parsley or cilantro is great in this. Other herbs don’t fit as well.

How To Make Yellow Rice

4 super easy steps to make yellow rice:

1. Add rice, turmeric, and salt to your Instant Pot.
2. Add water to the rice and stir well.
3. Set the Instant Pot to 3 minutes on high pressure and let pressure release naturally.
4. Fluff up the rice. Done!

For the gourmet version:

1. Peel and chop and onion and two cloves garlic. And chop a handful of parsley.
2. Preheat a large pan and stir-fry chopped onion and garlic in a little avocado oil until starting to brown.
3. Add spices and chili if desired, and keep stirring until fragrant.
4. Stir in peanuts, raisins, yellow rice, and parsley. Done!

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes yellow rice yellow?

Either turmeric or saffron can be used to make rice yellow. Turmeric offers a brighter and more flavorful result. Some people also like using annato but that makes the rice more orange or even red instead of yellow.

Is any rice naturally yellow?

No. There is no rice variety called yellow rice as there is white rice, brown rice, red rice, or black rice. Any packaged rice labeled as yellow rice has either saffron or turmeric added to it.

Do I Have To Rinse Rice Before Cooking?

Opinions vary widely and there seems to be no right or wrong answer. It’s all up to personal preference. However, thankfully it is irrelevant for the cooking times presented.

Both rinsed and dry rice work with my cooking times and method. Nothing has to be adjusted or changed either way. Just make sure you drain your rice well in a fine mesh strainer if you rinse it. Then use 1:1 ratio + 3 minutes on high pressure.

What should I serve yellow rice with?

For a quick dinner, you can serve this with 10-Minute Baked Chicken Breast or 15-Minute Pan-Fried Sole Filet.

If you have a little more time I recommend serving this with Mushroom Chicken, or Roast Chicken.