Garlic Turmeric Rice

This soft & fluffy turmeric rice is so easy to make yet loaded with heavenly aromas in every bite. Fragranced with garlic, butter, and onion, this one-pot middle eastern rice comes together in less than 20 minutes on the stovetop. 

What is Turmeric Rice?

Turmeric rice, also known as Middle Eastern rice or Indian rice, is made in various Asian countries all around the world but calls for different spices and aromatics depending on the region. 

The vibrant color of middle eastern rice often comes from naturally-colored spices such as annatto, saffron, and turmeric, which are used interchangeably to give white rice its bright yellow color.

For this recipe, we will be using ground turmeric to add color and flavor to the rice. Turmeric is an essential ingredient in Indian cuisine that is earthy and slightly bitter in flavor with a wide array of health benefits. 

As we are just adding a teaspoon of turmeric, it adds just a touch of earthy flavor which wonderfully complements the garlic, butter, and onion which are the main components of this delicious yellow rice. 

Fragranced with sautéed aromatics and chicken stock, this turmeric rice is truly the most flavorful rice that I have ever tried, and its rich, garlicky flavors truly elevate any dish that it is paired with. 

Best of all, it comes together in just 20 minutes in a single pot and comes together with just a handful of simple ingredients making it the perfect dish to make for any occasion or to jazz up your rice for your weekly meal prep. 

This turmeric rice is also incredibly versatile and pairs well with any dish that you can think of.

I personally love serving this with some marinated chicken kebabs or any grilled meat, but it also goes wonderfully with tofu, vegetables, mushrooms, or any other dish that you choose to serve it with. 

What do I need to make Turmeric Rice?

As mentioned earlier, the best part about this recipe is that it calls for simple ingredients that you always have in your kitchen. 

Here is what you’ll need to make your own batch of turmeric rice:

• Butter: or coconut oil. Butter adds such wonderful flavors to the rice, and also helps to get that perfect soft & fluffy texture that will truly bring your rice to the next level. 
  • This recipe calls for unsalted butter, but you can also use salted butter and slightly reduce the salt to taste. 
• Onion + garlic: for the aromas. We will be sautéing these vegetables in butter to maximize their flavor prior to coating the rice with the heavenly mixture. 
• Turmeric powder: This is a key ingredient in this recipe but you can also use a small amount of saffron instead to add color to the rice. 
• Long-grain rice: I’ve used basmati rice in this recipe, but you can also use an equal amount of jasmine rice.
• Chicken stock: vegetable stock or any other stock you prefer. Using stock ensures that each grain of rice is infused with flavor and makes a big difference to the overall results. 
• Salt + pepper: to season the rice, as well as to enhance the flavors of the aromatic vegetables. 

Tips & tricks to make the best yellow rice

This tumeric rice recipe is incredibly quick and easy to follow along, but these essential tips will bring your rice to the next level. Here are some essential tips on how to make yellow rice:

Rinse the rice prior to cooking.

Washing the rice helps to remove the extra starch from the rice grains, which prevents them from sticking together during the cooking process. 

There are two methods for rinsing your rice: to put it in a colander and rinse it under cold running water until the water becomes less cloudy.

Another option is to rinse the rice in a bowl, which can be more effective as you can see throughout the process how cloudy the water is. Simply add a generous amount of water to cover the rice, stir it with your fingers, then pour out the water.

Repeat this process 3-4 times until the water is clear, drain completely in a colander, and your rice is good to go!

Sauté the vegetables first.

Sautéing the garlic and onion in butter helps to bring out all the delicious aromas to deeply infuse the rice in all the heavenly goodness.

If you prefer an easier method or prefer to use a rice cooker, using powdered alternatives is also an option, but using natural ingredients truly makes a huge difference in the overall outcome. 

To cook my rice from start to finish I am using my stainless steel sauté pan, which is perfect for making rice and many other dishes that are cooked in a single pan. 

Rest the rice for at least 5 minutes before fluffing the rice with a fork. 

Once the timer goes off, remove it from heat and leave it covered for about 5-10 minutes before fluffing the rice. This allows the rice to absorb all the residual moisture, resulting in a soft, fluffy batch of rice.

Resting is an important step when cooking rice on the stovetop, as the same resting process is built into the last few minutes of the rice cooker.

And that’s it! All the tips and tricks on how to make the best Indian rice in the comfort of your home. The only fun part left is to pair this with any dish of choice and trust me, it goes well with anything and everything.

This garlic tumeric rice is one of my favorite recipes of all time, which makes it that more exciting to share it with you all. ツ

I hope this easy and delicious turmeric rice recipe brightens up your week! Please leave a comment below or send me a message on Instagram if you have any questions at all. Happy cooking everyone!

Other easy Dinner recipes you may like:

• Korean Braised Tofu (Dubu Jorim)
• Mongolian Chicken
• Spicy Korean Chicken Stew (Dakdoritang)
• Oyakodon (Japanese Chicken & Egg Rice Bowl)
• 15-Minute Mapo Tofu

Print Recipe

5 from 206 votes

Garlic Turmeric Rice

This soft & fluffy turmeric rice is so easy to make yet loaded with heavenly aromas in every bite. Fragranced with garlic, butter, and onion, this one-pot middle eastern rice comes together in less than 20 minutes on the stovetop. 

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Total Time20 minutes mins

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Meal Prep

Cuisine: Asian, Middle Eastern

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 214kcal

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter or coconut oil
• 1/2 medium onion finely diced
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 cups (370g) basmati rice or your choice of long-grain rice, rinsed and drained
• 3 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
• 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
• 1/4 tsp black pepper or to taste
• parsley for garnish, optional
• marinated chicken kebabs or any grilled veggies, seafood, or meat to serve

Instructions

• Melt butter in a pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté for about 1-2 minutes or until fragrant. Add turmeric powder and stir to combine. Mix in the rice until the grains are evenly coated and lightly toasted.
• Add stock, salt, and pepper. Mix to combine and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside for about 5 minutes before fluffing the rice with a fork. Enjoy!

Notes

Cooked rice is best served fresh, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge, or up to 3 months in the freezer.

To reheat the rice, use a pot or a microwave until it is steaming hot. I would not recommend reheating the rice more than once.

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Nutrition

Calories: 214kcal