This quick and easy turmeric rice (or yellow rice as it is sometimes known), is the perfect flavourful side dish for a wide variety of meals.
Best of all, with just a handful of store cupboard ingredients, you can be tucking into this delicious aromatic rice in less than 20 minutes, making it ideal for busy weeknights!
The turmeric rice is a perfect side dish to curries (try it with vegan chickpea and spinach curry, halloumi curry, or even a spicy prawn bhuna), but it's also great with grilled or roasted chicken (such as tender air fryer chicken breasts), or even baked fish like this honey glazed salmon.
👩🍳 Did you know the traditional accompaniment of South African Bobotie is yellow rice?
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✔️ Why should you try it?
- Quick and easy to make
- Flavourful and aromatic
- Made with store cupboard ingredients
- The perfect side dish for curries
- More interesting and tasty than plain boiled rice
🥘 Ingredients
- Basmati Rice - plain white basmati rice is the best rice to use for turmeric rice.
- Turmeric - 1 teaspoon of turmeric gives the dish a vibrant yellow colour and aromatic flavour.
- Bay Leaf - 1 leaf is all you need for this recipe.
- Garlic Powder - a small amount of this goes a long way.
- Onion Salt - an optional extra that adds a savoury flavour to the rice.
- Chicken Stock - or use vegetable stock if you prefer.
- Sea Salt - for seasoning.
🔪 Instructions
The recipe card with ingredient quantities and detailed instructions can be found at the bottom of the post
- Rinse the rice in cold water (place it in a sieve over the sink to do this) then put the rice in a large saucepan with turmeric, garlic powder, onion salt (if using), and the bay leaf.
- Place on the hob and pour in the chicken stock. Bring to the boil.
- Immediately turn down the heat to low and place a lid on the saucepan.
- Cook for 12-14 minutes until the water has been absorbed. Fluff the grains up with a fork, season with salt and serve!
💭 Top tips
Rinsing the rice helps remove extra starch from the surface of each rice grain, thus preventing them from sticking together!
Rice can be at risk of growing harmful bacteria if not stored correctly. Make sure you put any leftover rice in an airtight container and place it in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat the rice until piping hot and do not reheat more than once!
🍴 Serving suggestions
The turmeric rice is a great side dish for curries such as lamb balti, mild chicken curry, and beef keema.
It also goes well with grilled meat, chicken, fish and vegetables.
📖 Variations
- Make it spicy by adding a pinch of chili powder.
- Garnish with chopped coriander to add beautiful colour contrast.
- Add a handful of frozen peas and sweetcorn for the last 5 minutes of cooking to make yellow vegetable rice.
- Long grain rice can be used instead of basmati rice if that's all you have.
🥡 Storage
Turmeric rice is best eaten fresh, but can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat until piping hot and only reheat once.
The rice can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge before reheating in the microwave.
❓ FAQS
Turmeric is a spice that comes from the turmeric plant. It is commonly used in Indian food such as curries. It's one of the main spices in curry powder and has a warm, bitter taste and bright yellow colour.
Curcumin is a pigment found in turmeric that not only gives it its characteristically bright yellow colour, but also has a range of health benefits too. These include antibacterial, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects. Because of these wide-ranging functions, turmeric has been studied in relation to arthritis, eye conditions, cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s disease.
Turmeric has an earthy bitter taste and is popular in Asian cuisine. It is considered mildly aromatic rather than spicy.
😋Related recipes
More delicious rice dishes to try!
Tried this recipe? Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ star rating in the comments!
Recipe
Easy Turmeric Rice
Ingredients
- 200 g Basmati Rice
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric
- 1 Bay Leaf
- ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Onion Salt optional
- 550 ml Chicken Stock or use vegetable stock
- ½ teaspoon Sea Salt
Instructions
- Rinse the rice in cold water (place it in a sieve over the sink to do this) then put the rice in a large saucepan with turmeric, garlic powder, onion salt (if using), and the bay leaf.
- Place on the hob and pour in the chicken stock. Bring to the boil.
- Immediately turn down the heat to low and place a lid on the saucepan.
- Cook for 12-14 minutes until the water has been absorbed. Fluff the grains up with a fork, season with salt, and serve!
Notes
- Make it spicy by adding a pinch of chili powder.
- Garnish with chopped coriander to add beautiful colour contrast.
- Add a handful of frozen peas and sweetcorn for the last 5 minutes of cooking to make yellow vegetable rice.
- Long grain rice can be used instead of basmati rice if that's all you have.
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Jess
Less than 20 minutes to enjoy this yummy side dish?! Yes please!
Alisa Infanti
This rice is so easy and has great flavour. Plus I love the pop of colour. Definitely making again.
Jen
The bright yellow color of this rice is so pretty when it's done! I love it with coriander on top.
Beth
This is perfect to go with our dinner tonight! So excited to make this. Looks so yummy and easy too!
Toni
Such an amazing side dish! Everyone at my house loved it!