Stovetop Yellow Rice Recipe

Rice has been around a long time, like a really long time. Cultures around the world have been cooking with rice for thousands of years, and it's a staple ingredient in most households. There are countless ways to season and serve it, making it an easy side dish to add to either an easy weeknight dinner, or a fancy, upscale affair. 

Wellness coach and recipe developer Miriam Hahn brings us this recipe for stovetop yellow rice and says, "This is one of my favorite rice recipes for a few reasons. The texture is fluffy and light, and the combination of ingredients gives the rice a fabulous flavor. I also love using turmeric in my cooking. It has a full array of health benefits, including acting as an anti-inflammatory, [lowering] the risk of heart disease, and [can help ease] arthritis pain" (via Healthline). The turmeric is also what gives the rice its deep yellow color. Read on to learn how to make this easy stovetop yellow rice.

To make this recipe, you just need a short list of ingredients, and many of them you may already have on hand. You'll need an onion, garlic, and cilantro, in terms of fresh produce. Hahn tells us if you don't have a yellow onion, any other type will work fine. We're going to choose a long grain rice for this recipe, like jasmine or basmati. The spices we need are cumin, turmeric, salt, and pepper, and then we'll need some olive oil and water. The turmeric is a key ingredient here, and gives us the color we want for yellow rice, so this is not a spice to leave out.

Our first step is to dice the onion, mince the garlic, and chop the cilantro. Set aside the cilantro for topping the rice. Then, add the oil to a medium pot, and bring the heat to medium high. Add the onion and garlic, and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. 

While the pan is nice and hot, add in the rice, along with the cumin, turmeric, salt, and pepper. Stir for a couple of minutes to blend the spices, and toast the rice. "Toasting the rice, and blending it with the spices before adding the water is a nice trick to make your rice more flavorful," Hahn shares.

Our final step is to add the water, and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and let it cook for 20 minutes. Then, remove it from the heat, and let it sit for 10 more minutes. "This is where the rice steams, and absorbs the rest of the liquid, which results in plump and tender rice," Hahn remarks. Top the rice with the cilantro, and serve. Yellow rice pairs well with so many entrées. We like to serve it with Mediterranean grilled chicken or even barbecued tofu. The rice will last for up to a week if stored in a sealed container in the fridge.