Yellow Jasmine Rice

$2.01 recipe / $0.34 serving
by Beth - Budget Bytes
4.71 from 154 votes
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Okay, this is a pretty big statement to make, but… This Yellow Jasmine Rice is the best rice I’ve ever had.

Yep. The flavor is simply out of this world. The aroma as it cooked almost gave me a high. Plain white rice is dead to me now.

If you follow the blog you’re probably familiar with how much I love jasmine rice. I don’t know how I lived my whole life without knowing about it, but since discovering it a year or two ago, I just can’t stop. It’s incredible. If you haven’t tried jasmine rice yet, go find it NOW.

Overhead view of a large bowl of Yellow Jasmine Rice with green onion sprinkled over top and a black spoon.

What is Jasmine Rice?

Jasmine rice is naturally fragrant and has the most wonderfully rich, mellow, and almost nutty flavor. You can find it at most major supermarkets either in the international foods aisle or in the rice section, usually on the bottom shelf. Even Walmart is in the jasmine rice game and is selling Great Value brand jasmine rice. It can be pricy if you buy one of those small specialty brand containers but if you buy an Asian brand (usually in larger bags on the bottom shelf), it can be just as inexpensive as regular rice. Also check bulk bins. Some stores will have jasmine rice (white AND brown) in bulk.

Spice it Up!

Anyway, I decided to kick up the jasmine rice by adding a few spices and something magical happened. The turmeric and cumin added to the rich, nutty flavor of the jasmine rice and the little pinch of cinnamon added just a hint of spicy sweetness… like hitting the cymbals on a drum kit. The first bite was so good, I swear I saw angels.

What Do You Serve with Yellow Rice?

This super flavorful yellow rice makes an excellent side to just about any grilled or roasted meat. I have served it with Chicken Adobo, Garlic Butter Baked Chicken Thighs, and Chimichurri Chicken Kebabs. It also makes a great component to vegetarian meals. I like to pair it with a fried egg and some sautéed greens (see Golden Rice Bowls).

Can I Make This in a Rice Cooker?

Yes! While it does turn out a little better when you sauté the garlic and spices in a skillet first, you can just add all the ingredients to a rice cooker and press “go” when you’re in a pinch!

Front view of a white bowl full of Yellow Jasmine Rice and a black spoon.

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Yellow Jasmine Rice

4.71 from 154 votes
This savory Yellow Jasmine Rice combines warm and fragrant Indian spices and chicken broth to make the most flavorful rice you’ve ever tasted!
Yellow jasmine rice in a bowl on top of a table cloth.
Servings 6 cups
Prep 5 minutes
Cook 40 minutes
Total 45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp butter ($0.22)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced ($0.16)
  • 1 tsp turmeric ($0.10)
  • 1/4 tsp cumin ($0.02)
  • 1/8 tsp cinnamon ($0.02)
  • 2 cups uncooked long grain jasmine rice ($0.96)
  • 3 cups chicken broth* ($0.38)
  • 1 bay leaf, optional ($0.15)
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Instructions 

  • Add the butter, garlic, turmeric, cumin, and cinnamon to a medium sauce pot. Sauté over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, or just until the garlic has softened.
  • Add the uncooked rice to the pot. Stir and cook over medium heat for about 2 minutes to slightly toast the rice. You may hear a slight popping or crackling noise as the rice toasts.
  • Add the chicken broth and bay leaf to the pot. Place a lid on top, increase the heat to high, and bring the pot to a rolling boil. As soon as it reaches a full boil, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer (with the lid in place) for 20 minutes.
  • After letting it simmer for 20 minutes, turn the heat off and let it rest (do not remove the lid) for an additional 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve.

See how we calculate recipe costs here.


Notes

*I use Better Than Bouillon concentrate to make my broth, which provides plenty of salt to flavor the rice.

Nutrition

Serving: 1CupCalories: 253.57kcalCarbohydrates: 49.33gProtein: 4.68gFat: 3.88gSodium: 460.4mgFiber: 0.22g
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Scroll down for the step by step photos!

One spoonful of Yellow Jasmine rice on a marble countertop and a few grains scattered around.

How to Make Yellow Jasmine Rice – Step By Step Photos

Butter Garlic and Spices

Add 2 Tbsp butter, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 tsp turmeric, 1/4 tsp cumin, and 1/8 tsp cinnamon to a sauce pot.

Sauté Garlic and Spices
Sauté the garlic and spices in the butter over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, or just until the garlic has softened.

Mahatma Jasmine Rice

Add 2 cups of uncooked long-grain jasmine rice to the pot. I use this brand, which can be found in 5 lb. bags, usually on the bottom shelf of either the rice aisle, or the Asian section of major grocery stores.

Toast Rice

Stir and cook the rice in the butter and spices for about 2 minutes. This will toast the rice and spices giving them a deeper, nuttier flavor. You should hear a popping or crackling noise as the rice toasts.

Chicken Better Than Bouillon

Add 3 cups of chicken broth to the pot, along with one bay leaf (if using). I use Better Than Bouillon to make my broth because it’s less expensive than buying cans/boxes of broth and way better quality than the little cubes. It also provides all the salt needed to season the rice.

Add Chicken Broth

Give everything a good stir, place a lid on top, and increase the heat to high. Bring it up to a full boil then immediately turn the heat down to low. Let it simmer on low (with the lid) for 20 minutes.

Cooked Yellow Jasmine Rice

After 20 minutes, turn the heat off and let it sit undisturbed (do not remove the lid) for another 10 minutes. If you’re using a bay leaf, it will probably have floated up to the top and you can remove it at that point. You’ll also see swashes of spices over the surface.

Fluffed Yellow Jasmine Rice

Fluff the Yellow Jasmine Rice with a fork to redistribute all the spices, then serve!

Bowl of finished Yellow Jasmine Rice with green onion sprinkled overtop and a grey napkin underneath.

Not kidding. Best rice I’ve EVER eaten.

Need more help with cooking rice? Check out my guide for How to Cook Rice.

Try These Other Flavored Rice Recipes:

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  1. I had a feeling that lovely color was from tumeric. It’s like nature’s own food coloring. Beautiful looking rice!

  2. I am 100% trying this, it looks divine and I trust your review whole-heartedly! It looks like a fabulous dish in its own right, but with a curry…id be one happy chappy. Will let you know when i get round to trying it! :)

  3. That looks delicious, and so much better than buying one of those flavor packets or box mixes… I’d love to see you do a series of those, actually, if you’re ever in need of more ideas! =)

  4. I love it – it’s like a cheat sheet for the seasoning packet that comes in the rice mix box. But homemade is always better! The cinnamon sounds fantastic…. I’ve also heard that cinnamon helps keep your blood sugar low when you eat carbs?

    sounds delicious.
    genevievvve.wordpress.com

  5. Just wondering, my mom always tells me, you HAVE to wash the rice before preparing it!

    You think it’s really that important to wash the rice as you skipped that step to toast the rice?

    thanks in advance, AWESOME BLOG!

  6. I was thinking the same thing as Caroline when I was reading the cost breakdown. Thank you for enlightening me to the cheaper side of chicken broth :)

  7. I’m addicted to just plain jasmine rice!! Definitely going to try this twist…SOON!!

  8. You know, I just don’t use tumeric enough! This is a great inspiration — I love cooking rice and quinoa with the spices right in the water, and often make green rice with pureed cilantro and garlic. But yellow rice is a new one on me, and I’ve definitely got to try it.

  9. This looks delicious! Love it! I was reading your recipe, and I asked myself, “where can you get chicken broth for 27 cents?” And… then you showed me! LOL. I actually have Better than Boullion, so that is perfect! Thanks!

  10. I LOVE Jasmine rice too!! I could eat it endlessly :))

    I will have to try this!

  11. Scrummy!
    I’m thinking that this will be our evening meal tonight – thank you!

    xx Felicity

  12. I make this all the time except I cheat and just use pre-mixed yellow curry powder, some paprika, and a smidge of cayenne in addition to the chicken bouillon. It’s really good with some chopped up carrot and broccoli and some onion or scallions (but also works with whatever veggies you’ve got around… those just taste the best with the spices). A great pairing for this is pork chop and some roasted spicy curry sweet potatoes.