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.
This post contains some affiliate links, which means that we make a small commission off items you purchase at no additional cost to you.
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!
Yellow Jasmine Rice
Servings 6 cupsIngredients
- 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)
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
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!Scroll down for the step by step photos!
How to Make Yellow Jasmine Rice – Step By Step Photos
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 the garlic and spices in the butter over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, or just until the garlic has softened.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Fluff the Yellow Jasmine Rice with a fork to redistribute all the spices, then serve!
Not kidding. Best rice I’ve EVER eaten.
Need more help with cooking rice? Check out my guide for How to Cook Rice.
I made this today, easy as pie. I used Basmati rice as we were having Greek style lemon grilled chicken. The cooking time was 15 minutes. The fluffing time (flame off) was 5 minutes. Look in the pot to see the bottom. If there is any water, you need more time on heat. Check every 2 minutes. When the water is absorbed, remove from heat and wait 5-10 minutes until you can fluff it with a fork. Amazing flavor. My picky husband called it a “home run”!!! Don’t fluff when wet. When the rice looks slightly dry, fluff. Basmati rice is always a little dry with a nice flavor and extremely long grain.
When shopping for turmeric i found it in a small jar in the spice aisle for $4.50 for 1.5 oz. then in the indian food section i found a bag of turmeric powder 14 oz. for 2.58. whats the difference between these?
It’s quite possible that they’re the same, but it’s hard for me to say without seeing them. Spices that aren’t very commonly used in American cooking will be very expensive in the regular spice aisle, but can be very inexpensive at ethnic markets, or sometimes even the international foods aisle of the same store. Thats why I like to get a lot of my spices in the Hispanic food section of my regular grocery store. :)
Outstanding!
Thanks, I didn’t have turmeric so used saffron, not enough but still fragrant and delicious. Turmeric on the shopping list.
i served @ Clark Air Force Base in the Phillippines for eight years & had rice at least twice a day during that time, everything this nice young woman knows is true, i suggest if you can afford it ( no snob, realist ) invest in Saffron yellow Jasmine rice.
old man mike
i am going to try & make Jasmine rice without double washing, i have never had it made like that. i am an old dog & willing to try new tricks, if not wonderful, washing first will not cause problem – old man mike
Sounds amazing except for not washing the rice part. Please wash your rice!!!
Can curry replace the tumeric?
It would certainly give it a different flavor, but I bet it would be good!
Can you double this recipe?
Yes, that should be no problem.
This rice is amazing! My new fav. Unfortunately my husband and kids did not like it so I guess that means two pots of rice because I neeeeed it!!
I made this yesterday to go with the coconut vegetable curry and it was divine! Great flavor and it looked so pretty taking off the cover of the pot and seeing the bright color and little bay leaf there.
I didn’t have chicken broth so I just added water and a little salt. It was so tasty! My toddler loved it too and he’s very picky. Winner! Thank you
Do you think this would taste alright with salted water instead of chicken broth? I have all of the ingredients except for the broth!
Hmm, I don’t know. I feel like it would be missing the depth of flavor that the chicken broth provides. :(
Add chicken bullion to water if you have it.
Thanks for sharing. I’ll be giving it a try with another new recipe I found. Reason I’m actually commenting thanking you is because while searching for jasmine rice recipes, I found not 1, not 2, but THREE different “recipes” that consisted of adding water and cooking. That was it. [shakes head in exasperation]
This is a wonderful recipe that I make frequently. The only modification I make is to substitute olive oil for the butter. I’ve found that it tastes just as good!
Also, you can chop up pieces of chicken and cook them in the oil and spices at the bottom of the pot before adding the rice and chicken broth, and make a lovely meal out of it.