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.
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.
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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.
Hi Beth,
Would this go with your yellow jasmine rice? Can’t wait to try it!
I’m sorry, can you clarify? Would what go with the rice? Thanks. :)
I sauté mushrooms and onions in the first step before the rice is added–delicious! (based on an old NY times cookbook recipe)
Hi, this recipe looks yummy, would I be able to subsituite the jasmine rice for basmati rice?
Yes, just make sure to adjust the amount of liquid in the recipe to whatever the instructions for the basmati rice suggests.
Yummy! Used boxed chicken stock for the chicken broth. After putting in the chicken stock, the rice came to a hard boil but not a rolling boil, But, put a lid on the pot and reduced the heat to low and followed the rest of the recipe. We loved it and will make it again. Thank you for the recipe!!
This rice looks so divine what a fabulous recipe! On my list of things to make I’m going out to get some jasmine rice. I might too add some onions cause I’m also onion crazy :) Maybe I won’t and try it as is it looks delicious.
This is an excellent recipe! I served it with Honey Garlic Chicken, which I cooked in the crockpot, & steamed broccoli. Very tasty!!
Love yellow rice (turmeric does no wrong IMO), but I found this pretty cheap looking recipe (no prices on recipe) – https://www.recipestroupe.com/recipe-palak-rice-spinach-rice-with-sweet-corn-50807.html. It has spinach and sweetcorn in it as well which is great for someone like me who finds it hard to get their 5 a day ;)
Looks good. I might b tempted to add some sautéed onions, but that’s only because I am kind of onion crazy.
Or maybe some meat? turn it into a meal? hmm….what do you think?
When I first saw the ingredients and cinnamon was listed among them, I thought that’s interesting! I prepared it yesterday as per the recipe, it is most delicious! Looking forward to preparing it again….
Thank you.
ElisaH
I made this rice for a potluck and received rave reviews. I love this recipe!
I love this recipe, have tried it a few times now. I usually add peas, red onion and cloves when I cook it. It also cooks well in a rice cooker. My kids love it too.
This looks delicious and I’m really itching to try it. Are there any dishes that this rice pairs well with in particular? I was thinking of simple baked chicken breasts and maybe roasted veg or a nice salad.
I think it’s great with just about any roasted or grilled meat or vegetable. It’s quite versatile! :) Because the rice has so much flavor on its own, you don’t have to heavily season anything you’re serving it with, so like you said a simple grilled chicken breast would be awesome. Sometimes I serve it with a soft boiled egg and some vegetables, too.
I’ve tried it just now and it’s waaaay better than plain rice! I’m never going back to eating plain rice ever again. This recipe is so foolproof and easy to make. Thanks for sharing!
Wow! I gotta try this one!
This was delicious! It was (embarrassingly) my first time making rice on the stovetop, and it was so foolproof. Made lots of leftovers too. I’ll probably mix frozen peas in with portions for some greenery, and eat it with leftover 5 spice chicken-and-tofu.
Next time I’ll definitely increase the spices — 1.5tsp turmeric, and 1/2 tsp each of cumin and cinnamon. I was definitely left wanting more spice, but I’m used to heavy spice levels. And I want to try coconut oil like some commenters mentioned!