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.
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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.
Mine came out too mushy. I used long grain rice because it’s what I had on hand. I had doubled the recipe but not sure where I went wrong.
Is there something I can substitute the cinnamon for? I have a cinnamon allergy.
In that case, I’d just leave it out instead of attempting to find something similar to replace it with. :)
This is going to sound odd, but do you not rinse the rice beforehand? I’m not sure how wet rice is supposed to toast. I love the turmeric/cumin combo now, it’s great in winter. So I want to make sure it turns out right!
If your rice is wet from rinsing, it will just take a little longer to toast the rice because the water needs to evaporate first. :)
This is literally the best rice I’ve ever eaten??? So easy to make and so tasty! Thank you so much!
Very good recipe. I did vegetable broth and added some saffron. Might add frozen peas next time.
It was okay, wouldn’t call it anywhere near the nest rice I’ve ever eaten.
Omg YASSSS, we had this perfect rice with chicken adobo but this made more than enough for a family of 3 im sad that i had to more than half of it away :( ill just cut everything in half next time.
Isn’t this just a rice pilaf? Toasting the rice in oil (with spices, etc.) is the the procedure for making a pilaf.
Whatever it is, we sure love it at my house.
I’m not really sure what this comment adds to the discussion, though. There certainly isn’t one generic recipe for “rice pilaf.” It could be combined with various aromatics before cooking in broth. I highly recommend thinking before posting in the future, and maybe ask, “Do I have a genuine question? Am I going to add to the conversation? Am I being pedantic for no ostensible reason?”
Soooo good! Thank you for sharing this delicious, easy to make variation of rice! ⭐️
Maybe Brooke should have taken own advice? 🤔
Lovely recipe, I think nice as written and tweaking to your own taste may make everyone happy. Much appreciate the VARIETY of rice recipes you have posted! Gives many options!
This is my new favorite rice. Made exactly as directed and it was perfect. I will be purchasing the better than bouillon from now on. Thank you so much for sharing!
Great recipe! We made it vegan by using veggie broth instead of chicken broth. We also used brown rice and made it in the rice cooker. It turned out fantastic and we’ll be making it again for sure!
Do you think it would be okay to add raisins and cashews in replace of cinnamon?
So great! I used this as a base to my shakshuka and it was perfect! I added a pinch of Adobo to my spice mix as well!
My isn’t really “yellow” at all. But it still tastes really delicious!
Can you make this in a pressure cooker? If so. Would there be any adjustments?
We haven’t tested it in a pressure cooker or an Instant Pot. But previous readers have noted “I made this in my instant pot. I used 2 cups of rice and only used 2 cups of chicken broth ( I didn’t want it to be mushy). Rice setting , which is 12 minutes. It was absolutely delicious.”
Tried this recipe today and it came out amazing! I added a hand full of dried cranberries to the rice while toasting it. I also used 3 tsp of “Better than Bullion ” to the 3 cups of water. Then when the rice was done I garnished it with chopped scallions like on the picture! I paired it with a piece of pan seared salmon and roasted broccoli. Delicious! 😋
I’ve made this recipe twice in the rice cooker and it came out perfect and flavorful. Thanks
Can you use long grain white rice instead of jasmine rice
Yes you will be okay if that’s what you have on hand.
Flavorful, delicious, not over powering. It can really go with any Indian inspired dish. I made with Seekh Kebabs (Pakistani Spicy Grilled Ground Meat Skewers) and it was amazing!!! Family loved it. I’ve always been a fan of Indian food even though I’m from Dominican republic. The only ingredient I didn’t have was the broth so I used chicken bouillon instead. I added until I found the right amount of salt in the water. Delicious. I use Thai Jasmin Rice from Wesley brand. The house was infused with delicious aromas. Will definitely be doing it many many times!!! Thank u for this recipe!!