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
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.
Can you make it in a rice cooker?
We haven’t tried that, John! We don’t use a rice cooker in our studio. However, if you’re used to making rice in yours and you think it’s okay to add spices and whatnot to it, then you’re welcome to give it a go!
So simple, yet I’ve never made it before. The directions were perfect and the rice was delicious!!! Thank you!!
Could you use brown jasmine rice?
Brown rice requires more liquid and a much longer cooking time (usually about 3x as long), so you would need to make those adjustments. :)
I liked this a lot, only thing I did was add a pinch of salt. Love the spices and color. Super easy and fast side
I actually really like this rice. The aroma is amazing. I think the only change I would make is adding more of all of the seasonings. I’m from the south so we really like it punchy. However, I can already tell that, it’s something that will stay in my recipe book.
I just made this to go with some prepackaged Indian food. It smells so good I might just eat it by itself. Yum
This is my son’s favorite rice! (And mine too). The balance of spices is just perfect. I served it with roasted zucchini, onion, yellow squash, and grape tomatoes.
I made your rice a couple of times but instead of chicken broth I used water plus I added salt & half a package peas & carrots
Thank you for an amazing dish
Do you think substituting olive oil for the butter would be okay? If so, how much should I use? I want to make this rice but my boyfriend is dairy free. Thanks!
Go for it! XOXO -Monti
Love 💕💕💕
Delicious and flavorful!
Truly the best! Flavors are outstanding! Didn’t have turmeric so substituted sazon and a little ginger. Thank you for turning rice into something special.
Another good one Budget Bytes Team. Keep it up!!! I really enjoyed this. I was a little too lazy to chop up fresh garlic so I used powdered garlic instead, but it still came out good. Thanks again.
Nice sub! XOXO -Monti
I love this recipe and have been making it for several years. I always follow the recipe exactly and until recently never had a problem with it turning out right. But, for some reason, the last couple of times I’ve made it the rice has gotten gummy while also not cooking all the way. I moved to a different state recently, and I don’t know if the stove, water, or even rice from the store is somehow different. Has that happened to anyone else? Do you have any suggestions for how to remedy it?
Hi Amy! It might have something to do with altitude. Follow the standard ratio of 2 cups of water for each 1 cup of dry long-grain white rice when cooking at altitudes between 3,000 and 5,000 feet. Increase the water by 2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup for altitudes above 5,000 feet, adjusting the amount upward as you go up in altitude. Cook long-grain white rice for 15 to 20 minutes at altitudes up to 5,000 feet; increase the time incrementally as the altitude increases. Expect rice cooked above 5,000 feet to take 25 minutes or more. Adjust as needed, adding more water if it evaporates too quickly and letting the rice cook longer if the kernels seem underdone. It helps tremendously if you cook rice in a pot with a glass lid so you can monitor its progress without lifting the lid, which releases way too much of your cooking liquid into the air in the form of steam. XOXO Monti
Agreed! Best rice I’ve ever tasted. I think the color the turmeric creates is part of it too. Very lovely to look at and perfectly flavored! I am planning to make your Chimichurri Kebaps tonight to eat together and looking forward to it!!! =D