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.
This is very similar to a rice that Kashmiri Hindus eat on birthdays and some religious occasions! I’m so impressed that you came up with it on your own! One of my favorite comfort foods :)
Had it for lunch today. I can certify that this recipe is foolproof because I made a lot of foolish mistakes cooking it, and it still came out very nice.
My bay leaf also ended up on top. Must be a leaf thing.
The key thing here seems to be toasting the rice kernels. I never got the popping sound Beth describes, but I did end up with a lot of rice kernels looking very toasty.
Don’t get the final step. Seems to come pre-fluffed.
I just made the yello rice in a box and until now never thought to look up a recipe for it. I would really like to try it in my rice cooker but every time i use it the rice sticks and burn at the bottom. Is there anything in THIS recipe that I would need to change in order to cook in a rice cooker?
I don’t believe there is anything you’d need to change, but I’m not really experienced with rice cookers so I can’t say for sure. If rice is sticking and burning at the bottom of your rice cooker, it sounds like it’s not heating correctly or evenly. It might be a problem with the machine itself.
Try soaking your rice in warm water for about twenty minutes first. Then I give it a rinse until the water is (mostly) clear. This helps with the brown crust that likes to form at the bottom of the rice cooker.
I mostly eat brown rice. Is this recipe going to work with brown jasmine?
I haven’t tried it, but you’ll definitely need to adjust the cooking time.
I don’t know if I did something wrong, I followed the recipe to a T, but I was very dissappointed. It turned out very bland and almost tasted like plain white rice. I love the boxed yellow rice with seasoning and I was hoping this would be at least almost as good so I could get away from the MSG, etc.
Hmm, did you by chance use low sodium chicken broth? Salt can really make flavors pop, so if there wasn’t as much it may have seemed bland. And jasmine rice? It has such a delicious aroma. Or, maybe your taste buds are just different than mine and you might prefer the dish with more spices. :)
Add some half & half and honey to some leftover rice and it’s a delicious breakfast!
I was wondering if anyone has tried making this in a crock pot. Any suggestions? I have made it the traditional way several times and love it. I usually double the spices, however. Thanks!
This is probably a dumb question, but I was wondering if you can use any mixing bowl (that’s not plastic) on the stove? Does it have to be stainless steel? I’m paranoid about burning the bottom haha.
I don’t think I’d suggest using a mixing bowl on the stove top. Most of them are not thick enough to withstand the heat.
Hey, I’m wondering how well you figure this recipe would work with beef broth! I’m tempted to try it but I thought I’d ask first!
Personally, I think the beef broth might overwhelm the flavors. But give it a shot! You might like it! :)
I used beef bouillon because I had run out of chicken and it tasted great!
Beth when your recipes call for a tablespoon or more of minced garlic, do you use fresh garlic and mince it yourself or do you buy that jar of minced garlic from the grocery store? I’ve got a jar that I’m trying to use up but I rarely taste the garlic in any recipes when I use the jar. What do you suggest?
For the recipes where I list garlic in tablespoons, I was using the kind in the jar (I went through a phase of using this, but I’m back on fresh garlic again ;) ). If you’re using fresh, I’d say that 2-3 cloves minced is about a tablespoon. Garlic is pretty forgiving, though, so if you get a little more or a little less, it will probably still taste great.
Made this at 3am because our fridge was getting low and boyfriend and I were hungry. Very good! Had to use what we had on hand, so I substituted curry powder for the turmeric and used slightly old chicken bouillon cubes. I toasted the rice a little too long and when I added the broth, the whole pot billowed with smoke and steam (wasn’t sure if that was supposed to happen!). Rice was also a undercooked, but I think that comes from my fear of overcooking rice and getting a soggy, sticky result. Now I know what to do for next time!
very good
Wow!!! It was SO good. I ate it with an indian butter chicken. What a dinner. :)
http://lecoeurauventre.blogspot.ca/2013/09/poulet-au-beurre-indien.html
So delicious!
Do you think I could use Lard instead of butter? I am on a dairy/soy/wheat/egg free diet.
Yep, I think that would work just fine :)