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.
I’ve tried this with a couple of cloves and cardamom pods and a small handful of raisins, and I’ve been pretty happy with the outcome. (I was using basmati, though…)
My children love this recipe sooo much and it is so easy. I am teaching my daughter to make it.
I will probably mince the garlic, but if I am not available, do you have an estimate of how much bottled pre-minced garlic would be the equivalent of 1/2 T of fresh garlic?
Love your site!
You can just use 1/2 Tbsp of the bottled minced garlic. :) That’s what I used in the original recipe.
I made this last night. It was delicious! had it with some grilled pork chops and sauteed spinach. It was so nice to have rice with so much flavor minus the gravy. Saving a lot of calories this way!
Another good rule of thumb (literally) is place one cup of rice in a pan, gently pour in water or broth (try to disturb the rice as liitle as possible while doing it) until it is about 1″ above the level of the rice. Boil until the water has reached the level of the rice, and then remove it immediately and cover it for 20 minutes. It is one of the best ways to get the “sticky rice” used in many Asian recipes. If you don’t have a basic visual in your head of what an inch looks like, use the first joint of your finger to measure the cold water. It is usually about an inch.
It turns out perfectly every time, but the key is to remove it as as soon as the water has boiled down to the level of the rice!
Yum! This is good enough to eat on its own. Didn’t change a thing–although I might try it with basmati rice in the rice cooker next time!
What is a serving size of rice? thank you
About one cup, once fluffed.
thanks you :) this is yummy
I have made this twice now. I love it! I’ve been getting a lot of leafy greens in my CSA lately, and I just love stir fried greens on top of this rice. It was meant to be. Last night I added scrambled eggs to my bowl. Oh, and of course siracha is always nice.
*sauteed greens
That’s my favorite combo, too! I eat that for breakfast a lot.
Excellent and simple recipe. I searched long and hard for a turmeric seasoned rice recipe. I came across this one and my family loves it. I switched out the butter for oil (health reasons) and it is still really good.
I used this method and all of the same spices with brown basmati rice and it was wonderful!
I did have to cook it twice as long, but I expected a longer cooking time with brown rice and also I’m at 3300 feet elevation.
Fantastic recipe. Made it the first time yesterday and very pleased with the result. We’re currently overseas and tumeric is a native spice, but I’d never used it. Lucky me, I did have it in my pantry! I used water rather than broth and followed the cooking instructions up to toasting the rice and spices, then transferred to our rice cooker. It turned out great!
Thanks for another yummy recipe :)
Ok, this is a question in general. Do you rinse your rice before you cook it? I keep hearing that you should, but I’ve never done it (because I’m lazy at heart), and I’m not sure what difference it makes.
I’ve never done it either (also because I’m lazy). I think the thought is that it will remove dirt and dust from the rice. I’ve heard that you should swish it in water a few times or until the water stays clear, although the few times I’ve tried the water just keeps getting cloudy and never really stays clear.
It usually takes about 3 changes of water for me. The main difference I’ve found is that if you wash and then soak the rice for about 15-30 minutes, it cooks 5-10 min faster (you would use 1Tb less water per 15 min soaked), and your grains of rice don’t stick together.
From what I’ve read, this to be more desirable for Basmati rice dishes than Jasmine rice dishes, however. :) Either way it’ll still be delicious.
Do you think vegetable bouillon would work fine? Would you tweak the spices in any way to achieve a similar flavor? Thanks so much!
Yes, I think that would work fine. :)
Any thoughts on using Saffron vs Tumeric?
It’s 100x more expensive. :) (and an all around different flavor)
Wait! I just realized I used basmati rice, not jasmine. Disregard!
This is the first time a Budget Bytes recipe did not work for me. I opened the pot and the rice was undercooked and half-filled with water. I think my lowest setting was too low.
Yeah, it’s a little tricky finding the right setting on your stove top because every stove will be slightly different (and the thickness/weight of your pot will also make a difference). Basically, you want it to still be gently simmering when you turn it down, but the lowest heat that will keep it simmering.
Indeed. I will try again!
I cooked it in our rice cooker and it turned out great :)