Tender & fluffy turmeric yellow rice loaded with Mediterranean flavors makes for a delicious side dish accompanied by several main courses.
Get a restaurant-quality meal at home with some everyday ingredients, a pot, and 20 minutes. Perfect for busy weeknights. Be sure to follow the recipe step by step with tips to get the foolproof result.
Jump to:
Mediterranean Yellow Rice
This is a super easy one-pot meal, and it tastes so good, that you will want to make it again and again.
Making this easy mediterranean yellow rice with turmeric is as simple as cooking plain rice if you are ready with the ingredients.
The Mediterranean rice is made by sauteing rice with onion, garlic, and spices and simmered in chicken stock until tender and fluffy, then finished with herbs.
It can be served as a satisfying meal on its own or as a side dish. It is also easily made vegetarian or vegan by substituting chicken stock for vegetable stock and skipping butter.
More Easy Meals
Which rice to use for yellow rice?
Long-grain white Basmati rice is the best kind of rice to use for this recipe. Basmati rice tends to get fluffier without sticking together.
Ingredients You'll Need
Here are the basic ingredients for this Mediterranean rice with a few notes on some of the ingredients to get the perfect dish:
Olive oil + butter: I prefer to use both extra virgin olive oil and butter in this recipe. Butter enhances the taste of the rice and adds some richness too. Use only butter for a more buttery flavor. You can also opt for only olive oil for a healthier alternative.
Onion + garlic: essential flavoring base;
Fresh jalapeno: add slight warmth and flavor;
Ground turmeric: a key ingredient. You just need a little dried ground turmeric powder to give the rice that signature warm yellow tinge and earthy flavor;
Basmati rice: As I said above, basmati rice is the best for this recipe. I prefer good quality uncooked long-grain white basmati rice. It gives the perfect fluffy texture. Basmati rice is sold in most supermarkets since it is a very popular kind. You can also buy on Amazon;
Stock/broth: Homemade stock works best. Chicken stock gives the dish extra flavor. I have used my homemade chicken stock, but any store-bought chicken broth is fine here. Just be sure it is low sodium. You can use vegetable broth for a vegetarian or vegan option;
Ground cumin: adds to the flavor base;
Salt and pepper: to season the rice;
Cilantro/coriander leaves: for a hint of freshness and color. Parsley makes a nice substitution;
Golden raisins (optional): It compliments the flavor. I like that it adds a touch of color to the yellow dish;
Instructions
- Rinse the basmati rice 3 to 4 times in water or until the water looks clear.
- Take the rice in a large container and add enough water to cover. Soak the rice for 15-20 minutes.
- Heat olive oil and butter in a heavy-bottomed medium-sized pot or pan over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add onion and garlic. Sauté for 3-4 minutes or until onions soften.
- Add jalapeno, raisins, turmeric, ground cumin, ground pepper, and salt. Sauté for a couple of seconds.
- Add soaked and drained basmati rice. Gently sauté the rice for 1-2 minutes until slightly toasted. Do it with a light hand to avoid breaking the grains of rice.
- Add chicken stock and chopped cilantro and stir to mix. Bring the rice to a boil over high flame. Once the water on the surface of the rice dries up, reduce the flame to the lowest, cover and cook for 10 minutes.
- Your golden pilaf is ready. Turn off the flame, add some cilantro, and let the rice sit covered for 5 minutes.
- Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Homemade Mediterranean Yellow Rice Recipe Tips
- The ratio of rice to liquid should be 1:2, meaning for 1 cup of uncooked rice, you will need 2 cups of liquid.
- Rinse the rice well to remove all the starch from its surface to prevent sticking.
- Soak the rice for 15-20 minutes. It produces perfectly cooked, fluffy rice.
- Gently saute the rice for 1-2 minutes before cooking with stock. It will make the rice even more fragrant and delicious.
- Cook the rice in stock, not water. Stock adds so much flavor to the rice, don't skip it.
- 1 serving = 1 cup cooked rice = ½ cup uncooked rice
What to serve with Mediterranean Yellow Rice?
Yellow rice is a great side dish for Mediterranean cuisine dishes like Greek, Italian, Spanish, etc. Serving with grilled or roasted chicken, seafood, chicken skewers or kebabs, and curries is is ideal as it is an easy side dish for any occasion. It is also the perfect side dish for my chicken adana kebab, chicken korma, butter chicken meatballs, or chicken boti kabab, along with my Asian cucumber salad.
Storage
This Mediterranean rice recipe can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in an airtight container. Just before serving, add a splash of stock and reheat in the microwave in a microwave-safe bowl or on the stovetop.
As always, when cooking rice, make sure it is thoroughly heated before serving. This is the best way to ensure a delicious dish.
This dish freezes well. Make sure any leftover rice is cooled completely to room temperature before storing it in a freezer-safe container. It can be frozen for up to 2 months. To reheat, allow it to thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then reheat as instructed above.
Recipe FAQs
While Basmati rice is preferred for its fluffiness, you can also use other types of rice, such as Jasmine, white rice, or brown rice. The key is to ensure that the rice does not stick together, which is why long grain rice is typically recommended. If you use short grain rice, adjust your cook time accordingly to get the best results.
Yes. Soaking the rice helps soften the grains, allows for better absorption of the flavors from the stock and spices, and works in many rice dishes. A minimum of 15 to 20 minutes of soaking is recommended for the best results.
Absolutely! Feel free to experiment with this Mediterranean yellow rice recipe by adding other spices like paprika or fresh herbs such as mint or dill for a different flavor profile.
Yes, the jalapenos are optional and can be omitted if you prefer a milder flavor.
A rice cooker is a great option for this Mediterranean Yellow Rice recipe. Follow the same initial steps of soaking the rice, sautéing the onions, garlic, jalapenos, raisins, and spices, then use the rice cooker instead of a pot to cook your rice.
After adding the sautéd ingredients, soak and drain rice in the rice cooker, pour in the chicken or vegetable stock, and set it to the appropriate setting. Remember, the ratio of rice to liquid is 1:2. Once the cooking time is finished, let it sit for about 5 minutes before serving.
If you try the recipe, please take a moment to leave a comment and rating. I love hearing from you and it also helps other readers who are thinking of making the recipe.
Recipe
Easy Mediterranean Yellow Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup long grain white basmati rice uncooked
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ½ medium-sized onion chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 fresh jalapeno seeded and chopped
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons golden raisins optional
- 2 cups low-salt chicken stock or vegetable stock
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt or as required
Instructions
- Rinse the basmati rice 3 to 4 times in water or until the water looks clear.
- Take the rice in a large container and add enough water to cover. Soak the rice for 15-20 minutes.
- Heat olive oil and butter in a heavy bottomed pot or pan over medium heat. Once the butter melted, add onion and garlic. Saute for 3-4 minutes or until onions soften.
- Add jalapeno, raisins, turmeric, ground cumin, ground pepper, and salt. Saute for a couple of seconds.
- Add soaked and drained basmati rice. Gently saute the rice for 1-2 minutes until slightly toasted. Do it with a light hand to avoid breaking the grains of rice.
- Add chicken stock and chopped cilantro and stir to mix. Bring the rice to a boil over high flame. Once the water on the surface of the rice dries up, reduce the flame to the lowest, cover and cook for 10 minutes.
- Your golden pilaf is ready. Turn off the flame, add some cilantro and allow the rice to sit covered for 5 minutes.
- Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
- The ratio of rice to liquid should be 1:2 which means for 1 cup of uncooked rice you will need 2 cups of liquid.
- Rinse the rice well to remove all the starch from its surface to prevent sticking.
- Soak the rice for 15-20 minutes. It produces perfectly cooked, fluffy rice.
- Gently saute the rice for 1-2 minutes before cooking with stock. It will make the rice even more fragrant and delicious.
- Cook the rice in stock, not water. Stock adds so much flavor to the rice, don't skip it.
- 1 servings = 1 cup cooked rice = ½ cup uncooked rice
Amanda Scarlati
Made this rice and it was so delicious, thanks!
April West
Can I substitute basmati brown rice. I know it does take longer to cook but it should come out the same right?
nancy
this rice was so tasty and full of flavour!