Turmeric Rice Recipe (Indian Yellow Rice)

This Turmeric Rice aka Indian Yellow Rice is a flavor bomb, super easy to make, healthy plus delicious. It makes for a great weeknight dinner, ready under 30 minutes. Serve it with grilled veggies, tandoori chicken, grilled kababs, curry, raita or a stew. No matter how you serve, this unique aromatic Turmeric Rice is going to impress your family and guests for sure!!

Turmeric Rice is made in almost all Asian countries but much differently in each country. Various ingredients like rice, spices, stock, broth, onions and herbs are used depending on the region. This post shows you how to make the simplest yet flavorful turmeric rice in a jiffy.

About Turmeric Rice

This Indian Yellow Rice recipe uses basmati rice, turmeric, warming aromatic spices & herbs. It is a one pot dish where the spices are tempered in fats like butter/ghee/ oil to bring out the aroma. Then rice is simmered with these spices & liquids to perfection.

In no time this will cook up to a super aromatic and delicious dish infused with spices and lots of goodness.

In Indian cuisine, we make a lot of rice varieties like pulao, biryani, bhath & Rice Pudding recipes. Most homes do not make turmeric rice as such but add turmeric to pretty much every rice dish except for the plain steamed rice.

This turmeric rice is the way I make at home when I wish to make the meal more colourful & interesting.

It has a very unique aroma and doesn’t taste or smell like the usual pulao or biryani. I make a lot of variations to this turmeric rice and have listed it down in the recipe notes.

This dish is best prepared in a pot or a dutch oven on a very low flame. But it can also be made in an instant pot or an Indian cooker. I have included the details of the same below.

What is Turmeric?

Turmeric is a warming spice that comes from the rhizomes of turmeric plant. It is widely used in Indian cooking since it imparts a vibrant color & an earthy flavour to the dishes. Apart from that it is also believed to boost immunity & keep the body warm during winters.

So we Indians also consume Turmeric Tea & Turmeric Milk during the harsh winters for better health. This Turmeric Latte is my absolute favorite!

Photo Guide

How to Make Turmeric Rice (Stepwise Photos)

1. Rinse 1 cup aged basmati rice at least thrice. Drain and soak until you need it, for 15 mins. Peel and mince half inch ginger and 2 to 3 garlic cloves.

2. On a medium to low flame, heat a Dutch oven or pot with 1 tablespoon unsalted butter. Stir in the ginger, garlic & saute for 30 seconds until aromatic. Add ¾ teaspoon garam masala or the following whole spices – 1 bay leaf, ½ teaspoon cumin seeds (or caraway seeds – shahi jeera), 4 green cardamoms, 4 cloves, 2 inches cinnamon (2 pieces), 1 strand mace (optional) and 1 star anise.

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3. Stir in ¼ to ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon turmeric and ½ teaspoon salt.

4. Drain the water completely and add the rice. On a high flame fry the rice very well for 2 mins stirring occasionally and not frequently.

5. Pour 2 cups stock or water. If you are not using aged rice, you will need only 1½ cups. Stir and taste it. The water must be slightly salty else add a bit more.

6. Bring the water to a rapid boil on a high heat. Later reduce the flame to very low and cook covered until the water is almost soaked up and the rice is cooked through. It should take you about 10 to 11 mins. If you want to make this in the Indian pressure cooker, use 1¾ cups water, cook for 1 whistle on a medium flame.

9. When done there will be no moisture at the bottom of the pan. Use a rice paddle to serve.

Serve turmeric rice with a curry. Here are some recipes you may like to pair with turmeric rice
Red Lentil Curry
Veg kurma
Kadai paneer
Chicken Vindaloo
Chicken Masala
Raita Recipes

Pro Tips

• Rinse rice: Always rinse rice well in lots of water, at least thrice or until the water runs clear. This removes the excess starch that’s on the surface of the rice & won’t make the turmeric rice sticky.
• Soak rice: Soak rice for at least 15 to 30 mins. During the soak, rice grains absorb some moisture and swell up. They expand well while cooking. So you will get fluffy and perfectly cooked long grainy turmeric rice.
• Fry rice: Frying rice in butter not only brings out the aroma of the fragrant rice but also prevents the rice grains from becoming mushy.
• Liquid to rice ratio: To cook turmeric rice in a regular pot use 1:2 rice:water ratio. To cook in instant pot use 1¼ cups . If using Indian cooker with whistle use 1¾ cups. All these are for aged basmati rice and this changes with the kind of rice you use.
• For best flavors, cook the turmeric rice on a low heat.
• Do not substitute butter with oil. You may use ghee (clarified butter)
• Coconut milk or stock: Do not use water to cook this rice. You won’t get the real flavors. Canned coconut milk is too thick for this recipe. You can use coconut milk from carton.

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This Turmeric Rice recipe was first published in Dec 2019. Updated and republished in February 2023.