I absolutely love making this Easy Turmeric Rice recipe for my family and guests. I get rave reviews about the perfect texture and incredible flavor each time we have it. Plus, It's super easy to make with a cast iron skillet and a rice cooker, or it can even be made in the Instant Pot! Whatever's easiest for you! If you love turmeric, I also recommend you take a look at this Yellow Chicken Curry Recipe!

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Why You'll Love This Recipe
This Turmeric Rice Recipe is delicious and super easy to make. It's a massive hit with my family and friends and pairs perfectly with Mediterranean, Greek, Indian, and Asian dishes alike.
Ingredients
Rice: For Turmeric rice, I prefer Basmatti.(See Expert Tips)
Vegetables: All you're going to need is Yellow Onion.
Liquids: Coconut Oil, Salted Butter, and Chicken Stock/Broth.
Herbs and Spices: Turmeric, Minced Garlic, Fresh Minced Ginger, Bay Leaves, Kosher Salt, and Ground Black Pepper.
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Step-by-Step Instructions
The first thing you want to do is rinse your rice. I use Basmati rice for this recipe and run the grains in a mesh strainer under cold water. Doing so removes much of the starch that causes rice to be sticky and mushy. That's not what we're looking for here.
Now, I start with a 12" Cast Iron Skillet, then move the rice over to a rice cooker to finish the cooking.
Allow me to explain.
First, you want to start by heating a cast Iron skillet over low heat with butter and coconut oil. As that's heating up, add finely diced onion to the oil and butter mixture, cooking just until the onions are turning translucent.
Next, add fresh ground ginger and minced garlic to the onions, sautéing for a minute or so.
Once the garlic and ginger become aromatic, stir in the salt, pepper, and turmeric, making sure that the onions are completely covered, almost like a paste has formed.
At this point, you want to turn the heat up to medium-high or High, depending on the burner size you're using, and add the uncooked, rinsed, and drained Basmati rice. Stir the rice into the cooked onion mixture and fry it for 2-3 minutes. It will start to sizzle pop, and some will even brown a little. That's all perfect and exactly what you want to happen. It may stick a little bit, but that's okay as well. Just scrape it off using a spatula.
Now that the rice is all fried up and the flavors have been incorporated add the rice and chicken stock to the rice cooker, set it to the 'white rice' setting, top it with a couple of bay leaves, and let it work its magic.
EASY AS THAT!
Fluff it up and serve it hot! Even the kids are going to love this!
Expert Tips
- I serve this rice with turmeric recipe with many different kinds of dishes. However, I usually pair it with Mediterranean kebabs, shrimp, and salads.
- If you don't have basmati rice, that's okay. Jasmine is another great option.
Recipe FAQs
Thoroughly rinse the rice, then combine rice, onions, coconut oil, ginger, garlic, turmeric, and other herbs and spices in a cast iron skillet. Fry the rice and add it to a rice cooker with chicken stock. Set the rice cooker to white rice setting when cooking complete; serve hot.
Yes. You can add any spice to the rice in a rice cooker. Spanish rice and turmeric rice are great examples of seasoned rice that can easily be made using a rice cooker.
To flavor rice in a rice cooker, you can use chicken stock, tomato bouillon, onions, turmeric, tomatoes, lime juice, cilantro, etc. There are many ways to create incredible rice dishes in a rice cooker.
More Recipes You'll Love
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📖 Recipe

Easy Turmeric Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Coconut Oil
- 1 tablespoon Salted Butter
- 1 Yellow Onion-Finely Diced
- 2 teaspoon Minced Garlic
- ½ teaspoon Fresh Ground Ginger
- 1 ½ teaspoon Turmeric
- Pinch of Kosher Salt
- Pinch or Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- 1 Cup Basmati Rice
- 2 Cups Chicken Broth
- 2 Bay leaves
Instructions
- Heat Butter and Coconut Oil in cast iron skillet over low heat.
- Sauté onion until translucent.
- Stir in Ginger and Garlic sautéing for about 2 minutes or until fragrant.
- Add Kosher salt, Black Pepper, and Turmeric stirring to combine and fully cover the onions almost creating a paste like consistency.
- Turn heat to high and ad rice, stirring to completely cover the rice and fry for about 2-3 minutes.
- Combine the rice mixture and chicken broth or stock in the rice cooker, add bay leaf, and cook on the white rice setting.
- Fluff, Serve, and ENJOY!
Notes
- I serve this rice with turmeric recipe with many different kinds of dishes. However, I usually pair it with Mediterranean kebabs, shrimp, and salads.
- If you don't have basmati rice, that's okay. Jasmine is another great option.
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