Mediterranean (Turmeric) Yellow Rice
This golden Mediterranean yellow rice is infused with the warmth of turmeric, cumin, and aromatic ginger, simmered in flavorful vegetable stock with tender onion and garlic, using long-grain or basmati rice for a fluffy, fragrant finish.
It’s simple to make with just a few ingredients and will become your family’s favorite side dish!

Featured Ingredients
- Rice: Long grain white or basmati are perfect here.
- Aromatics: Onion, garlic and ginger.
- Olive oil: To saute the aromatics and toast the rice.
- Seasonings: Ground turmeric and cumin, salt and black pepper.
- Stock: Your favorite stock will infuse so much flavor in this rice.
- Finishers: Cilantro or parsley for freshness, golden raisins and sliced almonds for texture and crunch.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large saucepan or high-sided skillet to medium heat.
- Add onion; cook 4-5 minutes or until soft.
- Stir in garlic, ginger, turmeric, salt, cumin and black pepper; cook 30-60 seconds or until fragrant.
- Stir in rice; allow to toast 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add stock; bring to a simmer.
- Cover; cook 15-20 minutes or until rice is cooked, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in parsley or cilantro and almonds or pine nuts and raisins, if using.
Recipe Substitutions and Alterations
- For the rice: Use long grain white rice or basmati rice as the first option.
- Try with Jasmine rice, if that’s what you have on hand.
- If you’d rather have a higher fiber rice dish, use brown rice (adjust cooking time to around 45 minutes and you may need more stock/water).
- For the seasonings: Add more or less of the turmeric, cumin, salt and black pepper.
- Add a pinch of cayenne for some heat, if you desire.
- For the stock: Use your favorite vegetable or chicken stock, unsalted or low sodium is best (so you can control how much salt you add to the dish).
- Use homemade or store-bought!
- For the finishers: You can skip the herbs, raisins and nuts, or adjust them.
- If you’re not a cilantro fan, use parsley.
- If you don’t have golden raisins, use regular raisins, dried currants or dried cherries.
- Try toasted pine nuts or walnuts instead of sliced almonds.
Nutrition Considerations
- To make this gluten free: This recipe does not contain gluten. Be sure all ingredients you choose are nut free.
- To make this dairy free: This recipe does not contain dairy.
- To make this vegan: Use vegetable stock or water.
- To make this nut free: Skip the almonds or pine nuts. Be sure all ingredients you choose are nut free.
- To make this egg free: This recipe does not contain eggs.
- To make this lower in sodium: Add less or no salt. Be sure to choose unsalted or low sodium stock/broth.
Storage and Reheating Suggestions
- Store rice in airtight containers in the refrigerator.
- Reheat in the microwave until heated through, 1 1/2-3 minutes.
Side dish recipes to snack on:
- Braised Collard Greens
- Roasted Pesto Potatoes
- Maple Mustard Brussels Sprouts
- Cheesy Cauliflower Tater Tots
- Bacon and Corn Fritters
- Balsamic Green Beans with Bacon
Mediterranean (Turmeric) Yellow Rice
Mediterranean yellow rice is infused with turmeric, cumin, garlic and ginger simmered in flavorful vegetable stock with long-grain or basmati rice for a fluffy, fragrant finish.
- Prep Time: 10 min.
- Cook Time: 20 min.
- Total Time: 30 min.
- Yield: Serves 8
- Category: Side Dishes
- Method: Stove-Top
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion, peeled and minced
- 2–3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 2-inch piece ginger, peeled and minced
- 1 1/2 cups long grain white or basmati rice
- 1 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 1/4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley or cilantro
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds or pine nuts (optional)
- 1/2 cup golden raisins (optional)
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large saucepan or high-sided skillet to medium heat. Add onion; cook 4-5 minutes or until soft. Stir in garlic, ginger, turmeric, salt, cumin and black pepper; cook 30-60 seconds or until fragrant. Stir in rice; allow to toast 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add stock; bring to a simmer. Cover; cook 15-20 minutes or until rice is cooked, stirring occasionally. Stir in parsley or cilantro and almonds or pine nuts and raisins, if using. Serve immediately.
Notes
Substitution Tip: Use brown rice for a fiber-filled side dish. You may need to add more stock and it will take around 45 minutes to cook.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of recipe
- Calories: 224
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 482mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 39g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 0mg