Garlic Turmeric Rice

This easy garlic turmeric rice recipe is a wicked delicious variation of the classic Indian ‘yellow rice’ dish. 

With subtle flavors from the onion and garlic and the healthy turmeric, this fluffy rice is super versatile and healthy too! 

If you have been looking to experiment with Indian cooking, you might want to give this flavorful rice recipe a try.

I love experimenting with Indian curries, and quite recently, I tried my hands at a new Achari Gosht and a Paya Curry. 

While I love teaming up my curries with parathas or my favorite bullet naan, everyone in my family enjoys them with rice. 

So of course, I had to try out a variation to the classic plain rice, and that’s when I landed up with this delicious version of the yellow turmeric rice.

What's So Great About the Recipe?

The best part about this recipe has to be its flavor. It is so much more than just a classic yellow rice with turmeric added in. 

The rice is cooked in a broth instead of water, which makes it so much healthier too. 

I promise you, everyone in your family is going to love this recipe.

Rice: I used Basmati rice for this garlic turmeric rice. To get the perfect rice, it is important to choose the right kind of rice grains. 

Vegetable stock: Vegetable stock is packed full of flavor and healthy goodness, and is a must for this rice dish. 

Garlic: Fresh chopped or minced garlic can add some amazing flavor to this garlic turmeric rice. 

Onion: You’ll need some sliced onions to add some more flavor and a bit of texture to this delicious recipe. 

Oil: You’ll need just a little bit of regular cooking oil to sauté the spices in. You can also use lemon infused olive oil instead if you love the bright, citrusy flavors it adds.

Butter: A bit of butter can help elevate this rice dish and give it a little richness. You can skip this if you want to make it a vegan meal. 

Whole spices: I used whole peppercorns, cloves, and bay leaves to lend this dish some earthy undertones of flavor. 

Turmeric powder: Just a bit of turmeric powder can lend the turmeric rice that bright yellow color you’re looking for in this Indian rice dish. 

Cilantro: And of course, you’d want those little specks of green and some freshness to this turmeric rice dish.

Substitutions & Variations

• If you don’t have the Basmati rice that the recipe calls for, you can use Jasmine rice or any other aged, long-grain rice for the recipe. 
• Brown rice is also a good choice if you are looking for an alternative to white rice to make this rice dish healthier. 
• If you don’t have garlic, you can use garlic powder to add some more flavor to the yellow rice. I would recommend batch-making some Air Fryer roasted garlic, storing it in the freezer, and then using some of it for this and other recipes.
• Another great idea is to use turmeric and ginger as the key ingredients and skip adding garlic and onion to make this turmeric rice dish.
• Want to bring a bit of heat into the rice dish? Sprinkle some Peri Peri seasoning into the mix.

How to Store the Leftover Turmeric Rice

The best way to store any leftover garlic turmeric rice that you may have is to refrigerate it in an airtight container. 

The rice should stay good for 2-3 days, and you can reheat it in the microwave with a few splashes of water to moisten it up.

Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe

• The key to getting the rice light and fluffy and perfect every time is to have the perfect water (or, in this case, stock) to rice ratio. 
• Using more than the needed amount of water will make the rice mushy and sticky.
• Another important point to note is to make sure you fluff the cooled rice with a fork to help the grains separate and keep them from clumping with each other. 
• If you follow the recipe exactly, you should be able to get the perfect fluffy garlic turmeric rice. 
• If you’re still not sure about getting the water-rice proportion correctly, you can cook the rice separately in a pot until it is just about 85% cooked, drain off the excess liquid, and then combine the rice with the sauteed spices and turmeric. This is, of course, an option only if you’re using water instead of vegetable stock to cook the rice.

How to Serve the Garlic Turmeric Rice

You can serve this flavorful rice dish with pretty much any of your favorite recipes, specifically with any Indian cuisine classics. 

With a Curry

The easiest, simplest way to serve turmeric rice is to pair it with an Indian curry.

Chicken tikka masala and Bhuna Gosht are two amazing hearty Indian curries that pack in a flavor punch that works perfectly with this rice dish. 

With a Condiment

Another great idea is to serve this easy rice dish with a condiment or chutney of your choice. 

I love teaming it up with some tomato peanut chutney which I almost always have in my refrigerator, and it becomes such a delicious and easy weeknight meal. 

With a Side Dish

You can also serve this rice with an easy side dish like some oven-roasted sweet potatoes or a cooling mint and cucumber raita.

Sometimes, I also like to serve this rice dish with some Indian-style buttermilk to make it a complete meal.