Spare Spoons Kitchen
Yellow Rice
The Pantry · Instant Pot · about 20 minutes

Yellow Rice

A sunny turmeric-tinted rice side from the pantry — dried onion, garlic, and a pinch of turmeric stirred right in, cooked hands-off in the Instant Pot. Goes with everything. Vegan and gluten-free.

4 min pressure Instant Pot method
Spoon cost
Time ●○○○○ Anytime
Instant PotVeganGluten-Free
Servingsamounts scale to match
4
Units

Ingredients

Everything in at once, then natural-release. The turmeric goes in with the rice so the color is even throughout. As with all rice, let the pressure come down on its own — quick-releasing leaves it wet and split.

Method

    Cook's notes

    No Instant Pot? Saucepan: same ingredients, bring to a boil, then cover, lowest heat, 18–20 minutes, until the water is absorbed. Rest 5 minutes off the heat and fluff.

    Turmeric is for color more than flavor — a pinch (1/16 tsp) gives the classic golden look without tasting medicinal.

    Cook it in vegetable broth (or add a bouillon cube) for a richer, more savory side.

    Stir in frozen peas or toasted almonds after cooking for an easy rice pilaf-style upgrade.

    See Instant Pot Rice & Grains for the plain white/brown/quinoa ratios.

    A pinch of saffron (1/16 tsp) in place of turmeric for a more aromatic (and golden) rice.

    Double it — same time, same ratio; great for batch-cooking.

    Easier, if you like

    • A bag of Vigo Yellow Rice (rice aisle, yellow-and-red bag) is the zero-thought version — it's the same idea, pre-seasoned, and it cooks on the stovetop in 20 minutes. This from-scratch pot costs pennies and lets you dial the salt, but on a hard day the bag is a win.
    • Make a double batch and freeze it flat in bags — cooked rice reheats from frozen with a splash of water in about 3 minutes, and then the side dish is already done.
    Vegan and gluten-free as written

    Vegan / gluten-free: it already is — use oil instead of butter to keep it vegan.