Yellow Rice

My freezer is almost always stocked with kebabs (right now, I’m big on lula kebabs and seekh kabobs made with chicken). On a busy weeknight, I just slide a few under the broiler, turn some frozen green beans into a five-minute version of loubieh bi zeit, and let a pot of yellow rice bring everything together.

There are endless ways to dress up plain white rice, but yellow rice is what I reach for when I want something easy. No caramelizing onions, no simmering a tomato sauce, no toasting noodles or nuts—just a simple pot of rice with a few extra ingredients thrown in.

But simple doesn’t always mean foolproof. Read on for a few tips and tricks, or jump to the recipe + video to get to hit the ground running.

tips for making a perfect pot of yellow rice

1. Simmer covered and rest covered.

This is the number one thing to know when making a pot of any stovetop rice. Simmer it covered (no peeking, but more importantly no stirring!) and let it rest covered too.

During the resting stage, the rice is actually continuing to cook from the residual steam. If you uncover it, you let that steam escape, which means the rice will not cook through adequately.

Earlier in the process, uncovering it too often will let too much steam evaporate, leading to dry, undercooked rice. And stirring it after it’s started to cook will cause your rice to become simultaneously gummy and undercooked at the same time.

2. Be careful with stock concentrates.

I experimented with a lot of stocks and broths while developing this recipe, and I’ve found that stock concentrates (e.g., bouillon cubes, Better than Bouillon) can be a bit tricky. If you’re using one, be sure not to use too much. Using even a bit more than the recommended amount on the container can cause your rice to turn out gummy and undercooked.

3. Salt it later for maximum control.

Different broths have different concentrations of salt, and it can be hard to judge how much additional salt to add in the beginning. Instead, I like to let it cook through with just the broth (and whatever salt it contains), and then adjust the seasoning after it cooks through. That way you’ll be fully in control of the rice’s seasoning. Taste the rice, add a bit of salt, fluff, and taste it again.

4. Have fun with the ingredients (or not!)

You can get a bit more creative with this recipe. Instead of garlic powder, you can crush a fresh clove. You can add a small pinch of saffron. You can sprinkle on some crunchy fried shallots at the end. Skip the parsley or cilantro if you don’t have any on hand. Use vegetable broth to make this vegan, or use chicken broth if you prefer.

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