Fluffy Saffron Rice Recipe

Our saffron rice seems completely fluffy, flavorful, and fragrant, with a phenomenal sunny yellow shade. It’s simple to make and really makes any meal particular.

I’m past excited to share this saffron rice recipe, which attracts influences from Persian and Mediterranean delicacies. I adore it with absolutely anything (actually!). Suppose kabobs, falafel, stews, grilled meats, grilled hen, seafood, and extra!

Due to inventory, a little bit of butter, and onion, the rice seems extremely flavorful. Due to our saffron and a tiny little bit of turmeric, it has essentially the most lovely shade of yellow. I can’t wait so that you can attempt it! For extra rice recipes, see our cilantro lime rice or this coconut rice!

Key Elements

• Rice: For one of the best, most fragrant outcomes, use long-grain basmati rice. Common long-grain rice will work, however basmati rice gives a lot extra taste and aroma. Be aware of my ideas in our recipe for rinsing the rice. It makes an enormous distinction and ensures that completely fluffy, non-sticky texture! I don’t suggest brown rice for this recipe.
• Saffron: You solely want a small quantity of saffron for this rice, which suggests you’ll be capable of make this recipe on repeat (one thing I’m betting you’ll want to do when you attempt it!). Search for high quality saffron (cheaper choices don’t have the identical taste). It’s pricy, however price the additional cash. I used McCormick’s saffron within the pictures, and it labored rather well. Nonetheless, for the very best quality and sometimes higher worth, I extremely suggest sourcing your saffron from respected on-line spice distributors (I like World Spice and Burlap and Barrel) or ethnic markets somewhat than typical grocery shops.
• Turmeric and Cardamom: A tiny little bit of turmeric enhances the sunny yellow shade, whereas a gently crushed cardamom pod provides one other layer of heat, candy aromatics. By gently crushed, I imply that the skin of the pod cracks, however the seeds inside keep inside.
• Butter and Onion: You possibly can substitute olive oil when you’d want it, however I like the flavour of butter on this rice. You’ll soften it after which prepare dinner a handful of chopped onions in it till they odor candy and switch smooth. The onions add taste and a bit sweetness, which balances the savory, fragrant taste of the saffron. That stated, I’ve made this recipe with out onions and nonetheless beloved it.
• Inventory: I usually use hen inventory or vegetable broth. In our recipe, we advise tasting your inventory earlier than including it to the rice to see when you want extra salt. Relying in your inventory’s sodium content material, you would possibly want little to no additional salt. I intention for the inventory to style as well-seasoned as a scrumptious soup.

The trick to completely flavorful saffron rice is infusing your inventory with saffron and spices earlier than cooking. Convey your inventory to a simmer, then pour it over gently crushed saffron threads, turmeric, and cardamom. This important step additionally lets you style and modify the inventory with salt.

I just like the inventory to style as well-seasoned as a soup, so give it a style and add extra salt till the flavors actually pop earlier than cooking it together with your rice.