Lightly seasoned with garlic, cumin, and turmeric, Mediterranean Yellow Rice is an easy 30 minute vegan side dish. Garnished with pine nuts and fresh cilantro, it's delicious and has the perfect texture. This rice recipe is wonderful for meal prep and will complement your favorite entrees.
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It's common in restaurants to find rice that is flavored with different herbs and spices. It's a fantastic way to elevate the flavor of this simple grain. And lucky for us, this method is easy to replicate at home.
Dishes like this Mediterranean Yellow Rice compliment all sorts of entrees from seasoned tofu tacos to vegan meatloaf muffins to chickpea and spinach stew. It may become your new favorite side dish.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- The texture is perfectly fluffy.
- It's an easy alternative to plain rice.
- You can make it in half an hour on your stove without any special equipment.
Ingredients and substitutions
As with many recipes, Mediterranean Yellow Rice starts with staples like olive oil, onion, and garlic. Then you'll only need a few other ingredients which you may already have in your kitchen:
- Ground cumin: This spice provides a warm, earthy flavor.
- Turmeric powder: A little goes a long way, providing flavor and color. It's what gives curry powder it's golden hue.
- Long-grain white rice: Look for rice labeled "long-grain" or Jasmine. (Long-grain brown rice can also be used but will require more water and extra cooking time.)
- Pine nuts and fresh cilantro: These are optional, but are wonderful complements to the flavors of this recipe. If you don't want to add them, simply leave them out, or try hemp seeds and parsley or your favorite fresh herbs as substitutions.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete ingredients, measurements, and instructions.
Instructions
- Saute onions in olive oil over medium heat.
- Add the spices and rice.
- Stir for a couple of minutes until the rice starts to turn translucent.
- Stir in the water and bring to a simmer.
- Lower the heat, cover the pot, and allow the rice to cook and absorb the liquid.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Place a clean dish towel under the lid. Allow the rice to steam for a few minutes, then fluff it with a fork. Stir in the pine nuts and cilantro, and enjoy.
Serving suggestions
Try this recipe as part of a meal with vegetable kebabs and vegan yogurt sauce.
It's also wonderful with sauteed zucchini and tomatoes, vegan Greek salad, and homemade sesame seed hummus.
Storing and freezing
Leftover Yellow Mediterranean Rice can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months. I like to use a resealable bag for freezing room-temperature rice.
To reheat from frozen, defrosting the rice isn't necessary. Add a few tablespoons of water before reheating it in a pot on the stove or in a microwave-safe bowl.
Recipe FAQs
While I admit I often forget this step, rinsing the rice before cooking will result in fluffier rice that won't stick together.
Yes, you can make this recipe with long-grain brown rice instead of white. You will need to add an extra half cup of water, and the rice will take a little longer to cook.
Typically long grain rice is used.
More vegan rice recipes
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Love and Veggies,
Amy
📋 Recipe
Mediterranean Yellow Rice
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup onion, diced small
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1½ cups long-grain white rice, rinsed and drained
- 2¼ cups water
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- 2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Add the onions and saute until softened and slightly translucent.½ cup onion
- Add the garlic, cumin, turmeric, salt and pepper, and rice to the pot. Stir frequently for a couple of minutes until the rice starts to look translucent.2 cloves garlic, ¼ teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, salt and pepper, 1½ cups long-grain white rice
- Stir in the water and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and allow the rice to gently simmer until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender.2¼ cups water
- Remove the pot from the heat. Lift up the lid and lay a clean dish towel over the top. Replace the lid on top of the towel and allow the rice to steam for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Fluff the rice with a fork and fold in the pine nuts and cilantro. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper, as needed. Serve.¼ cup pine nuts, 2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro
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Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
Marlene says
Can I make this recipe with medium grain rice?
Amy Katz says
Hi Marlene! This recipe works the best with long-grain rice. Medium grain will likely be too sticky.
Kim Debs says
I made this recipe this weekend. I omitted the pine nuts, but it was still outstanding. Next time I might try saffron.
Debbie says
This was delicious! The pine nuts really rounded out the flavour. I love that it's easy to make and can be eaten with virtually anything. I served mine with oven baked rosemary chicken and steamed broccoli. Made leftovers for tomorrow too so I can savour this one more time (and all the additional times I'll end up making this!).
Amy Katz says
I'm so happy you enjoyed it, Debbie!
Stace says
Soooo good! This is exactly what I was looking for and the recipe was very easy to follow 🙂 Thank you!
Amy Katz says
I'm glad you enjoyed it, Stacy! 🙂
Ashleigh says
Is there a instapot option?
Amy Katz says
You can make it in an Instant Pot, but the texture won't be the same. First saute the garlic, onion, and spices. Then add the rice and saute another minute. Add water according to the instructions that came with your IP and use the rice function. Then add the pine nuts and cilantro when it's done. However, I highly recommend you try making it on the stovetop. The rice will turn out more sticky in the IP.
William says
Hey I was just wondering, when do I add he pine nuts and cilantro into the dish?
Amy Katz says
Hi William, add them in when you fluff the rice at the very end.
William says
Thank you Amy, will do!
Deserea says
The best rice I've ever made! Really, really good. I substituted water for chicken broth... delish!
Amy Katz says
I'm so happy you enjoyed it, Deserea!
Cami says
Doubled the recipe. Didn’t have pine nuts and subbed chicken broth for water to make the rice. It was amazing!!! This will now be our go to rice recipe. Thank you!!
Amy Katz says
This is fantastic to hear, Cami!
Caye says
So delicious!
Chris says
best. rice. ever.
Amy Katz says
Thanks so much, Chris!
Alyssa Benjamin says
This is my second time making this recipe and I just love it and so does my family!! Thank you!!
Amy Katz says
I'm so glad everyone enjoys it, Alyssa!
LisaRose says
This is quite tasty. To make it a meal instead of a side, I added a can of chick peas, a bunch of chopped asparagus, and a chopped red bell pepper. I’m well-pleased. Thank you, Amy.
Amy Katz says
Love those additions, LisaRose!
Michelle Minichino says
The recipe was delicious and will be on permanent rotation. I did alter slightly by using chicken broth instead of water and omitted the cilantro. It was the perfect side dish to the chicken shwarma and tandoori bread.
Amy Katz says
I'm so happy you enjoyed it, Michelle!
Jorge Rivas says
The recipe is excellent but i'd like to shout out the "cook mode" feature that prevents your screen from timing out when you're cooking. Such a small detail that adds a lot of value when you don't need to monitor your screen every second
Amy Katz says
Thank you so much, Jorge!
Bailey says
I used brown rice and added a bit more water, otherwise kept everything the same. I did find it a little bland, and will add more seasoning next time.
Adriana says
Really good made 2 changes instead of cumin used Peprika and lemon juice
Amy Katz says
Glad you enjoyed it, Adriana!
Ian says
I made this and i’m not sure if i messed up. I’m used to a more flavorful rice but mine was relatively bland. Still good, but just a bit bland. Is it supposed to taste like that or did i mess up?
Amy Katz says
It could be that your spices aren't fresh. Jarred herbs and spices lose their flavor over time. But maybe it's just not what you were expecting.