Our all-time favorite Mediterranean Rice is a quick and easy way to add a burst of sunshine to your dinner table in just 30 minutes! The simple addition of turmeric and cumin to basmati rice gives it that vibrant yellow color.
This dish delivers fluffy grains that don’t stick together, with the delightful crunch of toasted pine nuts for the perfect rice pilaf. Aromatic and versatile, it’s the perfect side dish for any meal, and we make it with every Greek feast in our house!
Table of Contents
- What is Mediterranean Rice?
- London’s Recipe Rundown
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- How to Make Mediterranean Yellow Rice
- Toasting Spices Tip
- Basmati Rice Ratio
- Prep-Ahead Tip
- Foolproof Recipe Tips
- How to Store & Reheat Leftovers
- Fun Flavor Additions
- More Flavor-Packed Rice Recipes to Try
- What to Serve with Mediterranean Rice?
- Mediterranean Yellow Rice Recipe
What is Mediterranean Rice?
Mediterranean rice is often long grain white or basmati rice that is cooked with spices for it’s yellow color and bold flavor. It’s often finished with fresh herbs and sometimes even mixed with nuts to make a pilaf.
It’s often served alongside Lamb Koftas with Tzatziki Sauce or even as a side for Greek Turkey Burgers and Greek Chicken Kabobs.
London’s Recipe Rundown
My recipe you’ll find here is, in my humble opinion, the absolute best one out there.
Instead of simply using turmeric for color, ground cumin is also added in for a more earthy flavor and paprika for a hint of heat.
Basmati rice is my preferred grain as it tends to get the fluffiest and is least likely to clump together.
But my BIG secret?… those toasted pine nuts.
They add little bites of crunchy, buttery goodness all throughout the tender side!
It’s hands down the best Mediterranean yellow rice recipe and I can’t wait for you to try it 😆 <– yes, I truly am THAT excited!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Notes about the ingredients needed for this Mediterranean yellow rice recipe are below. Jump to recipe for the exact measurements.
- Rice. It’s essential that you use long-grain basmati rice. It has a delicious taste and aroma that is also a little nutty and floral. You can substitute it with white rice, but it won’t be nearly as flavorful and will require slightly more liquid in order for the grains to fully cook.
- Water. The recipe is written and salted with water used as the main liquid. If you want to up-level the flavor a little, you can use chicken broth, but make sure you adjust the amount of salt you use accordingly.
- Onion. I use sweet onion in just about all recipes (eek! I know) but I think it really helps to balance out the more earthy and vibrant notes of the spices in this rice. Yes, of course, you can use white or yellow, if that’s what you have.
- Spices. Turmeric gives this rice a yellow color, cumin an earthy taste, and paprika for a slightly sweet heat. <– all three are a must!
- Herbs. A mix of fresh cilantro and parsley liven up an otherwise overly hearty dish. Flat-leaf parsley is preferred, but curly leaf can be used.
- Nuts. And (drumroll please!) the crucial ingredient… toasted pine nuts. Make sure you keep an eye on these bad boys when they’re toasting as they cook up quickly and burn easily! You can also use coarsely chopped and roasted almonds or leave the nuts out completely if you’re allergic.
How to Make Mediterranean Yellow Rice
Please see the recipe card below for more detailed instructions and ingredient amounts.
1. Cook the onion and spices.
Start by adding oil and diced onion to a medium saucepan over medium or medium-high heat. Once the onion becomes translucent, add crushed garlic and cook for another minute.
Mix in turmeric, cumin, paprika, and salt until combined. Toast until fragrant, about 1 minute.
2. Rinse rice and add to pot.
Rinse the rice in a strainer until the water runs clear to remove excess starch. This will take about a minute or two. It’s super important it’s completely clear! This keeps the rice from getting too sticky and clumping together.
Pour in the water and add in the rice to the cooked onion. Stir well and scrape the bottom of the pot to release any bits that are stuck. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes.
Cook until it’s tender and fluffy.
3. Mix in fresh herbs and toasted nuts.
Remove from the heat. Add the finishing touches by mixing in aromatic herbs, like chopped cilantro and parsley, and toasted pine nuts.
How to Store & Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerator. Cool the rice to room temperature and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freezer. This freezes great in a freezer-safe airtight container for up to 4 months.
- To Reheat. Either warm up this rice in the microwave in 30 second intervals, or add to a skillet over medium heat with a little oil and water.
Fun Flavor Additions
While this rice is incredible exactly as written, you can get a little creative and try mixing in some of these ingredients for even more flavor:
- Dried fruits such as raisins, currants, or even apricots.
- Different nuts such as slivered almonds or even cashews.
- Make it a little spicy with some cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes.
More Flavor-Packed Rice Recipes to Try
It’s super simple to elevate a plain pot of rice into a flavor-packed side. Explore these recipes to take your rice to the next level:
What to Serve with Mediterranean Rice?
This easy side dish rounds out any Mediterranean-inspired menu. All of the following recipes make a perfect pairing:
Mediterranean recipes like Greek Chicken Shish Kabobs, Greek Turkey Burgers, and Easy Greek Turkey Meatballs are made even better with this rice.
Hearty sides like Gluten-Free Falafel, Mediterranean Chickpea Salad, Greek Cucumber Salad, and Mediterranean Couscous Salad are also delicious alongside this recipe.
Don’t forget the Greek Tzatziki Sauce, Homemade Hummus, and Baba Ganoush to complete this Mediterranean feast.
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Mediterranean Yellow Rice Recipe
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Ingredients
Instructions
- Add oil and diced onion to a medium-sized pot over medium heat. Saute for 2-3 minutes, or until onion becomes translucent. Add crushed garlic and continue sauteing for another minute.2 Tbsp. olive oil, ½ sweet onion, 3 cloves garlic
- Mix in turmeric, cumin, paprika, and salt. Toast until fragrant. (About 1 minute.)¾ tsp. turmeric, ¼ tsp. cumin, ¼ tsp. paprika, 1 ¼ tsp. salt
- Pour in water, scraping the bottom of the pot to release any bits that are stuck, and add in the rice. Give it a good stir, and bring the water to a boil.2 ¼ cups water, 1 ½ cups basmati rice
- Once boiling, cover the pot with a lid and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until rice is tender and fluffy.
- Remove the pot from the heat and mix in chopped cilantro, parsley, and toasted pine nuts. Serve immediately with some Lamb Koftas or Greek Chicken Kabobs and Tzatziki sauce and enjoy!2 Tbsp. cilantro, 2 Tbsp. parsley, ¼ cup pine nuts
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Video
Notes
- Rinse the rice. It’s crucial that the rice is thoroughly rinsed before cooking to ensure you get the fluffiest grains.
- Toast the spices. You’ll get a much deeper and richer flavor in the rice if you take a minute or two to toast the spices.
- Watch the pine nuts closely. These guys can burn quickly, so set a timer and trust your nose- when you start to smell them, they’re ready!
- Finely chop the herbs. This ensures they evenly distribute throughout the rice and you don’t get big chunks of an herb in one bite.
- Refrigerator. Cool the rice to room temperature and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freezer. This freezes great in a freezer-safe airtight container for up to 4 months.
- To Reheat. Either warm up this rice in the microwave in 30 second intervals, or add to a skillet over medium heat with a little oil and water.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
We all love this (including… my TODDLER love this rice)! woohoo!
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Jen! It’s awesome when toddlers don’t fight dinner. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
If I make the normal size rice how many people will it serve?
If you follow the recipe as written, it should be enough to make sides for 8 people.
Had this last night and it was a hit. This was perfect for that greek meal. Didn’t have the pinenuts but it was still delicious. I will be making this again.
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Beth! It’s simple to customize. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
This delicious. Came out as expected. I didn’t have cilantro however it was still delicious. I rinsed and soaked the rice for 15 min prior to cooking. Definitely a do-over.
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Tracy! I’m glad you could make it work. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
Finally a perfect rice recipe! This is so incredibly flavorful and fluffy. This makes for a phenomenal base for Greek Bowls! Don’t even get me started on the toasted pine nuts…o.m.g.
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Kim! It’s perfect for Greek bowls. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
Very nice rice dish. I really enjoyed it. Thank you so much for sharing.
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Virginia! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
This was incredibly easy and tasty. I didn’t have Basmati rice at home so I used jasmine 2 cups water to 1 cups rice and it came out absolutely phenomenal. I’ll definitely keep this in my back pocket to accompany future Mediterranean/greek inspired dinners.
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Kenny! It’s a tasty rice side I love, too. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
Easy to make and tasty!
The family enjoyed it with some chicken shawarma or beef kebabs. We put everything in a rice cooker and late….voila!
Yay!! I’m so happy to hear it was easy to make and that your family loved it. The rice cooker is my favorite way to cook up things quickly—what a great idea!! And that chicken shawarma and beef kebab combo with the rice sounds incredible. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating—it truly means so much!
Happy cooking! ♡London
Delicious rice! I did cook 2 cups of rice with 4 1/2 c of water. So my ratio 1 cup of rice to 1 1/2 c water. Fluffy and firm !
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Carmen! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
delicious! Used fresh basil as that’s what I had on hand. Served with grilled veggie kebabs and shrimp. Highly recommend this rice!
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Jean! Sounds delicious. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!