This Yellow Rice Recipe is rich, flavorful, and perfectly balanced, with a well-seasoned spice blend and sweet corn to finish it off.
author’s note
No-Stir, No-Stress Yellow Rice!
My in-laws lived in Johannesburg, South Africa, and during a visit, I fell madly in love with the South African Yellow Rice we had there, especially paired with Piri Piri chicken. It was the greatest combo.
Today, I’m sharing my version of that yellow rice. It’s not an exact replica, but it has the same warm, fragrant flavors we enjoyed on our trip.
This easy oven-baked yellow rice recipe comes together in one dish. Just add everything, including uncooked rice, to a casserole dish and pop it in the oven.
No stovetop and no watching the pot. Just fluffy rice, great flavor, and an incredible smell as it bakes!
What Is This Yellow Rice Recipe Made Of?
| Ingredient | Notes / Tips |
|---|---|
| Basmati Rice | Stick with basmati; other rice types can get mushy. |
| Spices & Seasonings | Taste and adjust any of them to your liking. |
| Brown Sugar | A small amount is enough to round out the flavors and keep it from being overly spicy. |
| Garlic & Ginger Paste | Use pre-minced garlic and ginger paste to save time and make this yellow rice recipe as easy as possible! |
| Raisins or Currants | Golden raisins are my favorite here. Not a fan? Leave them out! |
| Chicken Stock | Use full-flavor stock, not low-sodium, for the best results. |
| Butter | Use the full amount of butter. After testing different amounts, 8 tablespoons worked best. |
| Frozen Corn | Stir in after baking to keep the corn fresh and bright. |
Quick Tip
Frozen corn thaws fast in a hot dish, so skip thawing. Just stir it in this yellow rice recipe and it warms right up!
How To Make This Yellow Rice Recipe
Below are my top tips for success when cooking Yellow Rice.
- Grease baking dish well with cooking spray to avoid rice sticking, and don’t skip the butter!
- Be patient. The bake time is long, but it’s mostly hands-off. You can’t rush it.
- Let the rice sit. Just like stovetop rice, it needs time to steam and soften so it doesn’t get mushy.
Transform Into A Main Course Meal
- Chicken and Yellow Rice Recipe: Serve with my absolute favorite seasoned chicken thighs.
- Add a Sauce: A creamy yogurt sauce, ripe avocado, or goat cheese adds coolness and creaminess to balance the spice.
- Add Toppings: Thinly sliced cucumbers, fresh mango, avocado, or a squeeze of lemon add crunch, freshness, and color.
Storage
- Store leftovers from this Yellow Rice Recipe in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 to 7 days.
- To freeze, portion into 2 cup bags for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight, then reheat with a splash of water in the microwave or on low heat in a pan.
Quick Tip
For an Indian Yellow Rice Recipe, try this One-Pan Curry Rice instead!
More Easy Rice Dishes:
Side Dishes
Coconut Rice Recipe
Dinner
Fried Rice Recipe
Side Dishes
Herb Rice In One Pan!
Side Dishes
Greek Rice Recipe
Yellow Rice Recipe
This Yellow Rice Recipe is comforting and full of flavor, with a balanced spice blend and sweet corn to finish things off. Shop the recipe here.
Video
Equipment
- 9 x 13-inch ceramic baking pan
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 1-1/2 cups uncooked basmati rice see note 1
- 1-1/2 teaspoons ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon yellow curry powder see note 2
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons light brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 bay leaf optional
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic see note 3
- 2 teaspoons ginger paste see note 3
- 1/3 cup raisins or currants or golden raisins
- 2-3/4 cups chicken stock or broth, see note 4
- Salt and pepper
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 cups frozen corn
Make This A Main Course
- Baked chicken thighs to serve on the side, or see note 5 for more ideas
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Generously spray a ceramic or glass (not metal) 9×13-inch pan with cooking spray. Cut butter into 8 slices (1 tablespoon each) and set aside.
- Add everything except butter and corn into the pan. Season to taste with salt and pepper (I add 1-1/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper). Stir with a wooden spoon until ingredients are incorporated and spread in one even layer, making sure rice is covered by the liquid. Evenly top with cut pieces of butter. Cover tightly with foil. Bake for 40 minutes. Then, remove foil (save foil—just set aside for now) and bake 15 more minutes.
- Remove from oven. Don’t stir the rice. Top with the foil again and let stand at room temperature 10 minutes. This is important to avoid mushy rice!
- After 10 minutes, remove bay leaf and add frozen corn. Gently mix everything together and lightly fluff rice with a fork. Taste and add more salt/pepper if needed. Enjoy!
Final step! Please let us know how it was by leaving a review.
Recipe Notes
Note 1: I tested this recipe with several kinds of rice, and the only successful one is basmati rice. Other varieties of rice gave inconsistent results—ranging from very mushy to unevenly cooked.
Note 2: Use a curry powder you know and enjoy, with a level of heat you can tolerate (I use McCormick®, which is very mild). If you aren’t sure, add less, but know that you will be missing out on some flavor!
Note 3: To keep things quick, use refrigerated minced garlic and refrigerated ginger paste. Or use fresh ginger and garlic; simply grate (with a fine grater) ginger root and individual garlic cloves into the dish—no other preparation is necessary.
Note 4: Chicken stock is very important to the flavor—use a full-bodied (not low sodium) stock. I love Swanson® stock best.
Note 5: To make this side dish into a main course, serve with a cooked protein (I love a hot rotisserie chicken or these baked chicken thighs), topped with some full-fat Greek yogurt (or a cooling yogurt sauce, ripe diced avocado, or goat cheese) and thinly sliced cucumbers. See the blog post for more ideas!
Storage: You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 5–7 days. To freeze, I like to portion leftovers 2 cups at a time and store them in individual freezer bags. Freeze for up to 3 months, thawing bags of rice overnight in the fridge.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 226kcal | Carbohydrates: 25.6g | Protein: 3.9g | Fat: 12.8g | Cholesterol: 32.3mg | Sodium: 102.6mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8.3g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
And this is why I love having a well-stocked pantry. I am fortunate to be able to have one. I’m making this tonight. I’m swapping the corn for garbanzo beans because I love them. I will report back.
Yay! I can’t wait to hear what you think! Thanks Maria!