Indian Saffron Yellow Rice Pilaf
Guys, I’m sharing with you today my hands-down one of my favorite rice dishes – Saffron Yellow Rice Pilaf. Have you had Saffron Yellow Rice before?!
When I was growing up, one of our close family friends were from India. I have such fond memories of going to their home for family celebrations and always being in awe of the gorgeous, traditional Indian clothing as well as the variety of colorful and flavorful food. My favorite being the buttery, Saffron Yellow Rice Pilaf that always stood out to me because it was so different from the white rice my mom prepared for us at home.
This Saffron Yellow Rice Pilaf is a spin on the yellow rice I fell in love with as a child. It is buttery, FULL of warm flavors and the perfect side dish to serve alongside your favorite curry or Vegan Butter Chicken. I add a handful of peas to this Yellow Saffron Rice Pilaf for the splash of color, protein and extra taste. I also add some red lentils to this Yellow Rice Pilaf which makes this dish much heartier that a typical rice side dish. On busy weeknights, I like to whip easy, healthy vegan rice pilad up and enjoy it with a side of veggies for a quick, complete and easy meal.
So what in the world makes this Yellow Saffron Rice SO darn buttery even though there is no butter whatsoever in this recipe?!
Coconut milk!
The coconut milk makes this Vegan Yellow Saffron Rice slightly creamy, rich and the perfect texture y’all. I served this to my family the other day and it’s ALWAYS an instant hit at the table.
If you end up making this delicious Indian Saffron Yellow Rice Pilaf, I love seeing your awesome feedback! Share your creations with me by writing your feedback in the comments below, tagging me (#cearaskitchen) in your beautiful shots on Instagram or sharing your photo on my Ceara’s Kitchen Facebook page. Have a beautiful day guys! #EatHappyLiveHapp
Indian Saffron Yellow Rice Pilaf
- Total Time: 25 mins
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
This Indian Saffron Yellow Rice Pilaf is based off a yellow rice pilaf I used to enjoy as a child. This yellow rice is buttery, slightly creamy and goes perfectly with curries or Vegan Butter Chicken. The distinctive yellow color comes from the saffron powder and pinch of tumeric used when cooking the rice.
Ingredients
- 1 medium white onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3/4 tsp saffron powder
- 1/2 tsp tumeric powder
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1 1/2 cups basmati rice
- 1/2 cup red lentils
- 1/2 cup coconut milk*
- 3 1/2 – 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup frozen green peas
Garnish
- Fresh Cilantro
- Green Onion
Instructions
- Over medium high heat, in a large pot, saute onions and garlic in a 1/4 cup of vegetable broth until the onions are soft. Add the spices (saffron powder, tumeric and cinnamon) with 1/4 cup of vegetable broth to the pot. Stir and simmer for 1 minute until the spices are fragrant.
- Stir in the rice and red lentils. Stir, allowing the vegetable broth to dissolve and slightly brown the rice for a minute or so in the hot pot.
- Add the coconut milk, additional vegetable broth (3 cups), cover and bring to a simmer over low heat for 10 – 15 minutes until the rice and lentils are cooked. Add a splash more vegetable broth or water if necessary.
- Stir in the green peas, stir, cover and leave the rice to sit for 3 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork. Garnish with fresh cilantro and green onion.
Notes
1) For a coconut-free version (or if you just don’t have coconut milk on hand) soak 1/4 cup raw cashews in hot water for 30 minutes. Drain and blend until creamy with 1/2 cup of water. I like this recipe equally both ways!
2) If using fresh green peas, add them in halfway through cooking the rice, allowing them to cook with the rice.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Side
- Cuisine: Indian
