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    Home » Recipes » Special Diet » Dairy Free » Saffron Basmati Rice

    Saffron Basmati Rice

    Published: Jan 21, 2016 · Updated: Apr 4, 2018 · This post contains affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    A pinch of saffron, sautéed onion & garlic, nutty basmati rice, and a touch of cayenne pepper, this yellow colored, flavorful rice is a great side dish.

    Saffron Basmati Rice from Living Well Kitchen

    I love how The Recipe ReDux challenges me every month to think outside the box a little and try something I would not normally try.

    This month's theme is A New Ingredient for the New Year: Pick a new ingredient that you've been wanting to try and cook or bake up a new recipe in the new year. Are you curious about nutritional yeast, fish sauce, matcha, teff or maybe even ugli fruit? Show us how you're cooking with something new (to you!) in 2016.

    Naturally, I went to the grocery store to find something I've never tried using in a recipe. I was at a loss. I couldn't think of anything, so I walked 4 extra minutes to Whole Foods to check out their bulk bin aisle -- my favorite aisle there because it's usually the one with the most budget friendly options.

    As I was walking through my options, I saw some Basmati Rice. I've heard of basmati rice, but what made it different? A quick google search gave me my answer that basmati rice is a longer & skinnier rice with a nuttier flavor than regular rice.

    Then I found a recipe for it using saffron. I've never used saffron in my cooking, and I have some in my spice cabinet! How perfect!

    [clickToTweet tweet="A pinch of saffron, sautéed onion & garlic, nutty basmati rice, and a touch of cayenne pepper, this yellow colored, flavorful rice is a great side dish." quote="A pinch of saffron, sautéed onion & garlic, nutty basmati rice, and a touch of cayenne pepper, this yellow colored, flavorful rice is a great side dish."]

    Saffron Basmati Rice from Living Well Kitchen

    Well, how perfect until you don't follow instructions and read the recipe wrong. Eek! No wonder all the chicken broth didn't absorb... you're supposed to use 2 cups of rice to 3 cups of broth, not 1 cup of rice to 3 cups of broth. Oops!

    Either way, this turned out delicious even if it didn't have the right consistency/texture/I can't think of the right word here.

    Ok, so I happen to really like the rice when it was cooked with a lot of broth. It made it seem more risotto-like and I loved that. However, feel free to follow the original instructions.

    The way I prepared it and the way it is pictured is how I decided to write my recipe. Wouldn't want to give you different measurements than I used for my photo. That'd be rude!

    Saffron Basmati Rice from Living Well Kitchen

    Other than that teeny tiny mistake of using too much broth, the only real change I made from the original recipe was to use brown basmati rice instead of white.

    A pinch of saffron, sautéed onion & garlic, nutty basmati rice, and a touch of cayenne pepper, this yellow colored, flavorful rice is a great side dish.

    After I ate the rice as pictured, I ended up stirring together all my leftovers & making a basmati rice, broccoli, and chicken bowl. Yum!! I heart leftovers.

    Saffron Basmati Rice from Living Well Kitchen

    If you've never tried saffron, you might notice that it's expensive, but you get a lot of bang for your buck. You just need a pinch to get lots of flavor.

    Pair it with a less expensive ingredient, like rice, and you have a side dish winner!

    Saffron Basmati Rice from Living Well Kitchen

    Saffron Basmati Rice

    A pinch of saffron, sautéed onion & garlic, nutty basmati rice, and a touch of cayenne pepper, this yellow colored, flavorful rice is a great side dish.
    Print Rate
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 35 minutes
    Total Time: 40 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Author: Meme

    Ingredients

    • 1 TBSP olive oil
    • 1 large onion about 1 1/2 cups, diced
    • 1 clove garlic about 1 tsp, minced
    • 1 cup brown basmati rice rinsed
    • pinch saffron about 6 strands
    • 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 3 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth, unsalted
    • 1/4 cup slivered almonds optional

    Instructions

    • In a medium saucepan, heat the oil. Sauté the onion in the oil for 5 minutes. Add in garlic, brown basmati rice, and saffron. Stir for about 2-3 minutes until you can smell the nuttiness of the brown basmati rice.
    • Stir in cayenne pepper, salt, and broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for about 25-35 minutes, until most of the broth has absorbed. Let stand for about 5 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with slivered almonds if using.

    Notes

    Recipe based on this Saffron Basmati Rice from Food Network
    Did you try this recipe?Be sure to leave a comment & recipe rating below. Bonus points for tagging @memeinge & #livingwellkitchen on Instagram! THANK YOU! xo
    Click here for Nutrition Facts

    *
    Nutrition Facts
    Saffron Basmati Rice
    Amount Per Serving (1 cup)
    Calories 285 Calories from Fat 81
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 9g14%
    Saturated Fat 1g6%
    Cholesterol 0mg0%
    Sodium 348mg15%
    Potassium 357mg10%
    Carbohydrates 43g14%
    Fiber 3g13%
    Sugar 2g2%
    Protein 9g18%
    Vitamin A 25IU1%
    Vitamin C 3mg4%
    Calcium 44mg4%
    Iron 1.4mg8%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    *

     

    Meme

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    Comments

    1. Sonali- The Foodie Physician says

      January 23, 2016 at 9:09 am

      Being Indian, I'm sure it's no surprise I'm a big fan of basmati rice. This recipe looks great and I love that your little mistake turned it into something more like a risotto dish- YUM!

      Reply
      • Meme says

        January 23, 2016 at 10:36 am

        Haha thanks lady!!! How have just tried basmati rice?! It's SO delicious! 🙂

        Reply
    2. Taj Foods says

      July 12, 2018 at 6:45 am

      Seriously i have never seen this type of delicious recipe. Thank you Meme, for sharing this item.

      Reply
      • Meme says

        July 12, 2018 at 10:38 am

        thanks so much 🙂 Enjoy!

        Reply

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    Meme (a brunette female) is holding umbrella and spinning around in front of the Eiffel Tower wearing a denim jacket, skirt, and blue shoesHi, I'm Meme -- a thirty-something girl from Alabama living in San Diego! Join me as I prove that living a guilt-free, healthy lifestyle can be budget friendly, delicious & fun!
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