The Secret To Making Yellow Rice In An Instant Pot

If you've never had yellow rice, allow us to fill you in: it's absolutely delicious savory rice, usually flavored and colored with turmeric or saffron and other spices (via Fav Family Recipes). Yellow rice pops up in so many cuisines — from Latin America to Indonesia, Indian cooking to South Africa — and luckily, you can hack it in your Instant Pot with a few tricks, depending on what kind of flavors you're going for (via Amy + Jacky).

Rice in an Instant Pot is a no-brainer: you can cut your time cooking significantly and avoid stuck or burned pot disasters. Plus, it's even faster than a rice cooker and you can just "set it and forget it," AKA, walk away and come back to amazing results (via Instant Pot). If using long-grain white rice, you can use the "Rice" preset, which will time the cooking based on volume. If you're using basmati, jasmine, or brown rice, you can set times manually with the "Pressure cook" program, or "Manual" in some models (via Instant Pot). The general principle: rinse your rice, pour it in, add water, and cook.

For yellow rice, you can get a little more creative with add-ins. Spices and aromatics can go into the water with the rice before cooking, and then you're on your way (via The Kitchn). In this delicious Indonesian take called Nasi Kuning, you use chicken stock instead of water with jasmine rice and mix in minced garlic, soy sauce, and turmeric (via Amy + Jacky). Then comes the pro move — you mix in the rice and top with coconut milk, which you DO NOT mix. The result is fragrant, flavorful, creamy yellow rice that can go with everything from a meaty main to crispy veggies as a side dish.

In this recipe for homemade yellow rice from Don't Waste the Crumbs, the process is even easier. You should still use chicken or veggie stock and turmeric, but instead of other add-ins, use butter, onion and garlic powder, thyme, and a bay leaf for a subtle yet satisfying savory rice. Yellow rice is endlessly riffable: add peas or corn, or saffron, pine nuts, and cardamom for Indian-style yellow rice to serve with curry (via Cook with Manali). Always remember to rinse your rice before tossing it in the pot, and you'll be on your way to effortless comfort food in minutes.