Here’s a simple and delicious recipe for Instant Pot Yellow Rice. Ground turmeric adds a beautiful yellow color with anti-inflammatory properties. Everyone loves this savory side dish.

a bowl of instant pot yellow rice with a serving spoon.

Make perfect yellow rice in your Instant Pot every time! You can ditch packaged yellow rice because this recipe is just as easy.

Yellow rice is a Spanish rice dish made with white rice and turmeric (also known as arroz amarillo). It usually contains butter or olive oil and seasonings like garlic powder and onion powder. Turmeric is what gives it that sunny yellow color it’s known for.

This kid-friendly easy side dish is perfect for a busy weeknight. Serve yellow rice alongside any main dish to jazz up any meal. Or, add cooked sliced chicken breasts or black beans to make it a simple main dish.

Key Ingredients

ingredients for yellow rice on a countertop with labels.
  • White basmati rice – Be sure to use long-grain white basmati rice. Short-grain rice (like arborio rice or many arborio rice substitutes) have a higher starch content and won’t cook correctly.
  • Seasoning – Turmeric is an essential part of yellow rice. It’s what gives yellow rice its beautiful color and quintessential flavor. It’s also an anti-inflammatory ingredient. You will also need fresh garlic or garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
  • Vegetable broth – Vegetable broth packs in lots of flavor with only one ingredient. Vegetable broth can be high in sodium which is why I recommend buying reduced-sodium broth.

Please see the recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredients and measurements.

Recipe Steps

Let me show you how easy it is to make delicious, fluffy Instant Pot Yellow Rice.

how to make yellow rice in instant pot.

Step One

Press the Sauté button on your Instant Pot. Pour in the olive oil and let it heat up for a few minutes. Then, add the diced onion.

Please see the recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredients and measurements.

And, if you’re new to using an electric pressure cooker, see my guide on How to Use the Instant Pot Duo.

Step Two

Cook the onion until it starts to soften and caramelize.

Cancel the Sauté button and scrape up any pieces of onion that have stuck to the bottom of the pot. This will help prevent you getting a burn message.

Step Three

Then, add the rinsed rice, garlic powder, turmeric, salt, pepper and vegetable broth.

Stir to combine.

Step Four

Lock on the lid and set the cook time to 6 minutes at high pressure.

When the cooking time is complete, let the pressure come down naturally for 5 minutes (using the natural release). Then, use the quick release by switching the pressure valve to get rid of the remaining pressure.

Carefully remove the lid and use a fork to fluff the rice. Enjoy hot!

a bowl of instant pot yellow rice with a sprig of parsley on top.

Recipe FAQs

What is yellow rice?

Yellow rice is basmati rice that’s cooked and flavored with turmeric, spices, and sometimes herbs. The turmeric makes it yellow and gives it such a delicious flavor. Although you can buy it prepackaged – homemade yellow rice is better for you and even more delicious!

Can I freeze yellow rice?

Yes! Let the rice cool completely before scooping it into a freezer-safe plastic bag. Label the bag with the date and for best results, use within 2 months of freezing. Reheat the frozen rice in the microwave. Break the frozen rice into chunks and place them in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover the bowl with a plate and microwave for approximately 2 minutes or until hot. Fluff the rice and enjoy!

Can I use brown rice to make yellow rice?

Yes, but you’ll need to increase the cooking time to ensure the rice gets cooked through.

How do I prevent the burn notice the making rice in the pressure cooker?

You must rinse the rice well and use the minimum amount of liquid to prevent the burn notice. It took me a couple of tries to realize what I had to do! Don’t worry, just follow my recipe and you’ll be fine.

I hope you make this recipe! If you do, please leave a comment and a starred review below.

And, consider following me on social media so we can stay connected. I’m on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube!

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a bowl of yellow rice

Instant Pot Yellow Rice Recipe

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5 from 2 reviews

Print Recipe

Here’s a simple and delicious recipe for Instant Pot Yellow Rice. Ground turmeric adds a beautiful yellow color with anti-inflammatory properties. Everyone loves this savory side dish.

  • Total Time: 31 minutes
  • Yield: 6

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 cup white basmati rice, rinsed well
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 1/4 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth (or water)

Instructions

  1. Press the Sauté button on your Instant Pot. Pour in the olive oil and let it heat up for a few minutes. Then, add the diced onion.
  2. Cook the onion for 2-3 minutes or until it starts to soften. Cancel the Sauté button and scrape up any pieces of onion that have stuck to the bottom of the pot. This will help prevent you getting a burn message.
  3. Then, add the rinsed rice, garlic powder, turmeric, salt, pepper and vegetable broth. Stir to combine.
  4. Lock on the lid and set the time to 6 minutes at high pressure.
  5. When the cooking time is complete, let the pressure come down naturally for 5 minutes. Then, use the quick release to get rid of the remaining pressure.
  6. Carefully remove the lid and stir the rice. Serve hot.

Notes

  1. Basmati rice is a long-grain white rice. You can also use Jasmine rice, if you prefer.
  2. To rinse the rice, place it in a fine-mesh sieve and put it under cold running water from the sink. Rinse the rice until the water runs clear.
  3. If you want to use long-grain brown rice for this recipe, you will need to increase the cooking time to 20 minutes.
  4. Store any leftover cooked rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Or, you can freeze cooked rice for up to 2 months. Defrost and reheat before serving.
  5. The total cooking time includes 10 minutes for the Instant Pot to come up to pressure.
  6. This recipe can easily be doubled to make extra servings, if desired.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe
  • Calories: 145
  • Sugar: 1.2 g
  • Sodium: 117.1 mg
  • Fat: 2.6 g
  • Saturated Fat: 0.4 g
  • Carbohydrates: 27.5 g
  • Fiber: 0.8 g
  • Protein: 2.5 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

This recipe was originally published in 2022; it was updated and re-published in February, 2025.

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About the Author: Carrie Forrest is the author of the best-selling Instant Pot-authorized cookbook, The Healthy Meal Prep Instant Pot Cookbook. She has a master’s degree in public health with a specialty in nutrition and receives over 5 million annual visitors to her site. Send Carrie a message through her contact form.