Our saffron rice turns out perfectly fluffy, flavorful, and aromaticwith a beautiful sunny yellow color. It’s easy to make and truly makes any meal special.

I’m beyond excited to share this saffron rice recipe, which draws influences from Persian and Mediterranean cuisine. I love it with just about anything (really!). Think kabobs, falafel, stews, grilled meats, grilled chicken, seafood, and more!

Thanks to stock, a bit of butter, and onion, the rice turns out incredibly flavorful. Thanks to our saffron and a tiny bit of turmeric, it has the most beautiful shade of yellow. I can’t wait for you to try it! For more rice recipes, see our cilantro lime rice or this coconut rice!

Key Ingredients

• Rice: For the best, most aromatic results, use long-grain basmati rice. Regular long-grain rice will work, but basmati rice offers so much more flavor and aroma. Take note of my tips in our recipe for rinsing the rice. It makes a huge difference and guarantees that perfectly fluffy, non-sticky texture! I don’t recommend brown rice for this recipe.
• Saffron: You only need a small amount of saffron for this rice, which means you’ll be able to make this recipe on repeat (something I’m betting you will want to do once you try it!). Look for a good quality saffron (cheaper options don’t have the same flavor). It’s pricy, but worth the extra money. I used McCormick’s saffron in the photos, and it worked really well. Still, for the best quality and often better value, I highly recommend sourcing your saffron from reputable online spice vendors (I love World Spice and Burlap and Barrel) or ethnic markets rather than conventional grocery stores.
• Turmeric and Cardamom: A tiny bit of turmeric enhances the sunny yellow color, while a gently crushed cardamom pod adds another layer of warm, sweet aromatics. By gently crushed, I mean that the outside of the pod cracks, but the seeds inside stay inside.
• Butter and Onion: You can substitute olive oil if you’d prefer it, but I love the flavor of butter in this rice. You’ll melt it and then cook a handful of chopped onions in it until they smell sweet and turn soft. The onions add flavor and a little sweetness, which balances the savory, aromatic flavor of the saffron. That said, I’ve made this recipe without onions and still loved it.
• Stock: I typically use chicken stock or vegetable broth. In our recipe, we suggest tasting your stock before adding it to the rice to see if you need additional salt. Depending on your stock’s sodium content, you might need little to no extra salt. I aim for the stock to taste as well-seasoned as a delicious soup.

The trick to perfectly flavorful saffron rice is infusing your stock with saffron and spices before cooking. Bring your stock to a simmer, then pour it over gently crushed saffron threads, turmeric, and cardamom. This vital step also allows you to taste and adjust the stock with salt.

I like the stock to taste as well-seasoned as a soup, so give it a taste and add more salt until the flavors really pop before cooking it with your rice.