What is the Best Yellow Rice Brand, Top 3 Choices You’ll Enjoy

Bright yellow rice makes paella even more enticing but do you know what Is the best yellow rice brand to use? Find out the top 3 choices!

(Cue in Coldplay’s Yellow in the background) Nope, we are not going to sing this song but it’s a little close to the title.

You’ve probably seen a lot of yellow rice recently and wondering what’s the secret. There is no yellow rice variety just to make it clear but you can turn a bowl of cooked rice into color yellow.

A little sprinkle of saffron, turmeric, and other yellowing agent is enough to make your next meal ultra-vibrant. Find out more below!

What is Yellow Rice?

Yellow rice is actually a dish that has popular versions across the globe. It is made of white rice cooked in various coloring agents such as saffron, turmeric, and annatto.

You can have different versions of yellow rice in Spain, the Caribbean, and Morroco.

Iran, Afghanistan, India, Sri Lanka, Philippines, and Indonesia got their own yellow rice versions. Don’t forget South Africa too!

Apart from the bright vibes the yellow rice brings, it also has great taste when cooked with a lot of spices.

How to Prepare Yellow Rice

If you are fond of making your food more enticing and fun, then you’ll surely love yellow rice.

Apart from its vibrant color, you’ll be amazed that its ingredients are very much organic and basic.

Preparing yellow rice is a no-sweat recipe, you can make it from scratch or you can simply buy readymade yellow rice at the groceries.

Turmeric and Saffron are two common coloring agents since they are readily available. Annatto, on the other hand, is a coloring powder made from the seeds of the achiote tree, which is only native to a few countries in Asia and also in Brazil and Mexico.

Here’s how you can make yellow rice:

• Cook your rice using your preferred method
• Saute onions and add the cooked rice
• Add the turmeric or saffron plus other aromatic ingredients such as cumin
• Season with salt and pepper. Stir to incorporate everything and achieve the bright yellow color
• Pour in water and bring to a boil.
• Turn down the heat and let it simmer for about 20 minutes, covered
• Remove the rice from the heat and let it sit for 5 minutes
• Drizzle with olive oil before serving

Feel free to add more turmeric or saffron depending on your taste!

What Recipes Use Yellow Rice

Yellow rice can be cooked alongside many dishes. One of the most famous recipe is the Paella, a Spanish recipe with many versions throughout the world.

Biryani is another popular dish with yellow rice mixed with chicken, beef, fish, or lamb.

Jambalaya, risotto, and many more dishes that have rice as the main ingredients can become yellow when added with turmeric or saffron.

Saffron is the most expensive spice by weight known to have originated in Iran and some parts of Asia and Europe and is the key element in yellow rice.

Cheaper alternatives like turmeric and food coloring can have the same effect but yellow rice cooked in saffron is considered special.

Top 3 Yellow Rice Brand You Can Choose From

Although you can make yellow rice from scratch and with a few ingredients only, it will still take some of your time especially if you are a busy person.

Fortunately, you can now enjoy a bowl of yellow rice instantly from authentic brands. So in case, you are craving for paella or other recipes that call for yellow rice, take a look at these top 3 brands:

Par Excellence Producers Yellow Rice, 3.5 lb.

The Par Excellence Producers Yellow Rice is among the well-loved brand for seasoned rice with saffron as its main yellow coloring agent.

This brand based its yellow rice to the authentic Spanish style saffron rice where they use premium long-grain variety.

What makes this brand stand out is its flexibility when it comes to cooking.

It’s a perfect side dish for paella, casseroles, and many more.

You just pour in the amount needed and cook according to instructions.

Vigo Yellow Rice, 5-Ounce Pack of 12

Another brand that took yellow rice to the next level is Vigo.

Offering the easy to prepare and completely seasoned rice mix that doesn’t need much do but cook it in just a few steps.

It’s ready-mix and ready to cook yellow rice is completely seasoned with saffron.

Vigo Yellow Rice believes that it should be low in fat and high in taste so they made their signature yellow rice to be nutritious and delicious too. That’s a great offer for those health-conscious consumers!

Mahatma Saffron Yellow Rice Mix, 5 oz (Pack of 12)

If you are looking for yellow rice that’s good for one to two persons, try the Mahatma Saffron Yellow Rice Mix.

Made with premium long-grain rice grown and harvest in the US.

It’s packed with rich flavors of onions and garlic plus real saffron for authenticity.

It has a subtle taste and vibrant yellow color to uplift your mood and tastebuds. Since it is ready-mix, you simply add water, wait for 20 minutes and off you go!

What is the Best Yellow Rice Brand

If we are to choose among these top 3 yellow rice mentioned earlier, the top brand goes to Par Excellence because of its taste, quality, and customer satisfaction.

Among the many yellow rice brands out in the market, only a few really use saffron as the coloring agent. Many brands use only a little to no percentage of this natural coloring due to its cost and production.

Overall, Par Excellence Producers have made yellow rice that’s closest to the real thing.

It has won the hearts of many consumers who are fond of cooking yellow rice recipes.

Bagging the second place is the Vigo, easy to prepare yellow rice mix. This brand has a promising healthy version of yellow rice, however, color-wise, it did not come close to the original, but the taste is excellent.

Summary

I was lucky enough to have tasted yellow rice that’s made from scratch and from ready-mix packages.

Although the taste varies, the yellow rice mix greatly helps a lot of people who miss eating recipes that call for yellow rice.

In the quest for the best yellow rice brand, Par Excellence Producers topped the list because of its overall ratings.

Have you tried yellow rice? Let me know if you got some good recipes to share!