What is the Best Yellow Rice Brand?

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ByHui Yin

If you’ve ever had paella or biryani, chances are you’ve seen, smelled, and eaten yellow rice. The fragrant and mouth-watering yellow rice is a beloved traditional dish in many cultures such as Spanish, Indian, South African, Filipino, Caribbean, and more. Yellow rice can be made from scratch but it can be quite time-consuming, especially if you are a busy person.

Fortunately, there are yellow rice brands available in the grocery and supermarkets, allowing anyone to enjoy authentic saffron yellow rice without breaking a sweat. If you’re craving paella or other dishes that call for yellow rice, here are some rice brands that you can consider.

What is Yellow Rice?

Yellow rice is a dish that is used in various recipes around the world. It is made of long-grain white rice cooked in coloring agents such as saffron, turmeric, and annatto. Many Latin American cultures serve yellow rice as a side dish or simmered with chicken and other delicious ingredients.

In Spain, this delicious meal is also known as arroz amarillo. Aside from long grains, spices, herbs, and veggies are added to the mix. 

How to Prepare Yellow Rice

Are you fond of cooking your own food and want to try your hand at making your own yellow rice meal? Look no further for we’re here to guide you on how you can make your own yellow rice and use it in various recipes.

When it comes to organic food colorants that give yellow rice its vibrant color, there are three options you can choose from: turmeric, saffron, and annatto. Turmeric and saffron are readily available in stores and they are common food coloring agents used in various recipes. Turmeric is a root and has a bitter, earthy flavor while saffron is a flower and is lighter and more floral. 

On the other hand, annatto is a coloring powder made from the seeds of the achiote tree. This tree is only native to a few countries in Asia, as well as Brazil and Mexico. Due to that, annatto seeds may only be available in specialty food stores. 

Whichever organic food colorant you choose, you should pair it with basmati or jasmine rice as these variants produce distinct grains when cooked. As for the seasoning mix, you can choose any spices that you want but the most common ones are onion, garlic, salt, and pepper. For the broth, you may use chicken or vegetables. Then, follow the steps to cook your own yellow rice:

  • Cook your rice using the method you prefer.
  • Saute onions in a pan, and add the cooked rice.
  • Add your choice of food colorant. Add in the spices and herbs that you prefer.
  • Season with salt and peppers, and then stir to combine to achieve a bright yellow color.
  • Pour in water or broth (chicken or vegetable) and bring to a boil.
  • Turn down the heat and let it simmer for about 20 minutes, covered.
  • Remove rice from heat and let it sit for 5 minutes.
  • Drizzle olive oil on the cooked rice if you prefer. 
  • Serve. 

Now that you know how to make your own yellow rice, you can incorporate it into a ton of recipes! You can eat it as your main course or have it as an accompaniment with other dishes.

Best Yellow Rice Brands

Cooking your own yellow rice at home can be fun and fulfilling but if you’re pressed for time, there are also premade brands that you can buy. However, with numerous brands in the market today, it can be a little confusing to know which is the best yellow rice brand.

The most important thing that you should take note of when looking at yellow rice brands is the seasonings incorporated in them. Make sure that it contains turmeric or saffron for the beautiful yellow color. It is also ideal to avoid any yellow rice brands that contain MSG, especially if you are someone who reacts poorly to this seasoning.

Another factor that you should consider is yellow rice brands that are designated as fast cooking or quick-cooking. If you live a busy lifestyle, you probably only have a couple of minutes to whip up homemade meals. Yellow rice made from scratch can take a lot of time and effort to prepare and make, so it’s ideal to buy from a brand that offers quick-cooking yellow rice. 

Last but least, a high-quality yellow rice dish depends on the rice used. Ensure that the seasoned rice you buy is also one that cooks light and fluffy. No one wants to eat hard and heavy rice, after all.

Now that you know what to look for in the best yellow rice brands, here are our top picks that you can use in numerous recipes:

Iberia Yellow Rice Spanish Style Seasoned Rice

This delicious yellow rice brand is seasoned with turmeric, onion, garlic, bell peppers, coriander, and other spices. It is also infused with rich chicken flavor, making it a decadent blend. This yellow rice brand can be cooked on the stovetop or the microwave and can take about 20 minutes of cooking time.

Zatarain’s New Orleans Style Yellow Rice Mix

This popular brand of yellow rice is absolutely flavorful as it is seasoned with onion, salt, bell pepper, turmeric, and other spices. While it doesn’t contain any chicken flavor, it contains natural flavors that could mimic the richness of the chicken. This rice can be cooked in chicken broth or veggie broth to infuse it with more flavor. This yellow rice brand is best cooked on a stovetop and takes about 25 minutes to be done. For a richer texture and taste, butter can be added to it.

Vigo Authentic Saffron Yellow Rice

If you’re looking for a brand that uses saffron and tastes delicious, then this is the best yellow rice brand for you. Vigo brand’s yellow rice is flavored with saffron, chicken seasoning, bell peppers, garlic, and other spices, making it a rich and savory yellow rice dish. 

What Kind of Rice is Vigo Yellow Rice?

The Vigo brand yellow rice is Spanish-style rice that uses saffron for coloring and flavoring. It is the perfect side dish to accompany any kind of main dish, whether it’s chicken, pork, or seafood. It is also completely seasoned and easy to prepare.

Is Vigo Yellow Rice Healthy?

If you are on a sodium-restricted diet, you can consume Vigo yellow rice brand as it is low in sodium. It is also low in fat.

Does Vigo Yellow Rice Have MSG?

This brand may contain MSG under the name yeast extract. If you react terribly to MSG, this might not be for you.

Goya Foods Yellow Rice Spanish Style

A highly-acclaimed brand in the United States, the taste of Goya Foods’ yellow rice is as close to authentic as one can get from a package. It is seasoned with onion, salt, bell peppers, coriander, garlic, and a rich chicken flavor, giving it a full and hearty taste. While the ingredients list doesn’t specify MSG, Goya yellow rice does contain yeast extract which may be a form of MSG. On the stovetop, this rice recipe mix can take around 25 minutes to be done.

Par Excellence Producers Yellow Rice

Saffron lovers, here’s another quality yellow rice brand that you can add to your pantry. This brand uses premium long-grain rice and saffron to deliver an authentic Spanish flair. Moreover, Par Excellence yellow rice is very flexible when it comes to cooking as it can be eaten on its own or as a companion to other main dishes. Adding olive oil or butter to this yellow rice recipe blend can give it a fuller taste.

Mahatma Saffron Yellow Rice Mix

Made with premium long-grain rice grown and harvested in the US, Mahatma uses saffron to give their yellow rice a vibrant color. Aside from saffron, this rice recipe blend is also packed with flavors of onions and garlic. Since it is already a completely seasoned rice mix, you only need to add water to cook it. It takes about 20 minutes to completely cook.

Final Note

The best yellow rice brand ensures that you get full, authentic flavor and experience. While the taste between the brands may vary, having a ready-mixed yellow rice pack in the pantry is a great help to those who miss eating and cooking recipes that call for yellow rice. 

Hui Yin moved from Hong Kong 🇭🇰 to the USA 🇺🇸 when she was just 8 years old. Now in her late 20's she enjoys writing and taking long walks in the park to burn off the copious amounts of rice she eats for dinner.