Turmeric Lemon Rice
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Turmeric Lemon Rice Recipe- this easy side dish is healthy and easy to throw together. It’s surprisingly refreshing and the perfect pairing for any dinner!
I’ve reason jumped on the turmeric bandwagon and I’m a little obsessed with it. Not only is turmeric and anti-inflammatory and antioxidant BUT I also happen to love the taste. ESPECIALLY in this Lemon Rice Recipe. it’s one of those recipes that you just need to trust me on :)
As you may know by now, I have a minor obsession with basmati rice. I have a recipe on how I make basmati rice in the instant pot which is something that we do at least once each week in our house. For this turmeric rice recipe, we’re using that cooked basmati rice and simply adding a few things to it in order to really spice it up a bit.
How to make Turmeric Rice:
To make this rice, you’ll start by cooking your rice. As I mentioned above, I LOVE to cook basmati rice in my instant pot (instructions on how to do that HERE) but you can cook it in a rice cooker or on the stovetop according to the package instructions.
The way that the recipe is currently written, this serves 2 very hungry adults or makes for 4 perfect small-medium side dishes. But if you want to make more, you can simply double or triple the recipe (there’s a handy tool on the right side of my recipe card to help out with that!).
In a large skillet, saute the onion for a few minutes in oil and then add in the garlic to saute a bit longer.
The last step is to mix in the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. The turmeric is what gives the rice that lovely yellow color but the zest and juice of the lemon come through strong as well. Super simple and SO TASTY OMG!
Feel free to add in any other spices to this rice that you think would work nicely. I like the simplicity of the lemon + garlic and onion flavor.
Great dishes to pair your Lemon Rice with:

Turmeric Lemon Rice
- Total Time: 22 minutes
- Yield: 4 small servings 1x
Description
Turmeric Lemon Rice- this easy side dish is healthy and easy to throw together. It’s surprisingly refreshing and the perfect pairing for any dinner!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon of oil (I love coconut oil in this recipe)
- 2 cups of cooked basmati rice or other long grain rice
- 1 cup of sweet onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves or garlic, minced
- Juice and zest of 1 lemon, about 1 tablespoon of zest and 3 tbs of juice
- 1 ½ teaspoons of turmeric
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- If you haven’t already done so, cook your rice. I LOVE the ease of cooking basmati rice in my instant pot. That recipe is HERE.
- In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Once hot, add in the onion and saute for 5 minutes until it becomes soft and translucent. Add in the garlic and saute for an additional 3 minutes.
- To the skillet add the cooked rice, lemon zest and juice, turmeric, salt and pepper. Stir to combine and continue to cook until everything is warmer through.
- Serve and ENJOY!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: rice side dish, healthy side dish, vegan side dish, turmeric recipe
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.