Golden vegetable rice is a quick and easy savoury side dish that’s perfect for when you fancy a change from plain rice. This golden rice gets its flavour from stock, and its colour from turmeric. It is packed with vegetables and it makes the perfect accompaniment to fish or chicken. I often see ready-made, microwaveable versions of this in the supermarkets, however, not only this super simple to make from scratch, but the homemade version tastes way better and is much healthier for you.
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Key Ingredients
(see below for full list of ingredients)
- Long Grain Rice: Use a good quality rice such as Tilda.
- Turmeric: Gives the rice a golden yellow colour.
- Stock: I use stock made up from one chicken Oxo stock cube. You could use fresh stock if you have it, and vegetable stock works too.

How To Make Golden Vegetable Rice
Step One: Heat 1 tbsp light olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat.
Step Two: Add 0.5 onion finely chopped and cook for 5 minutes until soft.
Step Three: Add in 2 cloves garlic minced and 0.5 tsp turmeric and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
Step Four: Add in 265 g long grain rice and 500 ml chicken or vegetable stock and bring to a simmer. Cover with the lid and leave to cook for 10 minutes.
Step Five: Add in 75 g frozen mixed vegetables to the top and cover again with the lid. Cook for an additional 10 minutes.
Step Six: Mix the vegetables into the rice and season with salt and pepper.
How To Serve Golden Vegetable Rice
- Serve as a side dish with fish or chicken. This is superb with Blackened Salmon.
Tips for Making Golden Vegetable Rice
- Use a good quality parboiled long grain rice as these tend to stay firm when cooked, preventing soggy rice. My rice of preference in Tilda Long Grain Rice.
- The idea is to add enough liquid (stock) such that it is absorbed by the rice, and so that there is no need to drain the rice when cooked. If you find that the rice is getting cooked, but that there is still a lot of stock visible then take the lid off the pan. This will allow some of the water to evaporate.
Golden Vegetable Rice Recipe
Serves: 4 | Preparation Time: 5 minutes | Cooking Time: 20 – 25 minutes |
INGREDIENTS
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 0.5 onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 0.5 tsp ground turmeric
- 265 g long grain rice
- 500 ml stock (chicken or vegetable)
- 75 g frozen mixed vegetables
- salt and pepper to taste
METHOD
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat.
- Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until soft.
- Add in the garlic and turmeric and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
- Add the rice and the stock and bring to a simmer. Cover with the lid and leave to cook for 15 minutes.
- Add the vegetables to the top and cover again with the lid. Cook for an additional 10 minutes.
- Mix the vegetables into the rice and season with salt and pepper.

NOTES
- Serve with chicken or fish.