Naturally light and fragrant, Jasmine rice is treasured across the globe. A grain that’s native to Southeast Asia, it nonetheless transcends borders, elevating dishes from all parts of the world. Whether you use herbs, broth, coconut milk or spices, learning how to season jasmine rice will help to bring out the aroma and delicate flavor of this popular grain.
In main dishes, sides and desserts, long-grain jasmine rice is often an essential ingredient, thanks to its fluffy, separate grains, distinctive aroma and refined flavor. Learning what to add to jasmine rice to make it shine will bring out its best qualities, whether it’s the main focus of a dish, as in fried rice or rice pudding, or is a supporting player alongside grilled proteins and vegetables.
Simple tweaks that you can easily incorporate into your everyday cooking, these additions can help any cook get the most from their jasmine rice. And there’s no better time to start than now!
Essential Seasoning Ingredients to Elevate Jasmine Rice
Cooked simply in boiling water, jasmine rice is delicate and fragrant, with a temptingly fluffy texture. Still, add a little seasoning, and jasmine rice can go from subtle to stunning! Follow our lead, and learn how to season jasmine rice to elevate it above the everyday.
Classic Options
When it comes to flavoring rice, classic options include salt, butter and garlic. Ingredients that add richness and a savory punch, these are welcome no matter which type of rice you’re making. When you’re planning to incorporate a side of jasmine rice with your meal, lean on these traditional add-ins. Ghee, cumin and cardamom are a classic combo when making Indian-inspired dishes.
Flavorful Liquids
Broth, coconut milk, and infused water are easy things to add to jasmine rice to flavor it from the get-go. Cooking jasmine rice in broth helps to season the rice and also imparts a mild flavor of chicken, beef or vegetables.
Coconut milk, meanwhile, makes a silky, rich boiling liquid for jasmine rice. It’s best reserved for desserts or dishes where you want bold coconut flavor. In Thai cuisine, coconut milk, kaffir lime leaves and lemongrass are commonly added to jasmine rice.
Infusing the cooking water with herbs, whole spices, fruit juice or tea—think cardamom pods, star anise or lemon juice—can give jasmine rice subtle undertones that will elevate any final dish.
Aromatics
When making rice, many cooks begin by sautéing aromatics, such as onions, lemongrass or ginger. Heat and oil help to bring out the aromas of these ingredients. When sautéed and then cooked with rice, they impart every grain with layers of flavor.
Herbs and Spices
From turmeric to cumin, cilantro to parsley, ground spices and fresh herbs can add warmth and depth, or bright layers of freshness, to jasmine rice. Turmeric, cinnamon and a handful of raisins can give any bowl of jasmine rice Middle Eastern flair.
Umami Boosters
Rice a little bland? With just a few drops, tasty umami boosters can save the day— even once your rice is cooked! Adding a dash of soy sauce, fish sauce, miso or sesame oil to a bowl of jasmine rice is an easy way to enhance the rice’s natural attributes.
Vegetables
Beyond garlic and onion, carrots, fennel, celery, peppers and other sautéed vegetables can add sweetness, bite or even hints of spice to jasmine rice.
Sauces and Condiments
Stumped as to how to season jasmine rice? Cooked jasmine rice can be enriched with bottled sauces and condiments. Try pesto, tomato, or cheese sauce, red wine vinegar or chimichurri for added oomph.
How to Season Jasmine Rice Like a Pro: Seasoning Techniques to Up Your Game
Knowing what to add to jasmine rice is a great first step, but it’s also crucial to learn how and when to add flavor-boosting ingredients.
Best Time to Add Spices
When working with whole spices, such as cinnamon sticks, star anise or peppercorns, it’s important to start by quickly sautéing them in a little bit of oil or butter. This is called blooming, and helps the spices release their flavor and aroma. For fragrant jasmine rice, begin by sautéing the spices in a saucepan for 30 seconds to a minute, until they are fragrant. Then add the rice, water and continue with the cooking process.
Ground spices require a different approach. Whether you’re working with ground turmeric, cumin, chili powder or another flavor enhancer, it’s best to stir these into warm rice once it’s cooked.
Toasting Rice for a Deeper Flavor
Adding raw rice grains to hot oil and stirring them together over medium-high heat is called toasting. This is commonly done after blooming whole spices. Toasting rice can help give it a nuttier, more robust flavor. It also helps rice stay separate when cooked, instead of gummy.
Using a Rice Cooker vs. Stovetop
Whether you cook rice in a rice cooker or on the stovetop, you can still work with the seasonings you crave. Whole spices can be bloomed and aromatics can be cooked using the sauté function on a rice cooker or in a saucepan. Other seasonings can be added to the water or stirred in once the rice is cooked.
Our Favorite Jasmine Rice Recipe Ideas for Extra Flavor
Naturally delicious, jasmine rice reaches new heights when seasoned correctly. Find inspiration to help sate any craving with these jasmine rice recipe ideas.
Vegetable Biryani with Yellow Jasmine Rice
A slew of spices and aromatics give jasmine rice its bold color and flavor in this weeknight-friendly dish. Stick to the script and keep this dish vegetarian, or mix in chicken, beef or your favorite protein of choice.
Fried Shrimp and Jasmine Rice
This takeout copycat is hearty, colorful and peppered with savory, crunchy, delicious things. Combined with soy sauce, sautéed aromatics, vegetables and shrimp, jasmine rice becomes a complete meal.
Speedy Spanish Rice
Want to zhuzh up your dinnertime side? With just a handful of simple ingredients, make a pot of jasmine rice the star of any Spanish spread. Topped with grilled shrimp or beef, chicken or fish, this stunner morphs into a stylish meal.
Sinangag
Homey, warm and fragrant, chewy and crisp, this popular side dish is a mealtime go-to that plays nicely with an endless array of mains and add-ons. Try fried eggs, grilled meats, stews and more.
Sweet Jasmine and Mango Rice
Sweet, velvety, luscious and rich, this dessert is a sumptuous slice of paradise you can escape to any night of the week! Bolstered by silky coconut milk and vibrant mango slices, this is jasmine rice at its peak.
No measure, no mess Success® Rice is the helping hand every cook needs as mealtimes approach. And no matter what’s on the menu, there’s no limit to how to season rice! A versatile choice, jasmine rice can see you and your family through from starters to mains and desserts. Good thing it’s now available in a 14oz and family-friendly 32oz box!