Saffron Rice

This Saffron Rice is beautiful and golden and made to fluffy perfection. It's so easy to make and infused with a touch of saffron to take plain white rice to another level!

This Saffron Rice is the perfect way to introduce saffron in your cooking. It has the most beautiful golden color with a lovely aromatic scent. The saffron flavors the rice with a light yet flavorful taste that pairs great with any protein or vegetable dish. It's also super easy to make in less than 30 minutes and will impress your guests with its luxury! 

Being Iranian, saffron is a huge part of my culture and Persian cooking. We call it liquid gold and use it in so many dishes, especially when making rice. We even sometimes have it in our tea! Now I know that saffron is quite expensive, I mean it's the world's most expensive spice! But don't worry, I will teach you how to use it correctly so that you only need to use a small amount. It's all about infusing the saffron to get the most out of it. Some more recipes using saffron are my Persian ice cream and saffron risotto.

Growing up Persian, we eat rice with most of our main dishes and it's something that I still eat on most days. We do however make different variations of rice to mix things up a little. This saffron rice is one of them and one my family cooks quite often. I always use basmati rice which is cooked down with onion for extra flavor. You can pair this saffron rice with stews and curries or even protein such as tofu, chicken and other meats. 

Many cultures also cook variations of saffron rice such as countries in the Middle East, Turkey, India, Pakistan and across the Mediterranean and Asia to name a few. Some more saffron rice recipes to try are my sabzi polo (herb rice) and Persian rice with crispy tahdig which is a personal favorite.

Table of Contents

• Why you'll love this recipe
• What is Saffron?
• How to use Saffron?
• Ingredients and Substitutions
• How to make Saffron Rice
• Tips and Tricks
• Storage Instructions
• What to serve Saffron Rice with?
• FAQs
• More Rice Recipes
• More Persian Recipes
• Recipe
• Comments

Why you'll love this recipe

1. Quick and Easy: Made in less than 30 minutes with simple steps 
2. Full of flavor: The saffron adds a unique and delicious touch that elevates plain rice
3. Versatile: Pairs well with various dishes such as stews, curry, proteins and vegetables
4. Crowd-pleaser: A luscious side dish that everyone will love

What is Saffron?

Saffron comes from the crocus sativus flower which produces precious threads of saffron. These threads are carefully hand-picked and dried, which is labor-intensive and adds to the value of the spice. It's more expensive than gold by weight and the most expensive spice in the world! 

But don’t let this intimidate you, a little saffron goes a long way when prepared correctly. Saffron is very popular in Persian recipes and I have been taught tips below by my mother and grandmother.

Saffron has the most lovely aroma, flavor and color that adds so much deliciousness to your recipes. 

How to use Saffron?

Being Iranian, I have been taught these tips from my mother that has been passed down generations.

1. Using a mortar and pestle, grind the saffron threads into a fine powder. You can start with a good pinch of saffron or 5-10 threads
2. Add ⅛ of a teaspoon of the saffron powder to a small glass or ramekin and pour in 2 tablespoons of boiling water (there is also another popular method of adding ice cubes instead of the boiling water, however this isn't the method I was taught)
3. Allow it to infuse for 5-10 minutes then drizzle the saffron infused water to your cooking and recipes such as this saffron rice

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Saffron threads are of course the star of the show! It brings the most beautiful color, aroma and flavor. Whilst its quite expensive, a little goes a long way. Ensure you infuse it correctly as per my recipe and tips below
• Basmati rice is a long-grain rice known for its fragrance and fluffy texture and is the most common rice used in Persian cooking. I always prefer to purchase Indian basmati rice. You can substitute with another long-grain rice like jasmine or white rice
• Brown onion adds sweetness and flavor to the rice. You can use white onion or shallots instead
• Extra virgin olive oil is my preferred oil as always for its health benefits and flavor. You can use your preferred oil such as avocado oil, butter or ghee
• Vegetable stock or chicken stock (optional) can be used instead of water when cooking the rice for extra richness and depth. For my classic everyday recipe, I use water only

How to make Saffron Rice

Make this saffron rice and level up plain white rice. It's super easy to make with my simple steps below.

1. Grind a good pinch of saffron in a mortar and pestle. Add ⅛ of a teaspoon of powder to a small bowl with 2 tablespoons of boiling water. Leave to infuse
2. Add 1 cup of rice to a small pot and wash thoroughly under running water until the water is clear. Then transfer rice to a colander
3. Use the same pot and saute diced onion with olive oil on low heat for 5 minutes, until translucent
4. Add rice to the pot and toast for a minute

5. Add 1 ½ cups of water, the saffron water and salt. Mix through for a few minutes over medium - high heat (lid off)
6. When water is starting to boil, place lid on and simmer on low heat for 15 - 20 minutes. I like to check the rice at the 15 minute mark - if it's hard or crunchy, I add 1-2 tablespoons of water and leave it to cook for a further 5 minutes. If the rice taste good, then skip this step
7. When the rice is cooked, turn off the heat and remove the pot from the stove. Keep the lid on to steam for 5 minutes
8. Remove lid and gently fluff the rice with a fork. It's ready!

Tips and Tricks

1. Use good quality saffron. A little goes a long way, so invest in good quality saffron for the best flavor. I always use saffron from Iran which you can purchase from Persian supermarkets or Middle Eastern markets
2. Ensure you grind the saffron into a powder and infuse it correctly as per my recipe below. This is so you get the most out of the saffron
3. Always rinse your rice which not only washes the rice, but it removes excess starch which will prevent sticky rice 
4. Let the rice rest after cooking off the heat for 5 minutes so that it steams and creates fluffier rice
5. Gently fluff rice with a fork to separate the grains before serving, but be gentle so you don't break the rice grains into pieces

Storage Instructions

• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 - 4 days
• Reheat over the stove top in a small skillet or pot with a splash of water until warmed through. You can also reheat in the microwave
• Cooked rice can also be frozen for up to 3 months but best eaten within 1 month for the best flavor. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating

What to serve Saffron Rice with?

It's common to serve saffron rice along with salads, dips, curries and stews.

• Khoresh Bademjan (Eggplant Stew)
• Shirazi Salad
• Persian Eggplant Dip
• Yellow Curry
• Tofu Steak

FAQs

More Rice Recipes

• Persian Rice with Crispy Tahdig
• Saffron Risotto
• Sabzi Polo (Persian Herb Rice)
• Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice
• Lubia Polo (Persian Green Bean Rice)
• Mushroom and Pea Risotto

More Persian Recipes

• Ghormeh Sabzi
• Barbari Bread (Persian Flatbread)
• Persian Ice Cream
• Shirazi Salad
• Persian Patties (Kotlet)
• Persian Eggplant Dip
• Ash Reshteh (Persian Noodle Soup)

I love seeing your creations and remakes, so be sure to rate the recipe, comment and share your Saffron Rice photo on Instagram so I can share the love!

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