White rice is considered the most popular side dish and for good reason. It’s cheap and serves as a good base for many dishes – including my beloved red beans and rice.
But sometimes you want to step it up a notch from plain, white rice. That’s where delicious yellow rice comes in. Good yellow rice is flavorful and easy to make as most popular brands have boxed, ready-to-cook options.
In a Hurry? Vigo Authentic Saffron Yellow Rice is my Top Pick For Best Yellow Rice. It’s packed with flavor and super easy to cook!
With so many options in stores, you want to be sure to buy the best yellow rice brand the first time around. Relax, because we have you covered with this round-up of the best yellow rice to buy. Let’s get to it.
A Quick Glance of the Best Yellow Rice Brands
| Brand | Details |
|---|---|
| Vigo Authentic Saffron Yellow Rice | Authentic Spanish recipe complete with saffron and other select spices |
| Iberia Yellow Rice | Made with long grained rice and seasoned with a wonderful blend of onion, garlic, spices, rich chicken flavor, and coriander |
| Mahatma Yellow Seasoned Rice | Gluten Free rice made with a traditional blend of spices, onions and garlic |
| Carolina Yellow Rice Mix | Fragrant aroma, yellow rice prepared with a bold combination of saffron, annatto and turmeric spices |
| Goya Yellow Rice | Blend of onion, garlic and other rich Latin spices goes perfectly with any meal |
Is Yellow Rice Better For You
Whenever there’s a modification to any popular dish it’s a valid question to wonder if the alternative is healthier.
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You may already be aware that yellow rice is actually long-grain white rice that’s been cooked with yellowing agents – the most popular being saffron or turmeric.
Both turmeric and saffron are spices high in antioxidants. Although the amount of these spices in pre-made yellow rice mixes may not give full benefits, any little bit towards better health won’t hurt.
Other ingredients used in yellow rice may also make it better for you. Yellow rice has roots in South African, Spanish and Indian cuisines.
Each variant of yellow rice will include vegetable seasonings such as garlic, onion and bell pepper. Therefore, eating yellow rice is a great way of incorporating more veggies into your diet.
Best Yellow Rice Brands
Now that you have some background information on yellow rice, it’s now time to provide a handy guide to the best yellow rice brands to buy. Check out our featured picks below:
1. Vigo Authentic Saffron Yellow Rice
The Vigo brand has been making quality foods since 1947. No wonder why Vigo’s Authentic Saffron Yellow Rice is the #1 selling yellow rice in the U.S.A.
The listed cooking time is 20 minutes, however, my rice was perfectly cooked on my gas stove in 16 minutes. So, be aware that you may need to adjust cooking time based on your cooking surface.
Packed with the flavors of chicken, onion, red & green bell peppers, tomato and celery, it’s an amazing accompaniment to any meal.
2. Iberia Yellow Rice
In business since 1930, the Iberia Food Corp. has an expansive portfolio of Carribean, Spanish and Latin American Brands. The Iberia spanish style yellow rice is one of their most popular products and is a staple in many households.
This brand of yellow rice contains no MSG, no artificial colorings and is fat free. At only 160 calories per serving it’s great for maintaining a healthy diet.
It gets its authentic yellow coloring from turmeric. Other herbs and spices that give this yellow rice it’s savory flavor are paprika, garlic, onions, and bell peppers.
3. Mahatma Yellow Seasoned Rice
The next best yellow rice brand on our list is Mahatma Yellow Rice. If you are looking for a gluten-free, vegan yellow rice option, then this is the one.
Mahatma is undoubtedly the most well-known name rice name brand. It’s been around for over 100 years and has never wavered in quality.
Mahatma was actually the only yellow rice I remember seeing in stores as a kid and it’s great to know that it’s still around. What’s unique about Mahatma yellow rice is that it gets it’s color from a combination of saffron, turmeric and annatto spices.
The only listed vegetable seasoning is dehydrated garlic, however, this rice is still very flavorful. If you prefer additional chicken flavoring you can boil the rice in chicken broth instead of water. However, if you have a vegan diet just follow the easy listed instructions.
4. Carolina Yellow Rice Mix
If you are a fan of a good saffron yellow rice, then you should consider Carolina Yellow Rice Mix. This is a flavorful and fragrant rice that contains garlic, onion, turmeric and saffron. It’s also a gluten free certified rice mix.
The only unfortunate thing about this rice is that it’s difficult to find in stores outside of the Northeastern U.S. Whenever I find Carolina Yellow Rice on Amazon I don’t hesitate purchasing it because I never know when I’ll be about to find it again.
5. Goya Yellow Rice
For the best yellow rice to buy, look no further than the Goya Company. Founded in 1936, they are the largest Hispanic-owned food company in the U.S. They are a longtime provider of authentic Latin food.
Arroz amarillo (yellow rice in Spanish) is one of Goya’s most popular rice mixes. The fact that it’s cholesterol and transfat free is an added bonus.
They are a little secretive with the ingredients as they describe the spices as a secret blend of onion, garlic, chicken flavor, coriander and other rich Latin spices. But whatever the blend is, it certainly works as Goya yellow rice is flavor perfection!
Our Final Thoughts On The Best Yellow Rice Brands
We are glad to have provided you with this list of the best yellow rice to buy. If you really want to turn yellow rice until a one pot meal you can always add in chicken or sausage.
If you’re nervous about messing up your rice on the stove you can also use a rice cooker to cook your yellow rice. Just use the long grain rice setting and your good to go.
We have presented the top brands of yellow rice. If you’re adventurous like me, feel free to try them all. You won’t be disappointed!
Did You Miss My Top Pick?
Vigo Authentic Saffron Yellow Rice is my favorite yellow rice. It always cooks perfectly and is infused with the flavors of chicken, onion, red & green bell peppers, tomato and celery. It’s the closest thing to homemade and tastes wonderful!