Name: Saffron Rice (Instant Pot & Stove Top)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 12 min
Ingredients: 1 cup basmati rice; 1 tablespoon oil; 2 cloves; 2 green cardamoms; 1/4 inch cinnamon stick; 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads; salt (to taste); 3/4 cup fried onions; 1/4 cup fried cashews; 1/4 cup fried raisins; 1/4 cup pomegranate jewels

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Last updated on September 11th, 2020

Aromatic saffron rice with colorful and flavorful toppings. Detailed recipe for making perfect saffron rice in instant pot and stove top.

Vegan and gluten free perfect side dish for rich curries, koftas and this rice will also be a great fit in your Middle Eastern menu.

For more rice recipes please check jeera rice, coconut rice, lemon rice, masala rice, veg fried rice.

What Is Saffron Rice?

Rice flavored with saffron in simple terms. There are so many ways this rice is prepared around the globe.

In India we have zaffrani pulao or saffron pulao made saffron, dry fruits and rose water. Persian variety uses saffron, fried onions and basmati rice

There is one more variety from Caribbean cuisine. In Caribbean version, turmeric is used though instead of saffron.

Persian Saffron rice is an all time favorite rice with its beautiful color and delicate flavor. I had the most delicious one at a small Iranian restaurant many years back.

Perfectly cooked fluffy basmati rice with streaks of saffron and crispy fried onions, yum

The recipe I am sharing here is inspired by that but I have made quite a few changes to make it richer and more delicious.

Whether you love authentic saffron rice or have never tasted it before, you are in for a treat with this recipe. Trust me, my family cannot get enough of it 🙂

I usually serve this rice with rich curries like paneer navratan korma, malai kofta, shahi paneer, paneer korma or sometimes I make a Middle Eastern bowl with hummus, falalfel, tzatziki.

This Saffron Rice Is

Yummiest, flavorful and just addictive

Vegan & gluten free

Very mildly spiced with delicate flavors

Perfect side dish for rich curries

Perfect rice accompaniment In Middle eastern meal.

Very less spice level, perfect for kids.

This recipe is so simple to make and when using a pressure cooker or instant pot it is easier. Here though I have made instant pot saffron rice, I have given instructions for stove top and pressure cooker as well.

When ever I make some rich curry and want some rice accompaniment other than jeera rice or peas pulao, I make this rice. It is so delicious, hearty with unmistakable flavor.

If you see the pictures of saffron rice here, you will notice it is not fully yellow. We prefer it this way and I do not like to fully change the color of the rice. It somehow looks like turmeric rice to me, which is a favorite too.

So Just to keep the color of the basmati rice I don’t soak saffron before hand in water or milk. If you prefer the traditional looking rice, you are welcome to soak the saffron in warm water or milk.

Tips & Notes For Making The Recipe.

Saffron– Saffron is the star ingredient of this recipe. For 1 cup rice we need only 3 small pinches or 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads. Source the best quality one you can. Please note that saffron is a very expensive spice, so anything that is sold ridiculously cheap may not be real.

Rice– Traditionally this instant pot saffron rice is made with basmati rice. If you don’t have basmati rice, use any variety of long grained rice.

Whole Spices- Whole spices are optional in this recipe. I like to add a small quantity for flavor. I have just used 2 cardamoms, 4 cloves and a small piece of cinnamon.

Water or broth?- You can whichever you prefer but I always use water. The flavor of broth comes between the flavor of saffron which we don’t prefer. If you like you can mild vegetable broth here.

Water to rice ratio- Usually I use 2 cups of water for 1 cup basmati rice. I see in few recipes 1 cup water for 1 cup rice and that will yield cooked rice with a bite, not suitable for kids.

Saffron rice toppings / add-ins- Best of this rice according to me is the toppings. Along with traditional fried onions, I like to add loads of fried cashews, raisins and finish with some pomegranate jewels.

You can also add fried pine nuts, almonds, even pan fried paneer will be very good in this, though not authentic.

Stove Top Instructions.

The recipe for making this rice on stove top is as follows.

Follow the recipe steps exactly as mentioned by using a heavy pan with a lid on stove top. Do the frying of spices in high heat and after adding rice and water, cook in medium heat.

It takes around 12 minutes to get done on stove top for the given quantity.

You can also use a rice cooker for this. Just dump all the ingredients and cook until al the water is absorbed.

Serving Suggestions.

This saffron rice is a perfect side dish for rich Indian curries.

You can serve with roasted veggies or meat

This goes well in a Mediterranean meal with falafel, dip, hummus.

instant pot saffron rice

Step By Step Method.

Pick and rinse basmati rice well. Change water and rinse thrice to remove starch as much as possible. This step yields fluffy non sticky cooked rice.

how to cook basmati rice

Soak for 15 minutes, drain and spread on a plate.

how to cook basmati rice

Place the inner pot or insert in your instant pot and switch it on. Press saute mode and set the timer for 8 minutes.

Once the display shows hot, your pot is ready to cook.

Add 2 tablespoons oil and fry the whole spices for 2 minutes.

Add the drained rice and saute very well for next 6 minutes until all the moisture in the rice is leaves. You don’t have to keep sauteing for 6 minutes continuously though, just leave the rice in saute mode and keep an eye.

Now add 2 cups water to the sauteed rice. Also add 1/4 saffron threads and salt to taste.

Mix gently.

Close the instant pot, set pressure valve to seal.

Press pressure cooker/manual button and set the timer to 5 minutes. You can also cook for 4 minutes but as I said above, I prefer to cook the rice perfectly to ensure proper digestion.