Fresh & Fluffy Arroz Amarillo (30-Minute Yellow Rice)
You’re going to love this super easy & fluffy Arroz Amarillo, aka yellow Spanish rice. It’s a simple 30-minute recipe that packs a lot of flavor thanks to sofrito, sazon, and chicken bouillon. This rice is a Puerto Rican staple, usually served with beans or chicken.
The price of rice is nice, as my uncle always says. And this Puerto Rican style arroz amarillo is as nice tasting as it is affordable and easy to make.
It’s one of my favorite Puerto Rican recipes because I can always rely on it to come out perfect. Like any self-respecting rice recipe, it comes together in half an hour and goes great with pretty much everything.
Why make a pot of boring white rice when you could throw this colorful masterpiece together in the same amount of time?
My family’s version is spiced with sofrito and a dash of chicken bouillon, plus it gets it’s vibrant yellow color from a pinch of sazon and achiote oil.
You must try this yellow rice with some stewed beans (helloooo habichuelas guisadas & habichuelas negras!) or these grilled chicken skewers.
Ingredients
- achiote oil – olive oil or any neutral oil works here too
- sofrito – make it from scratch or buy a jar at the store
- sazon seasoning – the achiote oil in sazon adds to that gorgeous yellow color we love
- chicken bouillon – feel free to use a vegan/vegetarian bouillon if you prefer
- white rice, rinsed
- water – you could also use chicken/veggie broth if you’d like to infuse even more flavor into your rice
Find the full ingredient list with exact quantities in the recipe card below.
No sofrito? No problem. You can skip this ingredient if you don’t have it.
How to Make Arroz Amarillo
Puerto Rican Flavors
Sazon, sofrito, and achiote oil are all staple ingredients in Puerto Rican cuisine and really give this fluffy yellow rice that signature flavor and color.
You can make these ingredients from scratch or buy them at a Latin market. Sometimes if I’m lucky I can find them in the global section at my local grocery store!
What to Serve With Yellow Rice
This stovetop arroz amarillo is the ultimate side dish that can be served in so many ways. The classic spices and flavors make it perfect for pairing with chicken or beans, but it’s also a great base for things like stews, burritos, and pot roasts.
Here are some of my go-to recipes to serve with it:
Tips for Fluffy Rice, Every Time
- Oil it up! Most rice packages don’t call for any oil, and that’s fine for a basic batch of white rice. But adding some oil to the pan really helps each rice granule cook evenly, preventing a sticky mushy mess.
- Toast your rice. Toasting the rice with the oil & seasonings before adding water is key here.
- Low boil for longer than you think. This step totally changed the game for me. Letting your rice & water boil for about 5 minutes, before turning the heat to low makes a big difference in the fluff factor.
More Rice Recipes
Buen Provecho!
Fresh & Fluffy Arroz Amarillo (30-Minute Yellow Rice)
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Puerto Rican
Description
You’re going to love this super easy & fluffy Arroz Amarillo, aka yellow Spanish rice. It’s a simple 30-minute recipe that packs a lot of flavor thanks to sofrito, sazon, and chicken bouillon. This rice is a Puerto Rican staple, usually served with beans or chicken.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp achiote oil or olive oil
- 1 tbsp sofrito
- 1 tsp sazon seasoning
- 1 cube or 1 tsp chicken bouillon
- 2 cups white rice, rinsed
- 2 1/2 cups water
Instructions
- Heat the oil & sofrito. Warm the oil in a medium sized pot over medium heat. Add the sofrito, sazon, and chicken bouillon. Mix everything together, simmering until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Toast rice then add water. Add the rice and stir to coat with all of the seasonings. Toast for 1 minute before adding the water and stirring to combine.
- Cook the rice. Cover the pot, turn the heat up to high and bring the rice to a low boil. Continue to simmer while covered for 3 minutes, then lower the heat to low and cook for another 15-20 minutes, or until the rice is cooked.
- Stir & serve. Fluff up the rice by stirring with a spoon or fork then serve and enjoy!