Flavorful Vegan Saffron Rice Pilaf Recipe {Gluten-Free}

A super simple flavorful, vibrant and fluffy vegan saffron rice pilaf made with onions, turmeric and saffron. Vegan and gluten free. Ready in 30 minutes. 

Traveling around Nicaragua for the past two weeks has been amazing (as you can see from both my instagram accounts). The people are friendly, the landscapes gorgeous, with lakes, lagoons and coastlines for miles.

But it has been hot.

Really hot.

As in I can no longer think and am functioning on about 15% levels of energy (both mental and physical). I mean I am clearly not meant to tolerate heat well. Pretty much daily I reach an new all time record high external body temperature it seems. Literally I have never been hotter before in my life.

Am I exaggerating? Most likely. But when you’re this hot, you’re not really going to downplay anything. And to top that off, for one reason or another D and I decided to book ourselves into a hostel with a private room that has pretty much zero air flow.

There are 2 fans, both a ceiling one and a stand up one and they do not even bring the temperature down a notch.

Now yes I do have to admit that for a mere $15 D and I could have purchased the daily rights to the A/C remote and use that in the room. It’s just the principle of it though. If it had already been built into the price then fine, but to allow the room rate to jump up by over 50% (yes the room was $28 a night with the fan) for the A/C remote just seemed wrong.

We couldn’t do it. Instead we chose to suffer – backpacker style. For some reason that made more sense at the time. I cannot even begin to explain the thinking behind that. What that’s got to do with rice pilaf you say?

Well I really meant to relate the food in Nicaragua to this vegan saffron rice pilaf. We’ve been eating a lotta rice here. Rice for breakfast, rice for lunch, rice for dinner. Sometimes with the beans mixed into the rice, sometimes with the beans on the side. Many times accompanied by a protein and my all time favorite – plantain chips.

I have no problems with rice, but a bitta rice variety might be nice. So go forth and make this vegan saffron rice pilaf and send me pics so I can live vicariously through you eating a different style rice dish.

This vegan saffron rice pilaf cooks in just 30 minutes and is light, fluffy, fragrant, and vibrant. Just look at that color. Saffron and turmeric really do color your food brilliantly.

Pretty and delicious. A perfect side dish.

3.84 from 6 votes

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Vegan Saffron Rice {Gluten-Free}

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Total Time

30 mins

 

A super simple flavorful, vibrant and fluffy saffron rice pilaf made with onions, turmeric and saffron. Vegan and gluten free. Ready in 30 minutes.

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: gluten free, Healthy, Vegan

Servings: 6

Calories: 254 kcal

Author: Vicky Berman

Ingredients

• 2 cups jasmine rice
• 3 and 3/4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion diced
• 1/4 teaspoon saffrom dissolved in 1/4 cup hot water

Instructions

1. Heat oil over medium heat in pot. Add onion and cook for a few minutes. Add turmeric and salt, mix.
2. Add rice and cook for a couple minutes.
3. Add broth and saffron liquid.
4. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered over low heat for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Nutrition Facts

Vegan Saffron Rice {Gluten-Free}

Amount Per Serving

Calories 254 Calories from Fat 18

% Daily Value*

Fat 2g3%

Sodium 5mg0%

Potassium 106mg3%

Carbohydrates 51g17%

Fiber 1g4%

Protein 4g8%

Vitamin C 1.3mg2%

Calcium 21mg2%

Iron 0.7mg4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.