This quick jeera rice is my default when I need a side for dinner but don’t want to think too hard. I grew up hearing that cumin was good for you, so this rice showed up often. It’s buttery, fragrant, and quietly dramatic — just ghee, cumin seeds, and green chili sizzling in the pan while the rice soaks. Now I make it in 30 minutes flat on autopilot — and every time, it still feels like I did something special.
My 5-ingredient cumin rice is a weeknight staple!
I’ve now made jeera rice in kitchens across three continents. I can throw it together with half a pantry and still feel like I made something real.
The secret is in treating every step — from the rinse to the tempering — like it matters, because it does. Rinse the rice well. Let it soak. Toast the cumin just enough to pop. That’s the difference between rice that’s fine and rice that disappears fast.
This version is adapted from a friend in Delhi and uses just five ingredients. I sometimes add a cinnamon stick or a few shallots if I want something more aromatic, but the base holds strong without the extras. Want more comfort carbs? Pair it with my chana masala, baingan bharta, or dal tadka; use the leftovers in a quick fried rice. You won’t regret it.
Ingredients and why they matter
This 5-ingredient jeera rice recipe combines long-grain basmati rice, ghee, and cumin seeds for an earthy aroma and flavorful base. Chili pepper provides a gentle heat, and cilantro adds a fresh finish to every bite.
Full ingredient list and detailed instructions in the recipe card.
- Basmati rice: Long-grain, aged basmati makes all the difference. It cooks up fluffy and distinct if you rinse and soak it first.
- Cumin seeds (jeera): These bring more than fragrance — they add a warm, earthy backbone that’s unmistakable.
- Ghee: For that buttery finish. If you’re vegan, swap for avocado oil or neutral oil.
- Green chili: Adds just enough sharpness without making it spicy. Skip or use half if you’re serving kids.
- Cilantro: Optional, but brightens the finish and makes it feel finished.
TIPS & TRICKS
Shruthi’s top tips
- Soak the rice — don’t skip this. It helps keep the grains long and fluffy.
- Rinse until clear so you can remove excess starch and avoid gummy rice.
- Cumin can burn fast. Pull it off the heat as soon as it smells fragrant.
- Use a tight-fitting lid to help steam cook the rice evenly.
- Stirring mid-cook can break the grains and make it mushy, so avoid stirring after adding water.
- Scaling up? Use 1 part rice to 2 parts water, but keep your pot size roomy.
How to make Indian cumin rice
- Rinse the rice thoroughly in cold water at least 3 times, until the water runs mostly clear. Cover the rice with fresh water and soak for 20 to 30 minutes. Drain just before cooking.
- With about 5 minutes left on the soaking timer, heat ghee or oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add cumin seeds and cook until aromatic and sizzling, about 30 seconds. Add chopped green chili to the pan and stir for about 20 seconds. Do not let it brown.
- Drain the soaked rice and gently add it to the saucepan. Stir gently to coat the grains with the spiced oil. Toast for 1 to 2 minutes, being careful not to break the grains or let them stick to the bottom.
- Add 2 cups of water and salt to the pot with the rice. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Once the water reaches a rolling boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pot tightly, and simmer for 4 to 6 minutes.
- Check rice at 4 minutes—if most of the water has evaporated and the rice is tender, turn off the heat. Let it sit uncovered for 2 minutes to finish steaming and dry out excess moisture.
- Fluff rice gently with a fork. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve hot.
How to serve zeera rice
Jeera rice is a quick and easy side dish that will level up your weeknight dinner! It adds a pop of flavor to any meal—pair it with mushroom masala, aloo gobi, palak paneer, dal makhani, or vegetable korma and you’ll have a combo so good, you won’t regret it!
Storage and reheating suggestions
Store leftover jeera rice in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. To reheat, sprinkle a little water over the rice and warm it gently on the stove or in the microwave to keep the texture fluffy and fresh.
More rice recipes
Easy rice recipes your weeknight menu will thank you for—try these!
Nigerian Jollof Rice
Pineapple Fried Rice
Nigerian Fried Rice
How to Cook Perfect Microwave Rice
Quick Jeera Rice (Cumin Rice)
Ingredients
- 1 cup basmati rice
- ½ tablespoon ghee, or 1 tbsp of avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, if you want it more fragrant, you can add more
- 1 green chili pepper, Thai green chili preferred, finely chopped – sub with Serrano otherwise
- 2 cups water, see notes
- 1 teaspoon salt, optional (I use salted ghee)
- 1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Rinse the rice thoroughly in cold water at least 3 times, until the water runs mostly clear. Cover rinsed rice with fresh water and soak for 20 to 30 minutes. Drain just before cooking.
- With about 5 minutes left on the soaking timer, heat ghee or oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add cumin seeds and cook until aromatic and sizzling, about 30 seconds.
- Add chopped green chili to the pan and stir for about 20 seconds. Do not let it brown.
- Drain the soaked rice and gently add it to the saucepan. Stir gently to coat the grains with the spiced oil. Toast for 1 to 2 minutes, being careful not to break the grains or let them stick to the bottom.
- Add 2 cups water and salt to the pot with the rice. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Once the water reaches a rolling boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover the pot tightly, and simmer for 4 to 6 minutes.
- Check rice at 4 minutes—if most of the water has evaporated and the rice is tender, turn off heat. Let it sit uncovered for 2 minutes to finish steaming and dry out excess moisture.
- Fluff rice gently with a fork. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve hot.
Notes
- If using an Instant Pot or pressure cooker, add slightly more water (about 1/4 cup). For a pressure cooker, typically one whistle is sufficient. For Instant Pot, cook on high pressure for 5 minutes, then manual pressure release for a couple of minutes before quick releasing the pressure.
- If Thai green chili peppers are unavailable, the next best option is Serrano peppers
- If you’d like to make this a one pot rice, then I suggest adding water directly to the pot after toasting rice, but in this case, you want to start the timer right after you add the water. Then, once the water starts boiling, just turn the heat down to medium and let it finish cooking.
- To bring leftover rice back to life, sizzle the spices in a separate pan and pour over any cooked rice to bring it back to life.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Best rice ever. Simple ingredients. Easy to follow recipe. This has become my family’s go to rice for meals. Highly recommend.
Thank you so much for your wonderful post. I love toasting the rice, especially when cooking it with chicken. I wonder if one could toast brown Basmati rice? I will check your website or experiment myself. Thank you! Take care…
Hi Laura! Thanks for the note. I’ve typically found that given the amount of fiber in the brown rice, it needs to be soaked a good amount before cooking. So my gut says it’ll need to be soaked more than the white rice in order for it to have the same amount of fluffiness. It can still be toasted after the soaking, I think – I’ll add this to my list of recipe tests for next week and try to get back to you with results then as well. 🙂
This is our go to jeera rice recipe, we find it much quicker than others! We do the one pot method and add pre warmed water. Just made it again tonight for friends and it was a hit alongside butter chicken and green beans.
Thank you Kelly!!
How can 2 cups of water added to the rice for boiling be completely evaporated in 4-6 minutes? (I haven’t made this recipe yet.)
Hey Joy! The rice is already pre-soaked so it does take a lot less than you might otherwise need! I’ve never had issues in the past, but depending on the stove, the size of pot, etc. you might sometimes have a bit of water leftover, which you can just drain too. Hope that helps!
I’be never done the rinsing and toasting of rice before. It made all the difference in the world! This rice was the perfect consistency and the cumin seeds and Thai peppers gave it just the right amount of pizazz. I served it with grilled salmon and the flavors went really well together. Another hit from #urbanfarmie!