25 Tasty Turmeric Recipes to Spice Up Your Life

updated Mar 5, 2021

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Credit: Joe Lingeman
Creamy Turmeric Chicken Skillet

Have you fallen in love with turmeric yet? This potent and aromatic spice, which comes fresh or dried, adds a ton of flavor and color to everything from curries to cakes. You don’t need a lot of turmeric for it to have a powerful impact. So whether you have a jar of it lurking in the back of your pantry and want to use it up, or simply have a strong desire to add more spice to your life, these 25 recipes will help you in your mission.

1 / 25

Roasted Cauliflower in Turmeric Kefir

Enjoy this spicy, stew-y dinner over rice or with parathas.

2 / 25

Roasted Eggplant and Brown Rice Bowl with Turmeric Tahini

This vibrant grain bowl is topped with chickpeas, roasted eggplant, and a vibrant turmeric tahini sauce.

3 / 25

Heirloom Tomato Salad with Turmeric Yogurt

Turmeric yogurt is topped with a variety of different types of heirloom tomatoes in this summer recipe. The whole dish is drizzled with a homemade green goddess sauce.

4 / 25

Creamy Turmeric Chicken Skillet

This creamy one-skillet chicken dinner gets a double dose of vibrant turmeric and is finished with a lush sauce.

5 / 25

Smashed Cucumbers with Turmeric, Coconut, and Peanuts

Turmeric-spiked coconut oil travels into the nooks and crannies of smashed cucumbers, while toasted coconut flakes and peanuts add a welcome crunch to the mix.

6 / 25

Your cold won't know what hit it.

7 / 25

Curried Corn and Coconut Rice

This vegan side dish uses a heaping 2 tablespoons of turmeric. Put that over luscious coconut rice and find true happiness.

8 / 25

Cauliflower Cake

This Insta-famous cauliflower cake from Yotam Ottolenghi is good hot or at room temperature.

9 / 25

Kerala Coconut Chicken Curry

This gorgeous chicken recipe comes together with the help of your pressure cooker. There's only one teaspoon of turmeric in this recipe, but it melds super well with the other spices.

10 / 25

This recipe transforms a mess of beans and rice into something dinner-worthy. If you want something cheap and delicious and full of spices, this is the meal for you.

11 / 25

Vegan Creamy Curried Cauliflower Soup

Everyone knows cauliflower is the most magical vegetable. Like tofu, it takes on all the stuff around it and makes it better. Only 1/2 a teaspoon of turmeric makes this soup a golden yellow-orange.

12 / 25

Legume (Noodle) Soup

Ottolgenhi was inspired by Persian cuisine for this recipe. The soup is thick enough by itself that you can skip the noodles and it would still be delightful.

13 / 25

Cauliflower Steaks with Ginger, Turmeric, and Cumin

Turmeric and cauliflower are BFF, and this recipe proves the relationship. You sear the steak on the stovetop, sprinkle it with a spice mixture, and then roast. So easy, right? Serve with cilantro and quinoa.

14 / 25

Sunshine Smoothie with Coconut, Clementine and Turmeric

Feeling a little under the weather? This smoothie packed with vitamin C and turmeric will help you survive the storm.

15 / 25

Persian Herb Frittata (Kuku Sabzi)

Fresh parsley, cilantro, chives, and dill are the stars of this recipe, although you can substitute leeks, scallions, tarragon, spinach, or other tender greens you have on hand. Turmeric adds a nice touch of color to the whole dish.

16 / 25

Moroccan Chicken with Preserved Lemons

This deeply satisfying chicken recipe is full of preserved lemons, olives, and a ton of spices.

17 / 25

Butternut Squash & Coconut Curry

The next time you have a giant squash staring at you in your kitchen, turn it into this flavorful curry.

18 / 25

Wild Rice Bowl with Red Lentil-Coconut Curry and Spinach

Lunch, is that you? This grain bowl is not messing around. You can't go wrong with lentil curry.

19 / 25

Southwestern Tofu Scramble

Tofu scrambles are a great recipe to have in your back pocket because they're so darn simple and can often trick even the most ardent tofu-hater into sitting down to a hearty, vegetarian breakfast.

20 / 25

The Superfood Baked Potato

That yellow sauce oozing from the potato? That's turmeric mixed with yogurt.

21 / 25

Turmeric-Ginger Tea

This is the easiest recipe that features turmeric. Just combine water, turmeric, ginger, and maybe some milk and honey if you're into that kind of thing. Perfect for flu season.

22 / 25

Paneer Mughlai Curry

This recipe is incredibly adaptable. If you're pressed for time, or if you want a lighter version of the recipe, there are directions for how to make it happen.

23 / 25

Popeye Pesto Tofu Scramble

This delicious tofu scramble includes homemade pesto and turmeric for added flavor and color. Serve it in a tortilla or eat it straight.

24 / 25

Combine lamb, coconut milk, and all the spices in your apartment, and this is the end result.

25 / 25

Turmeric Switchel

For a brighter, more lively flavor, opt for fresh over dried turmeric here.

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