Greek Lemon Rice
This Greek lemon rice is fluffy, bright, and full of fresh lemon flavor. Cooked in broth with onion and garlic, then finished with lemon juice and parsley, it’s an easy Mediterranean side dish for chicken, fish, or bowls.
Ingredients
- 200 g long grain rice basmati or long-grain white
- 500 ml chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ small onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper plus more to taste
- 3 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Heat 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add ½ small onion, finely chopped, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 3–4 minutes. Add 2 cloves garlic, minced, and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Stir in 200 g long grain rice and cook, stirring frequently, until the grains look slightly translucent around the edges and are coated in the oil, about 1 minute.
- Pour in 500 ml chicken broth and 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice, then add ½ tsp kosher salt and ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper, and mix well. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, 18-20 minutes.
- Turn off the heat, add 1 tbsp butter, and let the rice sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff gently with a spatula or fork until the rice is light and separated.
- Stir in 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley. Taste and season with more salt, pepper, or a small squeeze of lemon juice as needed. Serve warm.
Notes
Let It Rest Before Fluffing: I keep the lid on for a full 5 minutes after cooking so the steam finishes the rice and the texture stays light.
Fluff Gently with a Spatula or Fork: Use a spatula or fork and lift the rice gently; I find it keeps the grains separate and prevents them from breaking.
Nutrition
Calories: 287kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 777mg | Potassium: 120mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 92IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 1mg
