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Easy Lemon Garlic Rice with Herbs, Side Dish Recipe

Mallory
If you're looking for an easy side dish that takes plain rice up a level, this Lemon Garlic Rice is perfect! It's one of my favorite ways to make rice and goes well with any main course! Just a couple of simple extra ingredients can really make the difference!
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Course appetizers and side dishes
Cuisine American, Mediterranean
Servings 6 servings (0.5 cup each)
Calories 135 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup jasmine rice
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder (or 2 cloves garlic, grated or finely minced)
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoon lemon juice (about half a large lemon)
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest (zest of about half a large lemon)
  • ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions
 

  • Rinse the rice under cool water in a fine mesh strainer to get rid of some of the excess starch. Then add the rinsed rice, water, extra-virgin olive oil, garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper to a saucepan. Give it a stir and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, give it another stir, reduce heat to low, and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Let simmer for 15 minutes or according to the timing on the package. 
  • Remove the rice from the heat and let it sit at least 10 minutes with the lid on. Then fluff the rice with a fork and add the parsley, lemon zest, and lemon juice.  Mix it to combine and add more salt as needed.

Notes

Expert Tips
Here are some tips for making the perfect rice when cooking rice on the stovetop.
  • Rinse the rice under cold water in a mesh strainer before cooking. This helps get rid of some of the starch and will prevent the rice from becoming gummy while it cooks.
  • Use a liquid measuring cup to measure the water or broth you will cook the rice in. This helps ensure accuracy. 
  • Don't remove the lid from the pot while the rice cooks! It will release some of the steam. 
  • After the rice is done, remove the pot from the heat and let it stand for 10 minutes, covered, before removing the lid.
  • For more flavorful rice, you can cook it in chicken broth, chicken stock, vegetable broth, or vegetable stock. I don't find it to be necessary for this rice since there are a few additional ingredients at play that are adding flavor already. 
Storage
  • Refrigerator - store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
Dietitian Tip
White rice is slightly lower in fiber and antioxidants than brown rice and it has a higher glycemic index. By adding a bit of olive oil and the citrus juice from the lemon and cooling the rice before eating it, you can reduce the glycemic index a bit. But if you want to get more dietary fiber, use brown rice! The difference is that brown rice is a whole grain whereas white rice has had the bran and germ of the grain removed. Just be aware that brown rice takes longer to cook and the nutritional difference aren't significantly different.
For more nutrition information and tips, visit mallorythedietitian.com. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! 😊 

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5 cupCalories: 135kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 2gFat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 100mgFiber: 1g
Keyword 30 minutes or less, dairy free, gluten free
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