This Lemon Rice recipe is so good, you will want to eat it plain, straight out of the pot! It’s a Greek Rice made with sautéed onion and garlic, rice cooked in chicken broth then finished off with lemon and herbs.
Serve this Greek Lemon Rice with your favourite Greek food like Greek Chicken, Gyros Chicken, Greek Meatballs or Souvlaki!
Greek Lemon Rice recipe
I made this Lemon Rice Pilaf as a side for a Greek Feast that I shared in my Chicken Souvlaki recipe. And I promise, it is so good, you honestly will want to eat it straight from the pot.
The reason this is not just “another flavoured rice” is because it’s made as a pilaf.
A pilaf is simply a rice dish that starts like risotto – sautéing garlic and onion in olive oil (or butter), then stirring in the rice grains until they become translucent with the oil, then cooking the rice in a broth.
Cooking rice in this way transforms plain rice into a flavoured dish that is tasty enough to eat plain.
In fact, there are many rice dishes around the world that are made this way, loaded up with even more flavour and with proteins added. From risottos, to Spanish Paella, Indian Biryani and Jambalaya.
This Lemon Rice is a side dish so I’ve kept it quite simple. Pictured above, as a side dish with some juicy Garlic Prawns (Shrimp).
While some Lemon Rice recipes cook the rice with the lemon juice, my preference is to stir the lemon through the rice once it is cooked. I find that the lemon flavour is fresher, and also I stir it through while the rice is hot so it sucks in all that fresh flavour.
YUM!
Greek Lemon Rice is super versatile, but especially perfect for Mediterranean dishes. Think: Greek food, Spanish, Italian. And of course seafood. This goes fabulously with any form of seafood.
Enjoy! – Nagi x
Try this Greek Lemon Rice with…
Greek mains – Greek Chicken , Gyros Chicken (skip the pita bread, or stuff the rice inside it!), Greek Meatballs, Souvlaki
Garlic Prawns (pictured)
Crispy Pan Fried Fish – or try it with this amazing Lemon Butter Sauce
Super Quick Crispy Garlic Chicken or sticky Honey Garlic Chicken
Don’t forget greens! Can’t go past a Greek Salad
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Greek Lemon Rice Pilaf
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tbsp extra virgin oil (or butter)
- 1 garlic clove , minced
- 1/2 onion , finely chopped (white, brown, yellow)
- 1 1/2 cups long grain white rice , uncooked (Note 1)
- 1 1/4 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup water
- 1 large lemon (1 tsp zest + 3 – 4 tbsp lemon juice)
- 3 tbsp finely chopped parsley
- 3 tbsp finely chopped dill (or sub with parsley, oregano, basil chives, mint)
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Heat oil over medium heat in large saucepan or small pot.
- Add garlic and onion. Cook for 5 minutes or until translucent and sweet.
- Add rice and stir until rice turns mostly translucent.
- Add broth and water. Place lid on, bring to simmer then turn heat down to low.
- Cook for 12 minutes or until water is evaporated.
- Remove from from stove and rest for 10 minutes (keep the lid on).
- Remove lid. stir through lemon zest, lemon juice, herbs and salt and pepper to taste.
- Lovey served warm or at room temperature.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Try this Greek Feast!
Complete with Chicken Souvlaki with Tzatziki, Easy Soft Flatbreads (No Yeast), Greek Salad and this Lemon Rice Pilaf.
I’m eager to try this recipe- it looks so good! Could this be made in an Instant Pot? And if so, how long would I let it cook for in there?
Hi Lindi, I haven’t tried sorry! – N x
Nagi!! This is a beautiful dish! I doubled the recipe and at the end putting the lemon juice in I felt it was a lot, but I said to myself, trust Nagi 😂 and it is so good! The rice soaked it all up and wasn’t mushy at all, can’t wait to feed it to my guests, thank you for becoming a food blogger 😊
Wahoo I’m glad it worked our for you Laura!
I need to make enough for a large party. Would using a Dutch oven be okay? Will it cook thorough?
That should be fine Dina!
I made the rice for our church Community Group gathering, the menu was Greek food. Everyone loved it, and only a large spoonful left. I will definitely be making this again for my own meal preps during the week.
Fantastic Alicia!
My sister made this for a family potluck Greek dinner and all of us LOVED it! We now all have the recipe! I can’t wait to make again!
That’s awesome to hear!!
Great recipe. Having it with smoked lamb roast & salad.
Excellent! 👌 This was my first time ever making a rice pilaf, and this recipe made it easy! It turned out absolutely perfect! My wife asked for seconds, and then thirds! 😎
Wahoo! I’m so happy it was a hit!
I didn’t add water, and instead cooked my rice in chicken stock, and some cooking white wine. The rice started to look like it was cooking too fast so I put it in the freezer so it didn’t turn into mushy rice. It came out perfect, and I am super picky about rice. Will be using again.
I’m so glad it worked Jen!
Well I’d already committed to this recipe before I realised that I had no chicken stock and that all the lemons on the tree were tiny and green. Ended up substituting dashi and 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar instead, then mixed through some of the pan juices from the lamb I’d cooked. It was really good!
That’s great Arwen! I’m so happy it worked out!
Wow! I love this recipe! It was sooooo good! I combined with your lemon rice and it was a hit! How long can I keep the leftover sauce in the fridge?
BTW, this is the 4th recipe that I try from you! Keep it going!!!
I have a couple of jars of homemade preserved lemons I put up a few months ago and am wondering if Ican I use Preserved Lemon instead of lemon juice? If so how much?
Hi Margarita! Unfortunately I’m not sure. I must confess I’m not a fan of preserved lemons so I am not the best to ask about something like that. Sorry!
Just made it, it is incredibly delicious! Thank you!
Terrific to hear you enjoyed this!! Thanks Lora! N x
Hi Nagi, can this be made or finished off in a rice cooker? If so, do I need to alter the liquid measurements?
Hi Marie! You sure can, no need to change liquid amount, just follow recipe and when the rice and liquid is put in the saucepan, just transfer it all into the rice cooker 🙂 N x
Awesome. Thanks Nagi. Trying this recipe for my daughter’s birthday dinner on Sunday.
Can I double this recipe?
You sure can Beth! 🙂 N x
I am living on my own for the first time, and this has been my first successful rice recipe! A lot of the ones I have tried so far came out disappointing and bland (or I forgot to set the timer and cooked them too long–I’m learning as I go), but this was fantastic!
HIGH FIVE Rachel! You got this! N xx
I love your smile, very beautiful. Do you always cook with a smile like that? Oh yes,
I made this rice & absolutely fantastic pilaf. Do you have more great recipes you can share?
When I’m happy with the outcome – YES!!!!
Just put in my oregano! This dish is a winner, but I would caution the serving size–4 is what we got. Doesn’t help that we wanted a LOT!
A wonderful side to our marinated Greek spiced chicken.
Wonderful! So glad you enjoyed this Donna, thanks for letting me know! N x
Hi, this looks delicious! I only have short grain brown rice, any suggestions on how much extra water to add? Cooking directions on package have equal amounts liquid to rice. In the recipe i see it is just over that so think that would be fine, just cook it to the time as directed? Thanks!
Hi Lynn! How odd, I have never seen rice with equal amounts rice to water – are you sure it’s uncooked rice?? Normally brown rice is 1 cup of rice to 2 cups of water 🙂 N x
I’m typically not a big rice eater, however, this rice is delicious! Light and full of flavor. I made it with a Greek style chicken. Super easy.
That’s terrific to hear Joni! Thank you for sharing your feedback! N x ❤️
I’m making your delicious stuffed chicken recipe again and would love to try this rice recipe with it.
I’m not a very good ‘ last minute’ while everything’s happening cook.
Is there a way to make this ahead and finish in the oven? Suggestions would be appreciated! Thanks
Hi Heidi! Absolutely, make this ahead then rewarm and give it a fresh lemon spritz to liven it up!