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    Home » Recipes » Side Dishes

    Lemon Herb Rice

    Published: Mar 12, 2021, Last Modified: Jul 3, 2023 by Janessa.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    It's always good to have a few solid go-to side dishes in your back pocket and this Lemon Herb Rice is begging to be added to your repertoire!

    With a creamy texture, it tastes like something worthy of a special meal (almost like a risotto!), but it happens to be easy enough to make any day.

    Two plates with lemon herb rice alongside pork and asparagus.

    It can easily be scaled up or down, you can customize it to add vegetables and it even freezes well!

    And if you'd like, you can turn it into an easy one-pot meal with this Lemon Herb Shrimp Rice Skillet recipe.

    The Ingredients

    Ingredients for lemon herb rice.
    • Butter- Salted or unsalted butter can be used. If you need the dish to be dairy free, you can use olive or avocado oil instead.
    • Garlic- 1 teaspoon of garlic powder can be used instead. Add it at the same time as the Italian herbs.
    • Long Grain White Rice- Use a long grain white rice such as jasmine or basmati for this recipe.
    • Lemon Juice- You need about ¼ cup of lemon juice which is approximately one lemon.
    • Italian Herbs- You can use a premixed blend of dried Italian Herbs or any combination of parsley, basil, thyme, oregano, savory, etc. that you have on hand.
    • Fine Sea Salt
    • Black Pepper

    The Method

    1. Melt Butter. Heat a deep skillet or pot over medium heat and melt the butter. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant and lightly toasty, about 1-2 minutes.

    Garlic sautéing in butter.

    2. Toast rice. Add the rice to the garlic butter and stir to coat. Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often.

    Rice toasting in garlic butter.

    3. Simmer. Add remaining ingredients, cover and let simmer for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until the rice is tender.

    Water and herbs added to pot with rice.

    4. Serve.

    Leftovers

    To Store: Store leftover rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

    To Reheat: Rewarm in the microwave until heated through, adding a splash of water if it seems dry.

    Make it Your Own

    • Make it cheesy- Stir in ⅓ cup (1 oz) of shredded Parmesan at the end plus top with additional as desired.
    • Use fresh herbs- If you have fresh Italian herbs on hand, use 2 tablespoons finely chopped in place of dry and garnish with additional herbs at the end.
    • Add some vegetables- After 8-10 minutes of cooking, stir in either 1 cup of frozen peas, 5 oz (5 cups) of fresh spinach or both! Continue to cook for 4-7 minutes until rice is tender and vegetables are warmed through.

    Serving Suggestions

    This Herb and Lemon rice is a versatile side for so many dishes! Try it alongside fish (such as Lemon Garlic Herb Cod), chicken or steak. Baked Herb Tomato Zucchini or Honey Oat Bread would be nice complements as well.

    Lemon herb rice on a plate.

    Dietary Notes

    LET ME PLAN YOUR DINNERS! Get My FREE Meal Plan (Including Grocery List!)>>>

    If you have dietary restrictions, check the packaging of specific ingredients that you use to ensure they are compliant. This recipe is:

    • Dairy Free - If you use olive oil in place of butter.
    • Gluten Free
    • Vegetarian
    • Vegan - If you substitute olive oil for butter.

    And if you liked this recipe...

    ...you might also like:

    • Lemon Herb Shrimp Rice Skillet
    • Onion Roasted Potatoes
    • Italian Sausage Rice Skillet
    • Chimichurri Rice

    Lemon Herb Rice

    A super simple side dish for a variety of meals. Its creamy texture will remind you of Risotto but with much less work!
    5 from 37 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 284kcal

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon butter
    • 2 cloves garlic minced
    • 1 and ½ cups long grain white rice
    • 2 and ¾ cups water
    • ¼ cup lemon juice
    • 2 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    US Customary - Metric
    (Prevent your screen from going dark)

    Instructions

    • Heat a deep non-stick skillet or pot over medium heat and add butter.
    • Once butter is melted, add garlic and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.
    • Add rice to skillet and stir until lightly toasted, about 2-3 minutes.
    • Add water, spices and lemon juice. Stir to combine.
    • Cover and bring to a simmer. Cook for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until rice is tender and creamy.

    Notes

    Leftovers
    Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave, adding a splash of water if it seems dry.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 284kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 616mg | Potassium: 104mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.5g | Vitamin A: 89IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 1mg
    Did you make this recipe?Let me know what you thought in the comments below!

    More ideas for Side Dishes!

    • 23 Perfect Ideas for What to Serve With Cod
    • 34 Delicious and Healthy Sides to Serve with Sandwiches
    • How to Make Breadless Sandwiches (12 Easy Ideas)
    • Bowl of green chimichurri rice.
      Chimichurri Rice
    « Pumpkin Chicken Soup with Rice
    Quinoa Nut Snack Bars »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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    1. Sheila

      March 22, 2021 at 9:02 pm

      5 stars
      This rice is sooooo delicious. Cannot wait to make it again. Don’t know if I’ll ever eat plain rice again. Thanks

      Reply
    2. Mirlene

      June 27, 2022 at 12:58 pm

      5 stars
      Your lemon and herbs rice is one of our favorites to have for dinner. I have made it with fish and chicken the past few nights. My family always requests it!

      Reply
      • Janessa

        June 27, 2022 at 1:00 pm

        I'm glad you enjoyed this recipe, Mirlene!

        Reply
    3. Tavo

      June 27, 2022 at 1:37 pm

      5 stars
      This lemon rice was perfect as a side dish for our Sunday brunch! Thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
    4. Dana

      June 27, 2022 at 2:40 pm

      5 stars
      We loved this rice! It's just the perfect flavor to compliment any main. So nice to have up your sleeve for weeknight dinners!

      Reply
      • Janessa

        June 27, 2022 at 3:31 pm

        Thank you for your kind review, Dana!

        Reply
    5. Sara Welch

      June 27, 2022 at 2:45 pm

      5 stars
      Enjoyed this with dinner last night and it was a hit all around the table! Perfectly tangy and delicious; easily, a new favorite recipe!

      Reply
      • Janessa

        June 27, 2022 at 3:31 pm

        I'm glad you enjoyed this recipe, Sara!

        Reply
    6. Tayler

      June 27, 2022 at 6:26 pm

      5 stars
      This is my absolute new favorite rice recipe! It's so simple yet flavorful!

      Reply
      • Janessa

        June 27, 2022 at 8:52 pm

        Thank you for your kind review, Tayler!

        Reply

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    Janessa

    Hi, I'm Janessa and I'm passionate about sharing recipes that are made with wholesome ingredients, are quick and easy and most importantly, delicious!

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